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Just a small question that has nagged at me for a bit: I have heard that the name Jehovahis a mistranslation of YHWH or Adonai or Elohim. I wonder if JS knew of this. In certain revelations in LDS cannon, when God speaks He names himself Jehovah. And I know the name was synonymous for God and commonly used in letters and sermons in JS’s day. But if it is true that Jehovah is an incorrect name for God, why would God use it? Let’s see if we can bypass the “God uses the language of the prophet and of the time” stuff, because that’s a pretty recycled argument, though not without some merit. Personally, I don’t think God would submit to human error like that. Any historians out there to help me out if I’m even accurate in this argument? And if I am, is this a valid question?
Personally, I think that Allah is just as valid a name for the one Diety as Jehovah, Elohim, Eternal God, Father in Heaven, Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father, Lamb, Savior, Alpha and Omega…and any other variation that man has come up with to address the one God. I think human language is really just a bunch of symbols. So, it is what they symbolize that really matters. I really don’t think human language can fully encompass what God’s true name is. I think human language is for humans.
I dunno if any of that makes sense. LOL I don’t think Diety is bound by our limited language. It is what the words point us towards that count.
I don’t have experience with a God that forces us to know him or speak to him a specific way. The way we speak to him seems culture imposed to me. Including being restricted to the term “him.” SInce there is obviously a Father Mother team, IMO.
Yes, justme. For me, the best consideration is, “Is it useful?” To me, these all are great names for Him/Her/Them Highest
Father
Mother
I Am (Yahweh/Jehovah)
Allah
Brahman
Deus/Dios/Dieu
But I think my favorites that transcend all human language are:
Amen
Ahman
Auman
Om
Omega
Brahman (I know, a repeat, but it does have that syllable)
Tom
Proud father moment related to this topic just a couple weeks ago: My seven year old asked me what God calls himself, what is his real name?
I said that different people call him different things, but probably no one knows what his original name was.
Then he asked, “Does God have a father?”
I said I don’t know. What do you think? He said, “Probably in another universe”.
The reason I personally like the custom of not using God’s name is that it doesn’t tie God to one name – allowing God to be all names to all people. I absolutely think God would allow that – and I have a personal experience as to why I say that. My name is Old-Timer. I grew up as one name to my friends and most family, since my father has the same first name. However, I also have an uncle with that name on my mom’s side of the family – so my mom’s side of the family called me by my first and middle names. Professionally, I often am called by my first name – and I sign using my full name. I was Dad to my kids until a few years ago, when my wife was the YW Pres. in our ward. One of the YW started calling her Mama, and, by default, I became Papa. My own kids now call me Papa most of the time, and my Google name is Papa. At Church, I am Brother last name or my middle name – but when I served in a small branch I was Brother middle name. When I taught high school, I was Mr. Old-Timer – or Mr. OT.
So, I am:
Both personal names
First Name
Middle Name
Dad
Papa Last Initial
Papa Last Name
Brother Last Name
Brother Middle Name
Mr. Last Name
Mr. Last Initial
etc.
I really don’t care what people call me, as long as they are comfortable with what they use – and they are being respectful.
Cool thoughts, Old-Timer! Like you, I don’t care what people call me, just don’t call me late to dinner.
😆 (First post in the humor section) (“Oh, it’s supposed to be funny and not trite, obvious EQ humor?”)
[img]http://www.janetomlinson.com/journal/files/jane_montypythonbrianstoning.jpg [/img] Whenever this type of topic comes up, I can’t help but think of the scene from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” movie where the man is condemned to death for saying the name “Jehovah” out loud, and the crowd is full of women wearing fake beards, dressed like men. They end up stoning the priest because he accidentally says “Jehovah” too many times out loud while trying to accuse the old man.
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 Thank you Valoel, rotflmao
😆 😆 😆 Alright, alright, nobody gives a hoot about my ADHD, over-analytical, self-congratulatory remark on names , got it. And just to follow up with a Life of Brian quote, “I am NOT the Messiah!”
“I say you are Lord, and I should know. I’ve followed a few.”
Nice response, sm. I had to stop laughing so my co-workers would quit looking at me. 
spacious maze wrote:Alright, alright, nobody gives a hoot about my ADHD, over-analytical, self-congratulatory remark on names , got it. And just to follow up with a Life of Brian quote,
Oh yeah, I skimmed through the replies and realized the specific focus of the question you posed had not been answered.
As far as I know, there is no known “correct” pronunciation for YHWH. In fact, the Jews claim that nobody knows the correct pronunciation of the name of God. It is sort of related, I think, to the ancient belief that knowing a living being’s true name gave you power to control them (which is what I think some people do in the dark arts of demonology).
It is forbidden in Jewish custom to say the name of God (YHWH), and was punishable by death (not sure how, if nobody knows it???).
Jehovah is a common pronunciation. I think a more “scholarly” pronunciation is “Yah Way” with a slight exhale before *way* so it sounds almost like “heh way.”
Joseph seemed very interested in ancient languages near the end of his ministry and life. He studied Old Testament Hebrew in Nauvoo, or actually started before that, from a Rabbi. I can’t remember the guy’s name off the top of my head. So I would guess that Joseph knew about the many possible guesses … but Jehovah was the common English translation. Translation isn’t the right term … it isn’t translated but a guess at how to pronounce the word. Biblical Hebrew does not use vowel characters in the Torah (elsewhere? I don’t know), so there is no known correct translation of “YHWH” into English or any other language. The Jews themselves don’t know how it is pronounced.
Thanks Valoel, I spoke with an Israeli friend of mine and he confirmed that Jehovah is a somewhat mispronounced term. When reading the Torah aloud, one is supposed to replace YHWHwith Adonai. Jews also use Yahweh. Jehovahapparently came to be when the Torah was translated to English and the stresses were put onto the wrong vowels or something. I guess it’s not a big deal, I just thought it weird since it appears in Mormon revelation and scripture.
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