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Why is god identified as a "he"???

Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
athanasius said:
When I say the body of Christ I mean the church that Christ established. Of coarse outside of the church †his can be applied too in general I believe. I hope that helps.
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Yes. I am intrigued how religion influences gender roles in the larger culture.

Since the God of this perspective is gender-neutral, what influence do you think having a male Savior had on the gender roles? Would it be different if Christ had been female?
 
A

athanasius

Well-Known Member
Guitar's Cry said:
Yes. I am intrigued how religion influences gender roles in the larger culture.

Since the God of this perspective is gender-neutral, what influence do you think having a male Savior had on the gender roles? Would it be different if Christ had been female?
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If God wanted it that way he would have done it and it would have been just as good. He can accomplish anything nomatter what gender.
 
Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
athanasius said:
If God wanted it that way he would have done it and it would have been just as good. He can accomplish anything nomatter what gender.
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No doubt!

But do you think humanity would have reacted differently had it been a woman on the cross? Do you think that the culturally-perceived gender role for God would be different?
 
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athanasius

Well-Known Member
Guitar's Cry said:
No doubt!

But do you think humanity would have reacted differently had it been a woman on the cross? Do you think that the culturally-perceived gender role for God would be different?
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They Could have but if God wanted to accomplish salvation by becoming a women then he would have no matter how people would have reacted. Jesus himself was very radical and this ****** off alot of people yet Gods work was accomplished. God is in control and is the Lord of history.
 
Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
athanasius said:
They Could have but if God wanted to accomplish salvation by becoming a women then he would have no matter how people would have reacted. Jesus himself was very radical and this ****** off alot of people yet Gods work was accomplished. God is in control and is the Lord of history.
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Ah, so the historical perception of God as male is a result of God Itself? Why do you think God would want us to identify It as such?
 
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athanasius

Well-Known Member
Guitar's Cry said:
Ah, so the historical perception of God as male is a result of God Itself? Why do you think God would want us to identify It as such?
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As to why I do not know. He may want to teach us something about roles in general and about our own created roles in this life as they reflect him and our human nature reflects his divine glory(a shadow or image of him) but that is just speculation. I just accept it.
 
Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
athanasius said:
As to why I do not know. He may want to teach us something about roles in general and about our own created roles in this life as they reflect him and our human nature reflects his divine glory(a shadow or image of him)...
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Interesting! Perhaps by identifying Itself as "male" It wanted to create the dichotomy in order to enlighten us on something that can be discovered through experiencing a divided humanity--with males being associated with divinity.
 
A

athanasius

Well-Known Member
Guitar's Cry said:
Interesting! Perhaps by identifying Itself as "male" It wanted to create the dichotomy in order to enlighten us on something that can be discovered through experiencing a divided humanity--with males being associated with divinity.
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Possibly. Or he wanted to teach us how our roles and nature are reflected in him both male and female and what different gifts and talents he gives to our different genders and how both are incomplete thats why marriage unites them into union reflecting the Trinity and the fullness of the God head..
 
Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
athanasius said:
Possibly. Or he wanted to teach us how our roles and nature are reflected in him both male and female and what different gifts and talents he gives to our different genders and how both are incomplete thats why marriage unites them into union reflecting the Trinity and the fullness of the God head..
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Also interesting!

I like this view, although I don't particularly share it. Is the neutrality of God in this view a combination of Male and Female aspects, then? If so, then how does this view of God being both genders relate to intersexed, or transgendered individuals?

Also, is this typical of the Catholic view, or is this a personal view? (You don't have to answer the last question if you don't wish to. Just curious!)
 
Callmepaul

Callmepaul

Member
athanasius said:
I guess you think Jesus was a women. And I guess Jesus was wrong when he told us to call God Our Father. Darn Jesus, you were a women, You should have known better!! How dare you be repressive to the liberal feminist. LOL!:)
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Genesis 1 Verse 27 says: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them." Woman therefore is also in God's image. How could a woman be the image of a male God? God has the attributes of man and woman. The very name God, Almighty, in its original Hebrew form El Shaddai, reveals the infinite quality. El, God, its first meaning, Strength: Shaddi, the plural whose singular, Shad, signifies a Breast and is feminine. The ancient language of Scripture distinguishes God when power or truth are emphasized as masculine; when love or wisdom is the important attribute, 'the masculine name has the feminine complement. O Theos agapa estin, God is Love (feminine). How does a spirit have gender? But we know that Jesus Christ came in bodily form as male, there is no disputing that.
 
Guitar's Cry

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
Callmepaul said:
Genesis 1 Verse 27 says: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them." Woman therefore is also in God's image. How could a woman be the image of a male God? God has the attributes of man and woman. The very name God, Almighty, in its original Hebrew form El Shaddai, reveals the infinite quality. El, God, its first meaning, Strength: Shaddi, the plural whose singular, Shad, signifies a Breast and is feminine. The ancient language of Scripture distinguishes God when power or truth are emphasized as masculine; when love or wisdom is the important attribute, 'the masculine name has the feminine complement. O Theos agapa estin, God is Love (feminine).
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Great interpretation!

Callmepaul said:
But we know that Jesus Christ came in bodily form as male, there is no disputing that.
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We know this through history and myth. Is there a possibility that it could have been radically manipulated?
 
I

Inky

Active Member
...or maybe Jesus just came to Earth in the body that was most convenient, and his being male doesn't mean anything more than his being (probably) Middle-Eastern.
 
Yes Man

Yes Man

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
You do have to remember that women did not have as many rights back then. So it would have probably been easier to have a male messiah than a female one.
 
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