Theos-Talk Archives (February 1995 Message tl00264)

In the Hebrew of the Old Testament (Exodus 6) "God" tells Moses
"His" real name, the well-known tetragrammaton (yes, folks,
"God," in Hebrew, is a four-letter word) rendered by modern
theologians etc.  as YHWH (formerly Jehovah).  This "Name" is in
fact an unusual rendering of the Hebrew verb, "To be" and can be
translated (approx) as "That which is" or "Eternal Being." Many
of the early Church Fathers were well aware of this (not knowing
English) and used the "short version" in which they speak of
"God" as "The Eternal."

"God" or G_d if you are a 'Hasidic Jew, is thus not any kind of
finite or individual intelligence, but the fact of Being per se.
This, I am quite sure, is how the Mahatmas would have perceived
it, but how to get it across to English Sinnets of the 19th
century, who saw "God" as the mighty Jehovah, a kind of Grand Old
Man in the sky with a long white beard, as portrayed by William
Blake, perhaps? When they say there is no God, it is _this_ guy
they are likely talking about.

(If my posting cease, you will be able to guess Who done it) :-)

Alan