X means Christ

[Aquila calva 10]

"they like to call us Xians"

 

X has meant "Christ" for many hundreds of years, perhaps going back to the first century.

 

Xmas = Christmas

 

Xians = Christians

 

Xianity = Christianity

 

Go to Google and type in "xmas" and you will get the whole story.

[GernBlansten 10]

Perhaps a 't' would be better than 'X'.

[scoutldr 732]

From the Greek Chi-Rho (XR)...Christ. Not to be confused with Chi-Mu (XM) which is that satellite radio thing.

[Gold Winger 9]

Not to me. It's is Christmas, Christianity, Christian. Atheists use it as a put down.

[evmori 11]

X means the unknown.

 

If it wasn't for Christ we would have Xmas.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[OldGreyEagle 5]

And I thoght that "X" meant pretty much whatever the group making up the abbreviation wanted it to mean. In medicine a Physician may abbreviate history as "Hx" of course a prescription is "Rx" while trauma is "Tx" Antibiotics maybe "ABX" Asymptomatic is "Asx" Blood Culture is "BCX" and I could go on.

 

Personally I have never felt insulted by Atheists, but then again I cant say I have personally faced a whole bunch of them either

[Lisabob 13]

Oh my,packs (pax?) of raving atheists! Better start guarding the streets folks, lock up your women and children...though I have yet to be accosted by these hordes while doing my grocery shopping.

 

Personally I find it more annoying that people can't be bothered to spell things out properly on signs and in advertising - perhaps they think it is "cute" to name their day care center "Kozy Kidz Kare" and maybe it saves a couple of dimes to write Xmas instead of Christmas. Me, I just think it makes them look illiterate.

 

But as for the "X" thing, hey, the church I grew up in as a child used it - in fact I recall there being one stained glass window with a great big XR (chi rho) in the middle of it. If it was good enough for them, it doesn't bother me. And I think it is easy to see insult where none is really intended.

[Aquila calva 10]

Just for the fun of it, I looked up some ancient examples. The Hill Monastic Manuscript Library at St. Johns University in Minnesota has a terrific website. You can type in a letter and see beautiful illustrations from their collection. Type in X and you will see some artwork from the 14th and 15th century. The first example is one where the Christian writer was copying the words and music to the still-used Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison. For Christ the letter X is used. I hope these links work for you. My point here is that the X for Christ was created by Christians for use by Christians. If some other group now wants to make use of this shorthand, it may be helpful to remind ourselves that we (Christians) had it first. X means Christ, as far as I am concerned, and there is lots of evidence to prove it.

 

http://cdm.csbsju.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/HMMLClrMicr&CISOPTR=6676&CISOBOX=1&REC=15

 

 

http://cdm.csbsju.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/HMMLClrMicr&CISOPTR=12419&CISOBOX=1&REC=14

 

You can search for illuminated capital letters here:

 

http://www.hmml.org/research06/vivarium.htm

 

 

 

[GernBlansten 10]

But that doesn't support our runnup to the War Against Christmas (WAC). Which by the way is just around the corner.

[CalicoPenn 729]

Wouldn't that be War Against Xmas (WAX)? That would sure make it easier to know when the war was on and when is was off again for another year. All we would need to do is have Pat Morita announce on the TV at the beginning "Wax On" and at the end "Wax Off"

 

Calico

[Gold Winger 9]

"But as for the "X" thing, hey, the church I grew up in as a child used it - in fact I recall there being one stained glass window with a great big XR (chi rho) in the middle of it. If it was good enough for them"

 

If it was XR, it wouldn't be "Chi Rho," Chi Rho is Greek and would be XP. Xmas isn't Greek. Xian isn't Greek.

[Trevorum 24]

X is in the eye of the beholder .

[packsaddle 753]

"they like to call us Xians"

The first time I ever heard this in my life was today. In these forums. And I know lots of atheists - other flavors as well.

So I googled it. Seems that "Xian" is problematic in that it also is the name of some city in China. So the preferred (yet incorrect) way to spell it is 'Xtian' (presumably to prevent confusion in Google searches;) ).

 

I feel several responses. First, I would like to say that Gold Winger undoubtedly rides one of the sweetest machines every to roll over pavement. I could go on and on but suffice to say, that when my wife sees me surfing the web and asks what I'm looking at, I mention my love affair and my secret lover...and then I show her a page full of these wonderful motorcycles. She just rolls her eyes. Someday......

 

I also have to admit that I didn't know that 'Xtian' was used in the pejorative, applied to Christians. Big deal. It's just name-calling. I wouldn't worry about it. But then, I don't exactly fit in well with the PC world.

 

So....tell me about the Wing. What color? Year? Model? Tell us about that smooth delivery of quiet power and the comfort of a ride across the country as if in a low flying airplane...I am sooooo envious.

[Lisabob 13]

Indeed you're correct, it was a XP (hey, it's all Greek to me...)

[Gold Winger 9]

It could be that I'm a Naval Aviator (Navy pilots wear wings of gold, Air Force pilots wear wings of lead. Or so the song goes).

 

I'm not tho. :-(

 

'81 Gl1100i. Sort of black, some parts are blue but hopefully by spring time it will all be one color. Just not sure what color that will be.

 

It whirs like a swiss watch. No "potato-potato" sound like a Harley or "zing-zing" like a sport bike. Just "whirrr" and it goes. :-)