If a user chooses a user name that is also a divine name or a divine designation, then in order to address that user in a comment, one must write @xxxx and then state the information or question.
In so doing one has to, in effect, address a human but using a divine designation or divine name.
Many would consider this to be blasphemous.
Therefore I am asking if SE-C has the ability to, within this particular website, restrict the use of such user names.
Offensive or deliberately provocative usernames can be changed if necessary. If there was such a user the mods would consult with the Community Manager team to take the appropriate action.
You raise a valid point. Here is one example that comes to mind:
How would Jehovah's Witnesses feel if someone adopted the name Jehovah?
The principle applies to other Stack Exchange sites, for example:
How would Muslims feel if someone adopted the name/title of Allah?
How would Jewish people feel if someone adopted the name Yahweh (or YHWH)?
I, for one, would consider any of the above to be blasphemous.
SE-C does have the right to restrict the use of certain words, and photos (avatars, even) that violate various government laws. There are some uses of language that result in censorship here, but the question is whether the use you detail would cause SE-C to do that, in such instances.
It is highly unlikely that any divine names being taken by individual users of the site, to apply to themselves, would be deemed blasphemous by SE-C. Even after flagging the matter up in this question, it would be surprising if SE-C removed such use of divine names, given that it would have to state in what sense they had decided it was blasphemous. It would be a pleasant surprise, though.
The point you make, that your only recourse is to never address that user in the comments boxes, is a good point.
My answer is that SE-C probably has the ability to restrict such user names, but the question is - "Would it?"
Lots of people in the US get antsy about the use or misuse of the American flag as well, I don't know if it's considered blasphemy, but it's borderline. And I know a lot of Jews would be extremely unlikely to spell the name of God (not the tetragrammaton, but "God" as a personal name)
I think the whole point of the Incarnation is that we can know and love and understand God in a personal way, this doesn't make His name less holy, but because He's painted His truth on reality by becoming Man, He's pasted His name in the lexicon of human history.
So, as long as it is not blatant abuse, we, moderators can only judge (to the extent that we're able) the intentions of the person using the Holy name of God or a Divine Name or the Blessed Virgin Mary or any of the angels or Saints, rather than react to the scruples of another community user who may have a problem.
