Pimping the Divine Name

by Farkel 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Narkissos

  The WTS tells us God needs a name to distinguish himself from all of the other gods out there.

  As naive as that may sound, it correctly points to the only religious setting where a "divine name" makes sense: polytheism.

  Once official Judaism shifted to monotheism (there is only one God) "Yhwh" turned to be an embarrassing vestige of polytheism. A god needs a name, "God" doesn't.

  So what to do with it? Just what official Judaism has done: (1) declare it too sacred to be uttered; (2) explain it away theologically or philosophically, as meaning "something" ("I am that I am") instead of pointing to "somebody".

  This paved the way for lasting underground magical use of the name (as many ancient papyrii and middle-age treatises attest) and for some theologically shortsighted sect to dig it up and make it its own label.
• 

  Farkel

  Terry,

  :Thanks, Fark, I get it---I'm a pompous buffoon!

  Nah, you're not. You've just invested too much of your hard-earned money in 25 cent words, when 5 cents can also buy you a nice word and help save the environment by minimizing syllables!

  I thought judiciously long and hard before enunciating posting what I did, not wanting to be pernicious bruise. I'm glad to see you can laugh at yourself, too. That is a sign of excellent character and is a great palliative healing therapy. Believe me, I have to be expedicious in that regard do it all the time, which doesn't say a lot about me, either!

  Farkel
• 

  Farkel

  Narkissos,

  :As naive as that may sound, it correctly points to the only religious setting where a "divine name" makes sense: polytheism.

  But of course, that makes no sense, either. It presupposes that the "real" God wouldn't know if someone was praying to Him or to some other god unless the one praying used the magic password, "Jehovah", and also used magic password #2, "I ask this in Jesus' name". Since Jesus pointed out in Matt 6 that God knows what we need even before we pray for it, it is logical to assume God is not so stupid as to know whether we are actually praying to him or some "false" God.

  Farkel
• 

  Terry

  I thought judiciously long and hard before enunciating posting what I did, not wanting to be pernicious bruise. I'm glad to see you can laugh at yourself, too. That is a sign of excellent character and is a great palliative healing therapy. Believe me, I have to be expedicious in that regard do it all the time, which doesn't say a lot about me, either!

  Thanks, Fark. You are a wonderful fellow to help me out like this. Helping me see myself as others see me is a boon and doesn't really embarass me.

  T.
• 

  Dogpatch

  leave Terry alone, Fark, he's waxing eloquent.

  before the hate and cynicism comes!

  LOL

  Randy
• 

  Dogpatch

  I have always thought "Jehovah" was such a tacky name.

  too medieval.

  clunky.

  especially when the old timers used to brag about gee-HO-vah .

  get the carnival tent! get Freddy!!

  R
• 

  Terry

  leave Terry alone, Fark, he's waxing eloquent.

  I'm buffed to a high gleam! I use Turtle Wax and alot of elbow grease! (But, it usually rains right afterward!)
• 

  Nosferatu

  The thing I hated most about the name "Jehovah" is how my mother pronounced it. It was always different from everyone else.
  
  Everyone else said "Juh-ho-vuh"
  My mother said "Jeeeeehovaaah"
  
  My mother seems to have an accent of unknown origin though. Another example is the word "garbage"
  
  Everyone else says "Gar-buj"
  My mother says "Gar-beeej"
  
  In effect, removing the vowels would work well for my mother. JHVH S GRBG.