Why the 'X'?

C

Chryso

Registered Member
I'm curious, I see users in this forum using the abbreviated form Xtian, Xtianity, Xmas, and so on. Why? It seems to most often be used in an inimical way. It doesn't appear to further any cause other than potentially disrupting a conversation by aggravating those offended. Is that the motivation? Or is it simply laziness? I'm trying to get a feel for things before jumping into any weightier discussions.

-c.
 
Although I personally don't say Xtian or any variant thereof, it is common for humans to do this. You'll see signs of it in every post, including your own:

"doesn't" / "I'm".

It doesn't imply anything with rude intent, but is simply more efficient to type than 'christianity'. They get to save typing 4 letters.

You'll see the same type of behaviour with verbal communication. If your name is Stephen, people will generally call you Steve etc.

There's no call to read anything malicious into it.

Hope that helps.
 
I am not unfamiliar with contraction, my question was whether or not there is an intent other than efficiency. Although I definitely agree that english is rife with contractions, and most people tend to take advantage of that, I'm not convinced that there aren't ulterior motives. I notice a lot of anger in quite a few of the frequent posters to this forum and I'm curious how much of that anger is the result of provocation.

I'm sure that laziness is a factor in "Xtian" usage, but it cannot be the only reason, or there would be other such contractions, such as B'ist, or C10y.

Or am I really off-base and the "angry posters" are really just angry people?

-c.
 
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duendy said:
haha...count yourself lucky. in Liverpool they call Christmas 'Chrimbo'
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Chrimbo? :D

You learn something new every day! How did that get started, I wonder?

My thanks for the culture tip!

-c.
 
Well, it appears to be paranoia on your part. Usually when someone displays anger, or wants to belittle a christian, all they need do is call them brainless deluded sheep. I can't personally see any harm whatsoever in saying "xian". Where is the insult?

I'm sure that laziness is a factor in "Xtian" usage, but it cannot be the only reason, or there would be other such contractions, such as B'ist, or C10y.
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Not at all. While the majority of people will say "xmas", I've never heard anyone use a short word form for easter, pentecost, or bank holiday monday. That does not imply that when a greeting card says "merry xmas", that it is actually attempting to insult anyone or have any ulterior motives besides saying "merry xmas".

Or am I really off-base and the "angry posters" really are just angry people?
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Yes you're really off base, and no, there's nothing to state these are "angry people". Every once in a while discussions can get heated - not only on a religious forum, or with religious issues, but with anything. It's a fact of life.

But hey, I can see you're trying real hard to convince yourself that christians, and probably yourself, are hated. It's playing the martyr - something that goes hand in hand with the religion itself.

I hope this helps.
 
The X in "xian" or "xianity" comes from the Greek letter X, whose name is "khi" (rhyming with "pie"). This letter is the initial letter in the Greek word for "Christ".
 
i've always heard that the "x" is short hand for "christ." helps when you're taking notes in history class and whatnot, that's for sure.
 
Chryso: I am not unfamiliar with contraction, my question was whether or not there is an intent other than efficiency. Although I definitely agree that english is rife with contractions, and most people tend to take advantage of that, I'm not convinced that there aren't ulterior motives. I notice a lot of anger in quite a few of the frequent posters to this forum and I'm curious how much of that anger is the result of provocation.

I'm sure that laziness is a factor in "Xtian" usage, but it cannot be the only reason, or there would be other such contractions, such as B'ist, or C10y.

Or am I really off-base and the "angry posters" really are just angry people?
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M*W: Welcome to sciforums. The "X" is the symbol for the Saint Andrew Cross. It is used widely in Christianity, and should not be offensive to any Xian since their religion created it!
 
Devout Christians tend to be emotional and reverent towards their deity and become overly sensitive to any informal references. It is not so much that those that use X are being offensive but that Xtians are too sensitive. But of course knowing that, it is easy for X users to tease such xtians.

Of course any intended or unintended offense of the Muslim diety tends to result in violence and I understand is illegal in some Islamic nations.
 
Christians view "X" as an abbreviation for "Christ" as generally derogatory. Seemingly, this is why most people use the abbreviation - to irritate others. It's ridiculous and childish on the part of the abbreviator.
 
Only if that's what they're doing. If they're just abbreviating words, I don't see it as a problem.

I see people in this thread typing "xtian". This is redundant. X stands for "Christ". It doesn't stand for "Chris", which is implied by the redundant T in "xtian".
 
That's true. But, few people abbreviate Christianity as Xianity without malicious intent, especially on these forums. I'm sure you've realized this.
 
i would like to do more than just X christianity. i'd like to kick it right up the arse!
for many years it has destroyed peoples lives with guilt and in its time deomonized virtually everything including cats, standing stones, dancing, musical chords ...you name it!
so i am not gonna lose no sleep over some of its adherents bemoaning a friggin 'X' in xianity
 
Chryso,

"Is it lazy or is it an insult."

I'll say it's probably a little of both. It takes more keystrokes to type in XXXianity as some may feel about it.

Where did X-Mass come from? Answer: It's a marketing solution to keep people from being offended by the word "Christ", especially those of Jewish faith here in the USA.

It used to bother me some, like hey they're trying to take Christ out of Christmas. But then, myself the adaptable person that I am turned the whole thing around. "X" is the sign of the cross. For me it is a living sign for them it is a dead sign, ok -- to each their own!

Back in the 70's, when the women's rights movement was in its heyday, all words with the word "man" in them had to be euphamized: a chairman became a chairwoman which evolved to a chairperson, a spokesman became a spokeswoman which became a spokesperson, the fems were on a roll! But words had to be totally spayed and neutered for pure political correctness. (Doesn't that leave the french with a lot of work with masculine and feminine nouns?)

Then one bright young english scholar at my university got logical with the new jive (a riske' event for an English major). He deduced under the new formulary, a woman could not have "man" in her name because that was sexist. She should be called a woperson, but that was still sexist because the suffix "son" implies the male offspring, and we must not be sexist. A son is a child, therefore the only way we could be totally correct in our new english euphimism: We must call a woman a "woperchild". If you think about it , it makes a lot of sense -- but the silliness we go through to keep someone from being offended!
 
Athelwulf: Only if that's what they're doing. If they're just abbreviating words, I don't see it as a problem.

I see people in this thread typing "xtian". This is redundant. X stands for "Christ". It doesn't stand for "Chris", which is implied by the redundant T in "xtian".
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M*W: I totally agree! The "t" is redundant. However, Jews abbreviate it with the added "t." Christians should just accept what they cannot change.
 
SnakeLord said:
Yes you're really off base, and no, there's nothing to state these are "angry people". Every once in a while discussions can get heated - not only on a religious forum, or with religious issues, but with anything. It's a fact of life.

But hey, I can see you're trying real hard to convince yourself that christians, and probably yourself, are hated. It's playing the martyr - something that goes hand in hand with the religion itself. I hope this helps.
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Wow. I'm not sure how to respond to that. You've managed to take what could have been a perfectly reasonable conversation and marginalized anyone's opinion on the matter other than your own. Not only that, but you've pigeonholed me as a persecuted Christian after only three posts! Thankfully, there have been many other much more reasonable responses since you posted, or new users would never stick around to make a fourth post.

Incidentally, supposing I was a persecuted Christian, you would have done a marvelous job of provoking an angry response with your nearly religious zeal of anti-Christianity.

-c.
 
Medicine Woman said:
M*W: Welcome to sciforums. The "X" is the symbol for the Saint Andrew Cross. It is used widely in Christianity, and should not be offensive to any Xian since their religion created it!
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I'd heard that the 'X' represented the greek letter 'Chi', but I've never heard about St. Andrew's Cross, thanks for the pointer and the welcome!

-c.
 
You've managed to take what could have been a perfectly reasonable conversation and marginalized anyone's opinion on the matter other than your own.
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Not at all, I just gave you my opinion. Tell me Chryso, have I caused problem to anyone elses opinion? (for a clue look at all the posts after mine). Hey, I never said you had to like my opinion - but I haven't done anything to the conversation.

Besides which, I only answered your question and see no ill done with it. I explained that sometimes discussions can get heated, and that you had no valid position to label anyone who uses the short form of christianity as an "angry person".

Not only that, but you've pigeonholed me as a persecuted Christian after only three posts!
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Yeah, and you pigeonholed everyone who types xianity as an "angry person" after just 2 posts. You win.

Thankfully, there have been many other much more reasonable responses since you posted, or new users would never stick around to make a fourth post.
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Why's that? Because I tried to help you realise that people who use "xianity" aren't "angry people", and that you're simply reading too much into an act of shortening a word for ease - much like you might call someone Steve who's name happens to be Steven.

And now you're playing even more of the martyr role than I gave you credit for.

Incidentally, supposing I was a persecuted Christian, you would have done a marvelous job of provoking an angry response with your nearly religious zeal of anti-Christianity.
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Hey, you're doing a "marvellous job" of supporting my statement that you act like a martyr - all based upon some self delusion that the "angry people" who use an x are trying to insult you.
 
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