The "Sacred Names Movement" (Part 1)
While I feel that some of these groups might raise some valid points, as a whole, I generally have a negative feeling about them. I will explain:
Possibly Positive In Their Support:
They claim that through the tradition of the Jewish leaders, they concealed The Most Holy Name--The Tetragrammaton, in-terms of how it was to be pronounced. They had the responsibility to keep a reliable Record of this, and yet, today nobody can be sure of the correct pronounciation. They did this because they misinterpreted Biblical Texts not to misuse His Name nor to take it in vain, that they should therefore conceal it and substitute it, (as they have traditionally used) "'ADONAI", "L-rd", and "HaShem".
Negative:
Even pondering these claims, still, we don't know for sure how The Name is supposed to sound in pronounciation.
Also, In reading what these groups have to say, I got a real negative feeling on their attitudes. They appear to me to be very high-minded and arrogant. They come accross like they are superior to any other group of believers in the world and closer to G-d because they claim to use "the correct" Name. This would seem to make people in China inferior to them because they say His Name in Chinese, and so-forth. It would also go against what Paul said in 1st Corinthians 9:19-21 about being all things to all men. Here, Paul simply means to be sensitive to other peoples cultures. Yet he does not condone false worship! The G-d I worship does not play favorites. He looks at the inward part--the heart. Therefore, He knows whom the Chinese Christians and the rest of the world are believing in and calling upon!
Also, these groups usually seem to disregard the fact that we don't know the exact pronounciation of The Tetragrammaton, but they seem so sure we can know it.
Conclusion:
If you feel led to study this, then it probably would be more worth-while to explore this independently without actually being part of these groups until they humble themselves more. I might be open-minded that there would be nothing wrong with using a certain pronounciated form of The Tetragrammaton if one is convicted to do so, as long as one has a pure heart. G-d wants us to approach Him with pure hearts and motives in holiness no matter what Name we use--'ADONAI, L-rd, G-d, or HaShem! He looks at the inward parts of us. However, this point seems to be a point these groups seem to overlook without humility. I cannot judge, but this is my impression. The Most Important thing is the heart, because when our hearts are right with Him, then He will impart wisdom upon us! But if we are persuaded legalistically that we are somehow better than other believers to use "the right Name", that is placing legalism above the inward parts of us-our hearts. And even though it was the cause of the ancient Rabbis for the loss of the correct pronouciation, I still feel that ideally-speaking and ultimately, if we can't be sure of the exact pronounciation of The Tetragrammaton, thn we might prayerfully heavily ponder avoid using it in favor of "'Elohim" [G-d] and "'El `Elyon" [G-d The Most High] ,which are solidly in Scripture and yet do not have this controversy of how to Pronounce these Names! G-d is EVER-POWERFUL AND KNOWLEDGABLE ENOUGH to know we are addressing Him! He sees the heart! And still, you can even add "'Elohey-Yisra'el" ["'Elohim of Yisra'el"] ! "'Elohey-Yisra'el" is in The Tanakh almost 200 times, (together both with and without the dash). This leads me to another point: The rabbis taught that The Tetragrammaton should be UNIQUELY concealed to in great care to express Reverence. Yet this seems to imply that the same equal