God = He ?

[Unveiled Artist]

I'd say Mother would be the best term for Him because a Father can not create. A baby is created in it's Mother's rather than Father's womb. Mother's have maternal instinct to their children. If God is a Mother, the connection between Mother and Child would make more sense. In some cultures, the Mother is the source of taking care of the family--the active one. While the Father is passive.

The only way I can see God as a male is that in Christianity, in the mainstream form, Jesus is God; and Jesus is a male. I read in Judaism, using He is convenient; but God has no gender...I AM who I AM. They keep it at that.

I think Father is more appropriate because that is precisely how God has revealed it to us.

There are maternal metaphors:
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

But otherwise, Father is simply the best description of God's relationship to His children, for that is how He has chosen to reveal Himself.

 

[sojourner]

I'd say Mother would be the best term for Him because a Father can not create. A baby is created in it's Mother's rather than Father's womb. Mother's have maternal instinct to their children. If God is a Mother, the connection between Mother and Child would make more sense. In some cultures, the Mother is the source of taking care of the family--the active one. While the Father is passive.

The only way I can see God as a male is that in Christianity, in the mainstream form, Jesus is God; and Jesus is a male. I read in Judaism, using He is convenient; but God has no gender...I AM who I AM. They keep it at that.

A mother can't create either. It takes both to create. Genesis states, "Male and female God created them; in God's image, God created them."

 

[roger1440]

I'd say Mother would be the best term for Him because a Father can not create. A baby is created in it's Mother's rather than Father's womb. Mother's have maternal instinct to their children. If God is a Mother, the connection between Mother and Child would make more sense. In some cultures, the Mother is the source of taking care of the family--the active one. While the Father is passive.

The only way I can see God as a male is that in Christianity, in the mainstream form, Jesus is God; and Jesus is a male. I read in Judaism, using He is convenient; but God has no gender...I AM who I AM. They keep it at that.

God used to be a fat chick way back in the olden days. She was kinda cute too.

Venus of Willendorf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[sojourner]

God used to be a fat chick way back in the olden days. She was kinda cute too.

Venus of Willendorf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, they do say that God is Divine...

 

[Unveiled Artist]

A mother can't create either. It takes both to create. Genesis states, "Male and female God created them; in God's image, God created them."

I put a lot of emphasis on the Mother because I'm a child of a single parent. I don't see a Father having the same maternal instinct as does the Mother has with her child. I don't doubt that fathers have a connection with their children because they helped created them--especially first born children. I mean creating a child is beautiful. Giving birth to a child and the relationship between him/her and the mother is more profound, though; because creation can be done in a minute or so.. relationships last a life time.

In what you said, I'd say God is both a Mother and Father. Objectively, I wouldn't see why anyone would call him one or the other.

 

[roger1440]

I put a lot of emphasis on the Mother because I'm a child of a single parent. I don't see a Father having the same maternal instinct as does the Mother has with her child. Many Father's if not all have some connection with their child because he helped created them; and, he did not give birth to them.

The emphasis of Creation and relationship is giving birth to a child rather than having sex. That connection a mother has when she gives birth to her child is much closer (I don't know statistics) than a father would have because he didn't give birth to that child.

That, and a father can go and sleep with any person he wishes and not be connected to the child he helped created. On the other hand, the mother who is the host of the choice being born will always have a connection wit her child because it is part of her physically and emotionally.

Since creation involves both people, God would be a Mother and a Father. What makes it specific is the Mother gives birth to a child not the Father. So the relationship between Mother and child would be stronger than father and child (biologically speaking). That's why I say God would be more of a Mother.

I don't see how being a father is bad. Many father's have a relationship with their children. Just the giving birth makes it even more personal than having sex.

Understand?

Are you saying you were born of a virgin?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Are you saying you were born of a virgin?

I'm a child of a single parent--in other words, only one parent (my Mother) gave birth to me.

Just because my father helped in my creation, without a relationship with me, he is my biological father. My mother is my mother because not only was she part of creating me and giving birth, she also raised me--so I had a relationship with her.

Giving birth and relationship with the person is stronger to me than the act of creation.

 

[sojourner]

Here's the crux of your argument:

The emphasis of Creation and relationship is giving birth to a child rather than having sex.

This simply is not the case, according to biblical understanding. According to the bible, the man plants his seed in a woman. That seed is a baby. I hate to be insensitive -- I certainly don't feel this way about it; just putting forth the biblical understanding -- but, according to the bible, all the woman is is a receptacle for the baby the man puts into her. Since God is a biblical concept, we need to have the biblical concept of conception and birth in mind when assigning gender to God. That's why God is traditionally conceptualized as male (although there are plenty of female references to God in the bible, as well).

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Why is it that God is usually referenced as He or Him?

I find bestowing a human quality on God as a bad thing. Do you?

Aside from culture and history, a Creator has no gender. If God did, He'd have to be both He and She because it takes two to create. If I had to side with a pronoun, I'd say she because a Mother gives birth to her child and her maternal instinct makes that relationship wit that child strong. The act of giving birth and the relationship between mother and child is stronger to me than the act of creation.

 

[roger1440]

I'm a child of a single parent--in other words, only one parent (my Mother) gave birth to me.

Just because my father helped in my creation, without a relationship with me, he is my biological father. My mother is my mother because not only was she part of creating me and giving birth, she also raised me--so I had a relationship with her.

Giving birth and relationship with the person is stronger to me than the act of creation.

Regardless if your mother raised you or not, she would still be your mother.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I agree from a biblical perspective. How would you define God's gender without any religious reference of who the Creator is?

Also, I kinda saw God a He because Christians believe Jesus is God; and Jesus is male. Also, I agree with the linguistic reasons of calling God a He.

Here's the crux of your argument:

This simply is not the case, according to biblical understanding. According to the bible, the man plants his seed in a woman. That seed is a baby. I hate to be insensitive -- I certainly don't feel this way about it; just putting forth the biblical understanding -- but, according to the bible, all the woman is is a receptacle for the baby the man puts into her. Since God is a biblical concept, we need to have the biblical concept of conception and birth in mind when assigning gender to God. That's why God is traditionally conceptualized as male (although there are plenty of female references to God in the bible, as well).

 

[sojourner]

I'm a child of a single parent--in other words, only one parent (my Mother) gave birth to me.

Just because my father helped in my creation, without a relationship with me, he is my biological father. My mother is my mother because not only was she part of creating me and giving birth, she also raised me--so I had a relationship with her.

Giving birth and relationship with the person is stronger to me than the act of creation.

I can see how that would inform your perspective of God. Sallie McFague, noted theologian, wrote a book some years ago entitle, "Models of God," wherein she stated that the traditional models have become outdated (God as king, ruler) and that not all models work for all people (such as God as father), for the very reasons you give here. Many people experience fathers as cold, distant, or abusive, and they would be better served by using a different model for God -- as you've done.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Regardless if your mother raised you or not, she would still be your mother.

I put emphasis on my parent who raised me and gave birth to me. My father did not raise me nor did he gave birth to me. There was two parties involved in the act of creating, but only one (in my case) in the act of actually being the "Mother" to that child.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You just made me go "hmm". I honestly have to agree. I read somewhere that people believe in God because He's a parent, He's loving etc.. and because these were the things they didn't have when they grew up. Projecting what we did not get in our family relations on an deity. Probably the reason we have so many of them. You think?

I can see how that would inform your perspective of God. Sallie McFague, noted theologian, wrote a book some years ago entitle, "Models of God," wherein she stated that the traditional models have become outdated (God as king, ruler) and that not all models work for all people (such as God as father), for the very reasons you give here. Many people experience fathers as cold, distant, or abusive, and they would be better served by using a different model for God -- as you've done.

 

[sojourner]

You just made me go "hmm". I honestly have to agree. I read somewhere that people believe in God because He's a parent, He's loving etc.. and because these were the things they didn't have when they grew up. Projecting what we did not get in our family relations on an deity. Probably the reason we have so many of them. You think?

That wasn't what Sallie McFague says, but I think it's true. She was talking about how some people can't relate to God as Father, because their own fathers were not models of love and acceptance. But I think your idea of projection of the wanted-but-denied aspect onto a perfect deity is probably also a valid impetus.

 

[roger1440]

You just made me go "hmm". I honestly have to agree. I read somewhere that people believe in God because He's a parent, He's loving etc.. and because these were the things they didn't have when they grew up. Projecting what we did not get in our family relations on an deity. Probably the reason we have so many of them. You think?

So the writers of the Bible came from fatherless homes?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I can see why Sallie McFague would say that. Although not quite the topic, it makes me wonder if God is not a separate entity but actually a deified traits we want in someone that we didn't have or in my case a deity that mirrors the traits I received from my parent rather than an absence of them.

That wasn't what Sallie McFague says, but I think it's true. She was talking about how some people can't relate to God as Father, because their own fathers were not models of love and acceptance. But I think your idea of projection of the wanted-but-denied aspect onto a perfect deity is probably also a valid impetus.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

So the writers of the Bible came from fatherless homes?

I read that that's why many believe in God or deified an entity to inhabit traits they didn't get from their father (or mother). It's not fact, just the author's observation and studies on the subject.

 

[sojourner]

I can see why Sallie McFague would say that. Although not quite the topic, it makes me wonder if God is not a separate entity but actually a deified traits we want in someone that we didn't have or in my case a deity that mirrors the traits I received from my parent rather than an absence of them.

In the case of Christianity, God often mirrors traits that we see as desirable.

 

[roger1440]

I read that that's why many believe in God or deified an entity to inhabit traits they didn't get from their father (or mother). It's not fact, just the author's observation and studies on the subject.

Church attendance is higher among fatherless people? I have attended more than one church in my life on a regular basis and never noticed that, nor have I ever heard such a thing. Who is the source?