Thread: God's Name

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Using word "god" and all corresponding names in vain is quite normal in colloquial speech in Russian. According to Hollywood movies it is also quite normal in USA. And according to the text of "Arabian nights" it is also quite normal in Islamic tradition. Russian Jews use something like "Б-г" instead of "Бог", which looks funny.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Turning into a very interesting thread!

My Nana, the one who passed a way this year at 106 who was from Austria, she always used to write, “G-d willing” in her letters to me. Like, “G-d willing I will see you in November.” She was the only person I knew who did that!

There was an old or even ancient superstition in Russia about bears (of course we do obsessed with bears ): it is a bad omen to call a bear by "his name". Here "his name" stands for the word "bear" (медведь). If you will "call" the bear i.e. pronounce the word "bear" the bear can think that you are calling him and come to you. As a result there are only few possibilities: you can became the bear's breakfast, lunch or dinner. So there is a tradition to use nicknames for bears instead of the word "bear". There are plenty of them: Михайло Потапыч, Топтыгин, Косолапый etc. There is no any other animal in Russia which has so many nicknames.

Maybe using "G-d" is somewhat similar to this. People don't call the "God" without an extremely need.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

There was an old or even ancient superstition in Russia about bears (of course we do obsessed with bears ): it is a bad omen to call a bear by "his name". Here "his name" stands for the word "bear" (медведь). If you will "call" the bear i.e. pronounce the word "bear" the bear can think that you are calling him and come to you. As a result there are only few possibilities: you can became the bear's breakfast, lunch or dinner. So there is a tradition to use nicknames for bears instead of the word "bear". There are plenty of them: Михайло Потапыч, Топтыгин, Косолапый etc. There is no any other animal in Russia which has so many nicknames.

Actually, "медведь" is not a real name of this beast. It is also a nickname, the real name is lost in time.

This kind of superstitions was very widespread everywhere.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

Maybe using "G-d" is somewhat similar to this. People don't call the "God" without an extremely need.

No, AFAIK this is specifically Judaic tradition and it is related to Kabbalah somewhat. It was assumed that the essence of holy texts (Torah) are not to be understood by the human mind, and people should follow the instructions literally. So Torah says "Don't mention in vain the name of God". OK, but it says nothing about mentioning in vain some substitutes. Everything that is not prohibited, is allowed. A kind of pettifoggery, if you ask me.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Actually, "медведь" is not a real name of this beast. It is also a nickname, the real name is lost in time.

You should have studied the calculus better. The tetragrammaton is МДВД (Медвед or Медведь, depending on the local dialects) and it's rather appalling you say it could be lost. The crocodiles remember. Also, you should capitalize Beast so as not to confuse between Beast and the various pagan beasts. You should also know that "the beast" with a serial number 666 is not the same as Beast. In addition, according to Получка (=the Kaballa of the ancients), there is a sacred 22-letter name which could only be revealed to those studying Poluchka for a long time. There are many pre-requisites to start studying Получка and one of them requires the medium to be able to enter the trance by means of the sacred potion named Водка. With time, the tradition of drinking Vodka attributed to Poluchka has transformed to the famous modern custom which makes the medium travel on his four as his soul connects to Beast and he experiences a sense of being part of something much greater than he is.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

You should have studied the calculus better.

И тут Остапа понесло, но не донесло. До получки было неплохо, но потом пошел Петросян.

Настоящая постмодерновая круть - это когда говоришь чистейшую правду так, что никто не верит.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

И тут Остапа понесло, но не донесло. До получки было неплохо, но потом пошел Петросян.

Не отрицаю, иногда грешен на петросянщину, каюсь. Буду исправляться.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Настоящая постмодерновая круть - это когда говоришь чистейшую правду так, что никто не верит.

Кстати о Кабале: Кабала (книга) — Википедия

Кабала (ивр. קַבָּלָה‎ — получение, принятие [...])

Не всё, что на первый взгляд кажется петросянщиной является таковой.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Не всё, что на первый взгляд кажется петросянщиной является таковой.

Все равно петросянщина.
Петросянщина - это форма. Если хотя бы на одном из слоев перепетросянило, - все, более глубокие слои накрылись. Исключение - только та самая буквальная истина.

It's not about the Matrix, really. Have you happen to read Stanislaw Lem "Osmotr na meste?"

Вот не помню, каюсь. Лем, конечно, наше все... Но я начал с "футурологического конгресса" и после него многое просто не отпечаталось.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Все равно петросянщина.
Петросянщина - это форма. Если хотя бы на одном из слоев перепетросянило, - все, более глубокие слои накрылись. Исключение - только та самая буквальная истина.

Месье - пуританин и ортодокс.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Вот не помню, каюсь. Лем, конечно, наше все... Но я начал с "футурологического конгресса" и после него многое просто не отпечаталось.

В частности, там на планете Энция была такая сущность - этикосфера, основу которой составляли искусственно созданные атомы, а их контроль осуществлялся логическими элементами - шустрами исходя из общих этических принципов в попытке реализовать среду максимально благую к её обитателям. Этикосфера была неодушевлённой и не персонофицированной. Однако, мистически настроенные энциане собирались на спиритические сеансы и вызывали дух этикосферы. А поскольку это не нарушало ни один из этических принципов, этикосфера просто выполняла заказ и синтезировала некие абсолютно материальные псевдоразумные сущности типа приведений, духов, умерших родственников, и т.д. Каждому свой по желанию. Верит, допустим, энцианин в души умерших эктоков - пожалуйста, вот они. Верит в чудеса - пожалуйста, вот тебе чудеса. Коль скоро это никому не приносит вреда. Очень плотно и вразумительно написано. Матрица с её огромным количеством ляпов отдыхает и нервно покуривает в сторонке.