Correct Capitalization of God?

[Wizard]

This isn't a religious debate. It doesn't matter that God doesn't exist because he's a name and we capitalize him anyway. BUT in this context, is it correct to capitalize God or not to?

"Clovis was told by his wife that if he prayed to the Christian god, he would win."

It seems to me that in this context it would be incorrect to capitalize "god" because it isn't used as a proper noun. I ask because I lost a mark on a socials project over this.

[Ad Bot]

[TheChaosCarrier]

god doesn't exist you stopid christcigarette!!1

to me, i don't really care what people do with the word.

but yeah, if it really matters in certain contexts, then God would be capitalized if it where the primary/proper noun on the sentence.
if not, then God would be god.

[Man 2]

A "god" is a noun. It means "deity".
However, the Christian deity is called God. God is a god.
The name "God" is a proper noun, so you capitalize it.
However, if you are referring to the context meaning "deity", you do not capitalize it because it is a noun, not a proper noun.

[cucumberdude]

Man 2 is overcomplicating this :P

Answer is no, god is not being used as a name in this context.

[Qwepir]

"Clovis was told by his wife that if he prayed to the Christian god, he would win."

That's fine, I see no problem with that. It would be capitalized if you said "Clovis was told by his wife that if he prayed to the God, he would win."

[Night Fox]

No, you don't have to capitalize it, since it isn't using God as a name.
Same with "mom" and "dad."

[Wizard]

That's what I thought. I appreciate your helpful legitimate contributions for once, guys.

[Jubel]

No, you don't have to capitalize it, since it isn't using God as a name.
Same with "mom" and "dad."

But you call your parents Mom and Dad as a name, so their names should be capitalized.

[cucumberdude]

No qwep.

"the God" is incorrect in your context

The does not point to a specific god - ie, "the god of war", "the angry god" - so it isn't capitalized. As an brown townogy, think about how it would work with a normal name. You wouldn't say "I ate with the Fred last night".

The correct context for capitilization is something like

"Clovis prayed to God."

[Night Fox]

But you call your parents Mom and Dad as a name, so their names should be capitalized.

That's what I said.
"I told Mom that I'm going home."
"I told my mom that I'm going home."

[_Rave_]

Unless you are calling the figure "God" by name, it shouldn't be capitalized.

[IsaacKronenFaust]

I cap it whenever I use it, in any context. It might not be correct by English standards, but that's the way I do it.

Generally, I'll capitalise any title.

[D3ATH]

I never intentionally capitalize "god".

[dkamm65]

Fake or not, God the being, is a proper noun.

"God does not exist."

Otherwise, it's a regular noun.

"Zeus is a god."

[yuki]

"God" is a proper noun, the English name for the one Christian diety. In Islam, its name is "Allah" (which means "God" anyway). For example, "I pray to God", or "Yuki is God" Alternatively you could be a blasphemer and call it "Ya'Weh", which is supposedly God's real name.

Otherwise, it's not capitilized.

It's pretty simple.