[HANASHIR:1825] RE: Xtians

[Judah Cohen <jcohen...>]

Brian,

        As far as written media are concerned, I've seen "Xian" used as an
insider term by Christians (why would it be developed by Jews, who use the
word so infrequently that an abbreviation would hardly be in order?).  I
picked up the habit myself from a Christian a cappella group I studied two
years ago.  To those folks, the "X" appeared to be less a way of *avoiding*
the word "Christ" as it was a convenient pictographic symbol imbued with a
potentially deep religious meaning.  Imagine "Xians" being interpreted as
"people of the cross."  Other manifestations of it in the Christian a
cappella world include the group "X-ado" (darned if I know what that means.
. .), and "The Cross Products" (MIT; note the symbol for a "cross product"
in mathematics is an "x," I believe.)

Shabbat Shalom.
Judah.


>
>
>Adrian, I have often heard our Gentile brethren (and sistren) referred to
>as Xtians.  This makes them sound like aliens (like X-files, the
>Mysterians, etc.).  Is there a better way to refer to them than this?  Do
>we use the "X" to avoid the use of the word of Greek derivation that means
>"messiah" or "anointed one"?  If so, I don't believe "X" is a good
>euphemism.  After all, don't they use it themselves, in such terms as
>"Xmas"?  Why not just call them what they are - heretics, apostates,
>original sinners?   JUST KIDDING!
>
>
>Shabbat Shalom!
>
>
>Brian
>

Judah Cohen
Music Department
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA  02138
jcohen (at) fas(dot)harvard(dot)edu
(617) 628-4783

"...I do not feel that my research suffered unduly from the fact that I
enjoyed it." -- Daniel Miller, "Modernity--an Ethnographic Approach" (p. 6)