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I have noticed an aversion with one or two forum members towards spelling out the words "Christian" and "Christianity" on these forums. I can understand the kind of animosity towards Christians (as well as towards all theists) that would lead some antitheists or members of the Church of Satan (who tend to use the terms "Xian" and "Xianity") toward doing this, but I am curious as to why any person of the Jewish faith might share in this affectation.
Understandably, Jews do not refer to Jesus as "Christ," because that suggests that Jesus might have been Moshiach, and we do not accept that.
However, the words "Christianity" and "Christian" refer to one of the world's major religions and those who follow it. While we Jews don't accept the beliefs of Christianity, every fellow Jew whom I have ever known acknowledges the existence of this religion in the world. I know that I would find it just as peculiar (and perhaps a bit offensive) if Christians were to start referring to me as a "Jw" or "Jwsh" -- as though to negate my existence in the world.
I look at it this way: The Rebbe (of righteous memory) had no problem with spelling out the words "Christian" and "Christianity" in his many letters of correspondence to various individuals throughout his lifetime. So I see no reason why any other Jew might have a problem with it.
I don't mean this post to be an attack on anyone's choice of expression. As a Jew myself, I sincerely want to know why any member of the Jewish faith who avoids writing the words "Christian" or "Christianity" would choose to do so.
I don't think it's an issue of meaning but an issue of efficiency in typing.
The use of "X" for "Christ" is very very old. It runs throughout Christian symbology from the earliest days to now. I am reading a biography of Christopher Columbus, who was an extremely devout Christian, and who regularly used "X" to substitute for the letters C H R I S T. No theological reticence was indicated.
When I was in religion class in school, everyone used X in note taking because otherwise we would have written the letters C H R I S T hundreds of times every class period.
I don't think it's an issue of meaning but an issue of efficiency in typing.
The use of "X" for "Christ" is very very old. It runs throughout Christian symbology from the earliest days to now. I am reading a biography of Christopher Columbus, who was an extremely devout Christian, and who regularly used "X" to substitute for the letters C H R I S T. No theological reticence was indicated.
When I was in religion class in school, everyone used X in note taking because otherwise we would have written the letters C H R I S T hundreds of times every class period.
There are probably a few reasons as to why some people do this. Expediency would be one, in regard to substituting "X" for "Christ." I don't see how typing the words "Chrstn" or "Chrstnty" is more expedient. I personally have to think about removing the vowels in order to type those words.
Btw, writing "Chrstn" or "Chrstnty" is not the same thing as the Jewish custom of writing "G-d".
I don't think it's an issue of meaning but an issue of efficiency in typing.
The use of "X" for "Christ" is very very old. It runs throughout Christian symbology from the earliest days to now. I am reading a biography of Christopher Columbus, who was an extremely devout Christian, and who regularly used "X" to substitute for the letters C H R I S T. No theological reticence was indicated.
When I was in religion class in school, everyone used X in note taking because otherwise we would have written the letters C H R I S T hundreds of times every class period.
"Spanish scholars Jose Erugo, Otero Sanchez and Nicholas Dias Perez have concluded that Columbus was, in fact, a secret Jew whose voyage to the Indies had another altogether different objective."
"During Columbus’ lifetime, Jews became the target of fanatical religious persecution. On March 31, 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella proclaimed that all Jews were to be expelled from Spain. The edict especially targeted the 800,000 Jews who had never converted, and gave them four months to pack up and get out. The Jews who were forced to renounce Judaism and embrace Catholicism were known as “Conversos,” or converts. There were also those who feigned conversion, practicing Catholicism outwardly while covertly practicing Judaism, the so-called “Marranos”.
"Tens of thousands of Marranos were tortured by the Spanish Inquisition. They were pressured to offer names of friends and family members, who were ultimately paraded in front of crowds, tied to stakes and burned alive. Their land and personal possessions were then divvied up by the church and crown. Recently, a number of Spanish scholars have concluded that Columbus was a Marrano, whose survival depended upon the suppression of all evidence of his Jewish background in face of the brutal, systematic ethnic cleansing."
I don't care to claim Columbus as a member of my tribe, despite what some Spanish scholars claim. When it came to "brutal, systematic ethnic cleansing," Columbus was well-versed in that, himself.
But back on topic: Why write "Chrstn" and "Chrstnty"?
Yeah, well, the only problem is that Columbus was NOT a secret Jew.
Read Samuel Eliot Morison.
Regardless of Columbus, note that the "Chi-Ro" symbol is one of the very oldest Christian symbols. (An X and a Rho (greek R) crossed.) The first two letters of the word "Christ" in Greek. So as soon as people started writing Christian materials in Greek (and if my memory serves Greek was the common written language of the Holy Land during and immediately after Jesus' time), they were using "X" as the first letter for "Christ" as we write it today, and it would have been a very short jump indeed to using "X" as an abbreviation.
We, in a world where paper, ink, and pencils are dead cheap, tend to forget how important abbrevations were to people writing in a world where those items were scarce and terribly expensive - and where there was no printing, so every letter in every copy of any document had to be carefully inscribed by a skilled scribe.
I assure you that when Christian scribes writing in the first few centuries A.D. used "X" rather than writing out "Christ", they intended no disrespect; they were trying to conserve paper, ink, and labor.
My point? The use of "X" as an abbreviation for the letters C H R I S T goes back to the earliest days of Christianity and the vast majority of those who use and used it have intended no disrespect or hidden meaning.
Yeah, well, the only problem is that Columbus was NOT a secret Jew.
Read Samuel Eliot Morison.
Regardless of Columbus, note that the "Chi-Ro" symbol is one of the very oldest Christian symbols. (An X and a Rho (greek R) crossed.) The first two letters of the word "Christ" in Greek. So as soon as people started writing Christian materials in Greek (and if my memory serves Greek was the common written language of the Holy Land during and immediately after Jesus' time), they were using "X" as the first letter for "Christ" as we write it today, and it would have been a very short jump indeed to using "X" as an abbreviation.
We, in a world where paper, ink, and pencils are dead cheap, tend to forget how important abbrevations were to people writing in a world where those items were scarce and terribly expensive - and where there was no printing, so every letter in every copy of any document had to be carefully inscribed by a skilled scribe.
I assure you that when Christian scribes writing in the first few centuries A.D. used "X" rather than writing out "Christ", they intended no disrespect; they were trying to conserve paper, ink, and labor.
My point? The use of "X" as an abbreviation for the letters C H R I S T goes back to the earliest days of Christianity and the vast majority of those who use and used it have intended no disrespect or hidden meaning.
While I understand the Christian use of substituting an "X" for "Christ", I still do not understand why those of any other religion would remove the vowels from the words "Christian" and "Christianity".
Jews write the word "G-d" because of an injunction in Judaic law that His sacred name should not be erased. Since writing can be erased, we avoid erasing the name of G-d by writing His name this way. Some other references to G-d, such as calling Him "HaShem" (which literally means "The Name") do not require any alteration.
There is no injunction in Judaic law (as far as I know) regarding the spelling of the words "Christian" and "Christianity" as "Chrstn" and "Chrstnty." I don't know whether other religions regularly do this, or whether this is merely a personal affectation.
While I understand the Christian use of substituting an "X" for "Christ", I still do not understand why those of any other religion would remove the vowels from the words "Christian" and "Christianity".
Jews write the word "G-d" because of an injunction in Judaic law that His sacred name should not be erased. Since writing can be erased, we avoid erasing the name of G-d by writing His name this way. Some other references to G-d, such as calling Him "HaShem" (which literally means "The Name") do not require any alteration.
There is no injunction in Judaic law (as far as I know) regarding the spelling of the words "Christian" and "Christianity" as "Chrstn" and "Chrstnty." I don't know whether other religions regularly do this, or whether this is merely a personal affectation.
I find that usage arrogant and dismissive. But it's indicative of <something>.
Last edited by mensaguy; 11-12-2020 at 09:35 AM..
Reason: Keeping personalities out.
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