God/desses and Capitalization

[Liadine (dragonflyeyes)]

Hello there! :

So, as per usual I was searching around on the thread, and noticed that some people capitalize both the name(s) of their god/desses, and the third person pronouns tied into the sentences (e.g. I follow Odin. I love Him and all of His principles...). Personally, I don't do this, even for the Christian Yahweh. The god/desses I follow have never shown any preference for it. But I'm curious. Do you do this? If so, what is you're reasoning behind it? If not, why don't you?

 
I grew up going to church (including some fairly intensely Christian ones), and for the most part it was either non-caps or ALL CAPS. That is: 'worship the LORD your GOD for HE is' and so on and so forth.

It drove me insane.

Stir in some unending frustration with toggle-caps protocol in kink communities and by the time I started writing about gods, using any kind of uppercase variation just felt fake and weird and wrong every time I tried.

I used uppercase pronouns for a few years, and finally gave it up a few years back after it never got any easier. It doesn't feel weird when I read it, just when I write it, and writing about this stuff is hard enough for me sometimes.

So lowercase pronouns it is (for the Christian god as well), though I do worry an embarrassing amount that people think I'm not taking my deities (or theirs) seriously enough, or not according them proper respect, which is not my intention at all.

Maybe I'll start trying again? I don't know, half the time I don't capitalize my own name. Ugh.

[NibbleKat]

Not on that issue specifically, but I keep thinking I may be a weirdo because I never encountered "capitalize pronouns that apply to deities" before coming to this forum eight years ago.  No one (not my teachers OR my parents) told me that it was the proper thing to do when I learned the finer points of grammar as a child.

I do capitalize now from time to time, but it's far from consistent.

I'm of the same mind. I don't capitalize them much, not out of a lack of respect for them, because I have it, but... I don't tend to capitalize the Christian god, either. Their names, yes.  

And oh, in response to another poster,  I guess that means I am a tooth-grinding inducer, too. Heehee.

[SunflowerP]

And oh, in response to another poster,  I guess that means I am a tooth-grinding inducer, too. Heehee.

 
That one goes both ways.  I capitalize proper nouns like their names, because GRAMMAR, but don't capitalize pronouns, and had to school myself sternly to not be annoyed by others' use of capitalization on pronouns.  To me, it has too-strong connotations of emphasizing the lowliness/unworth of the worshippers; I had to keep reminding myself that those aren't necessarily the connotations others have, or are invoking (and still do have to remind myself when there are a lot of capitalized pronouns in a piece of writing).

Sunflower

[NibbleKat]

That one goes both ways.  I capitalize proper nouns like their names, because GRAMMAR, but don't capitalize pronouns, and had to school myself sternly to not be annoyed by others' use of capitalization on pronouns.  To me, it has too-strong connotations of emphasizing the lowliness/unworth of the worshippers; I had to keep reminding myself that those aren't necessarily the connotations others have, or are invoking (and still do have to remind myself when there are a lot of capitalized pronouns in a piece of writing).

Sunflower

I see what you mean.  I don't get annoyed with folks who do it, but I get annoyed with folks who get annoyed with me for not doing it.

[FunkyDemon]

I only capitalize the names. Even god is lower case because its a job title and not a name.

 
I agree, I only capitalize names also.  I don't capitalize god or goddess for the same reason I don't capitalize human or goat.  It is more of a species/race than a title.  Also, in school we were taught not to capitalize pronouns.  

I don't see random capitalization as anything other than bad form.  It is probably why I'm one of the few people that insists on using proper spelling, grammar and punctuation even in instant messages / text messages.

[Rainfall]

Do you do this? If so, what is you're reasoning behind it? If not, why don't you?

Posting on this forum is actually the first time I've ever written pronouns down (edit: er, I mean pronouns in reference to deities), so it's something I've never really thought about. In a post I made earlier, I capitalised them, but I get the feeling it's something that I'm likely to drop in the future, as I'm not too sure if it "clicks" for me. It's a manifestation of respect, but I don't think it's a necessary one, as that respect can be manifested in a myriad of other ways, too.

[River Moonwolf]

Hello there! :

So, as per usual I was searching around on the thread, and noticed that some people capitalize both the name(s) of their god/desses, and the third person pronouns tied into the sentences (e.g. I follow Odin. I love Him and all of His principles...). Personally, I don't do this, even for the Christian Yahweh. The god/desses I follow have never shown any preference for it. But I'm curious. Do you do this? If so, what is you're reasoning behind it? If not, why don't you?

 
yes, I capitalize the names at least, as it's a sign of respect.  Besides...pan is what you cook eggs in, Pan something different entirely.