GOD man or woman

[tpetaway86]

Why is GOD always referenced as a he or a she or both? The bible (Im not just talking about one abrahamic religious book) says GOD is the Alpha and the Omega. There is nothing in the universe that is the Alpha and the Omega, so there is nothing to reference GOD to. GOD is GOD. (Im not talking about general destruction of stars and planets in the universe. Im talking about the beginning and the end of it.)

 

[Zardoz]

Shalom!

In Judaism, G-d is called many things, but AFAIK none of the names confer a gender.

G-d is unique, outside of the material universe, indeed outside of time. Past, present, future... all the same to G-d. G-d has no physical form, no matter could contain G-d.

We humans, however, speak of G-d in terms of he, his, him... as our language just works that way, it's designed to reference other people.

 

[Levite]

Why is GOD always referenced as a he or a she or both? The bible (Im not just talking about one abrahamic religious book) says GOD is the Alpha and the Omega. There is nothing in the universe that is the Alpha and the Omega, so there is nothing to reference GOD to. GOD is GOD. (Im not talking about general destruction of stars and planets in the universe. Im talking about the beginning and the end of it.)

The Abrahamic faiths overwhelmingly believe in a personal God. Therefore, though most people of any education at all will acknowledge that God (being, among other things, without physicality) has no gender, and is beyond the limitations of human constructions, we do not use the English neuter pronoun "it" to refer to God, because that is not, linguistically, a pronoun that we ascribe to persons. We usually use "he" or "she" because in English, those are the only pronouns that we use in reference to persons. And though God may not in any way, shape, or form be a human being, we understand that God is a "person" in the sense of being a self-aware, conscious, reasoning entity of free and independent will.

In Judaism, G-d is called many things, but AFAIK none of the names confer a gender.

Well, a couple of them do, idiomatically or grammatically. But your further point remains true, no question.

 

[Kurohige]

God is not a physical being, is an spiritual massive powerful being.. in the spirit world there is no gender.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Yupperz... God has no gender, no form, no limitations. We can never underastand God's true nature, as a table cannot understand the carpenter, or a clock can never understand it's clockmaker.

 

[Father Heathen]

"Male" and "female" are for organic lifeforms that sexually reproduce. Applying gender to god is an attempt to anthopomorphize the concept. It's adorable how many invision god as a great ape just like ourselves.

 

[islam means peace]

Why is GOD always referenced as a he or a she or both?

Allah(GOD) Has got no gender and there is nothing which you can compare him with.

Quran says in surah Ikhlas verse 4

And there is none like unto Him

I think the reason behind your question might be due to the limitation of english language as in our language we donot use the words that replace he or she rather the word we use has pointed to no gender and nothing. So it might be possilbe that enligh languge has limitations so people use those words.

 

[tpetaway86]

Allah(GOD) Has got no gender and there is nothing which you can compare him with.

Quran says in surah Ikhlas verse 4

And there is none like unto Him

I think the reason behind your question might be due to the limitation of english language as in our language we donot use the words that replace he or she rather the word we use has pointed to no gender and nothing. So it might be possilbe that enligh languge has limitations so people use those words.

There is no lack in the english language. GOD only points to GOD. Gender for the surpreme GOD is often identified having a gender relative to the religious belief. It's more about the psychology of people and why they identify GOD to be Earthy.

 

[Gaura Priya]

"Male" and "female" are for organic lifeforms that sexually reproduce. Applying gender to god is an attempt to anthopomorphize the concept. It's adorable how many invision god as a great ape just like ourselves.

Well of course, but it's only human to utilise familiar concepts to help understand the Personhood of God. Otherwise, God is beyond the limitations of our understanding, and far beyond our human conceptions.

But God created us in the image of His virtues and attributes... and human beings are not apes.

 

[zer0]

Why is GOD always referenced as a he or a she or both? The bible (Im not just talking about one abrahamic religious book) says GOD is the Alpha and the Omega. There is nothing in the universe that is the Alpha and the Omega, so there is nothing to reference GOD to. GOD is GOD. (Im not talking about general destruction of stars and planets in the universe. Im talking about the beginning and the end of it.)

I always thought it interesting that in Genesis God made man in 'their own image' and God made man in Male and Female. From what I understand the word for God here, Elohim, can be translated as being both male and female. I think this would make the trinity a whole lot more sensible: God the Father God the Mother and God the Son. (World Mission Society Church of God)

 

[Sum1sGruj]

God made man in His own image, which could mean that He is male, as He created Adam first. But it could also very well mean that were simply created by how He envisioned us.

Though I don't personally believe God is even an applicable subject to be male or female, he is adamantly called God and not goddess, is the Father and not the mother, is referred as He and not she..

But it's really just to simplify the meaning. God is God.

 

[Gaura Priya]

God made man in His own image, which could mean that He is male, as He created Adam first. But it could also very well mean that were simply created by how He envisioned us.

Though I don't personally believe God is even an applicable subject to be male or female, he is adamantly called God and not goddess, is the Father and not the mother, is referred as He and not she..

But it's really just to simplify the meaning. God is God.

In the Baha'i Faith, prayers mentioned to be nourished by the breasts of Thy lovingkindness, and utilise the nurturing aspect of God's feminine side, something that is slightly aloof with the other Abrahamic religions.

 

[islamicway]

Why is GOD always referenced as a he or a she or both? The bible (Im not just talking about one abrahamic religious book) says GOD is the Alpha and the Omega. There is nothing in the universe that is the Alpha and the Omega, so there is nothing to reference GOD to. GOD is GOD. (Im not talking about general destruction of stars and planets in the universe. Im talking about the beginning and the end of it.)

In Islam we believe what you mentioned: that ultimately nothing can be comparable to Him. Pronouns are more about convention. Surah Ikhlas explains this:

Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him.

 

[David_2010]

From what I've read, the names applied to God are just ways of describing the force or Power we call God, and that there are even some names and descriptive images that can be considered "feminine". As for people referring to God as a "he", I'd probably say that's just due to living in a patriarchical world, where the male aspect/masculinity does get over-emphasizedc more than the female.

Personally, I don't think there'd be anything wrong, in everyday speech, to refer to God as a "She", if they understood it didn't mean God was, literally, a female (or male).

 

[Gaura Priya]

I always thought it interesting that in Genesis God made man in 'their own image' and God made man in Male and Female. From what I understand the word for God here, Elohim, can be translated as being both male and female. I think this would make the trinity a whole lot more sensible: God the Father God the Mother and God the Son. (World Mission Society Church of God)

Except for the fact that they believe God has incarnated as some Korean guy, and now his wife...

The World Mission Society Church of God is as strange as that Filipino Christian group with that Pastor who claims to be the Second Coming of Jesus...