• csolisr@hub.azkware.net
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      1 month ago

      For a moment I thought it was Xian as in region of Xi’an, Shaanxi, China, and I was even more confused

    • WhoIzDisIz@lemmy.today
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      1 month ago

      By “Xians”, I’m hoping you mean Xitter users & not Gen X because I’m a part of that group.

      • luciferofastora@feddit.org
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        1 month ago

        They apparently meant Christians, using the Greek Χ (Chi), the starting letter of Χριστιανός (Christianos) as an abbreviation. I’ve seen it a few times, but I’m not personally a fan of it due to the obscurity outside of the niche that understands it.

        • Limonene@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          Maybe… but they wrote “X” (latin “Ex”), not “χ” (Greek “Chi”). I’m still thinking “Twitter users” is the most plausible meaning of “Xians” here.

          • IzzyScissor@lemmy.world
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            1 month ago

            Xians = Christians in the same way that Xmas = Christmas. Sure, the Greek would be more accurate, but it’s a whole lot easier to use the button that’s already on the keyboard.

          • luciferofastora@feddit.org
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            1 month ago

            Using the Latin lookalike instead of the actual letter is fairly common when you’re using a Latin keyboard. I happen to have Greek installed on mine, but I don’t expect most people would. Besides, an uppercase Χ is visually indistinguishable from X in many fonts.

          • MinnesotaGoddam@lemmy.world
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            1 month ago

            i’ve seen xtians more than xians. and i’m a godsdamned church musician who works primarily in christian churches

    • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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      1 month ago

      All the confusion should let people know, don’t use this if you want to actually communicate information. Just type Christians. It’s not much longer, and everyone understands it. This is only too look cool, not for conveying information.

    • root@lemmy.wtf
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      1 month ago

      american protestants on their way to completely alter the way that all Christians are perceived whilst commiting the occasiinal or daily heresy

      • WhoIzDisIz@lemmy.today
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        1 month ago

        Not so sure they were ever perceived all that well outside of their own. They just talked themselves up a fuck-ton, and for a long time were the main ones writing, publishing, & distributing history books while doing so. They love to self-promote — it’s the hallmark of people with deep insecurities.