Jah

  • Thread starter Thread starter codefro
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

codefro

Guest
Can Catholics refer to God as Jah? I know Catholics cannot say the name Yahweh out of obedience to the magisterium. I know another version is Jehovah. Yet, what about Jah?
 
codefro said:
Can Catholics refer to God as Jah? I know Catholics cannot say the name Yahweh out of obedience to the magisterium. I know another version is Jehovah. Yet, what about Jah?
Click to expand...
That is not correct. Yahweh is only not to be used in songs and prayers during a Mass.
 
codefro said:
Can Catholics refer to God as Jah? I know Catholics cannot say the name Yahweh out of obedience to the magisterium. I know another version is Jehovah. Yet, what about Jah?
Click to expand...
Except for the expression “alleluia,” Catholics can pronounce the name outside of the Liturgy. Only in Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours is the substitute to be used in its place.

But when Catholics say “alleluia” they are in fact using the short form of God’s name, “Jah,” albeit the Latin form. “Alleluia” is Latin for the Hebrew *halleluya, *which means “praise be to Yah.”

“Alleluia” is the only form of the “hallel” allowed in Liturgy, but outside of that Catholics can pronounce the name (Yah is the short form used in Hebrew praise).

However since Catholicism recognizes it’s connection with Judaism, and the fact that in Jewish culture using the name of someone implies having some control over the other, the pronunciation of the Name of God is a very important issue. Some Catholics therefore avoid it, adopting the same view of Jews, thereby treating it as sacred (for to Jews something that is holy is rarely touched or used, unlike mundane things or names that get used all the time).

Unlike the pagans who believed in gods that would not answer their prayers or even pay attention to them unless they went through a list of names and titles, Catholics follow the advice of Jesus:

“In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them.” We don’t worship a God who won’t listen to us if we don’t use his name, as if we need to get his attention. God always has his attention focused on us, as Jesus said: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”–Matthew 6:7-8.
 
Why would a Catholic call God Jah, unless he is from Jamaica? The prohibition against using the divine name is more of a Jewish thing. It is more a matter of habit that Catholics don’t use it.
 
“Jah” is properly pronounced as “Yah”. The “J” was carried from the German spelling into English. Hallelu-Yah means praise Yah. Yah is often used in Hebrew names such as Zechari-Yah, Jeremi-Yah, etc. Yah is used a the short form of the divine name. No one knows the pronunciation of the full divine name but, we know the shortened form is Yah.

Psalm 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH [YAH], and rejoice before him.
 
Ok, but my question is:

Is it improper for a Catholic to say Jah when referring to God?

My understanding is yes- if Catholics can say Hallelujah then they are doing just that. Also, just so people know, this is becoming more common in America to call Him Jah. It is not just a Jamaican custom.
 
codefro said:
Ok, but my question is:

Is it improper for a Catholic to say Jah when referring to God?

My understanding is yes- if Catholics can say Hallelujah then they are doing just that. Also, just so people know, this is becoming more common in America to call Him Jah. It is not just a Jamaican custom.
Click to expand...
It is perfectly fine to refer to God as Jah. Jah has been historically used in the English language to speak of our God (in the KJV and old hymns).
 
codefro said:
Ok, but my question is:

Is it improper for a Catholic to say Jah when referring to God?

My understanding is yes- if Catholics can say Hallelujah then they are doing just that. Also, just so people know, this is becoming more common in America to call Him Jah. It is not just a Jamaican custom.
Click to expand...
Never in my whole life have I heard God called Jah.
It sounds sloppy and disrespectful.
 
I never understood the draw of calling God something other than what we traditionally call Him. I could see if it was cultural or if part of your religious denomination but why else would you want to?
 
Yah is part of Catholic tradition we just don’t use the name, Yah, by itself. Allelu-Yah is taken from the Hebrew hallelu-Yah which means praise-Yah. J is properly pronounced as a Y.
 
SaintRita said:
I never understood the draw of calling God something other than what we traditionally call Him. I could see if it was cultural or if part of your religious denomination but why else would you want to?
Click to expand...
But we do call Him that when we say Hallelujah. What’s the problem?
 
codefro said:
But we do call Him that when we say Hallelujah. What’s the problem?
Click to expand...
I don’t have a problem with it - maybe tone was mis read. I just don’t understand why people in general want to use names that are not the norm. To me personally it would feel forced or come across to my peers as being overly pious.
 
SaintRita said:
I don’t have a problem with it - maybe tone was mis read. I just don’t understand why people in general want to use names that are not the norm. To me personally it would feel forced or come across to my peers as being overly pious.
Click to expand...
I agree.
 
I suppose not, but why would you call him that outside of the proper context? I mean, Allah, Deus, Dios and so on are names for God, but unless I’m speaking Arabic, Latin, Spanish and so on, why would I use it?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top