Sex of God? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Xothan · 03-21-2004, 02:20 PM

Why do people put a sex to God? (I'm referring to the Christian God) I just don't understand how an all-powerful being could be even remotely similar to his creations (yes, I know we were created "in his image," but I imagine that to lie more along the lines of free will and intelligence, not actual physical resemblance). This question has bugged me for a while, and I was just wondering if anyone else had some thoughts.

Mantus · 03-21-2004, 02:47 PM

The idea of God being a male obviously has roots in the ancient and rather male dominant world.

The major reason why we continue to use the adjectives “he” or “she” is because the English language forces us too. If we personify a living thing then we immediately have to attach a reference to it’s sex.

asaris · 03-21-2004, 02:56 PM

Well, most Christians believe that the Bible was inspired by God (though they disagree on exactly what that means). One thing noteworthy, as I pointed out in another thread, is that while the Bible occasionally uses feminine imagery to refer to God ("O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34), it never uses it to refer to God directly. In fact, when his disciples ask Jesus how to pray, he tells them to address them as Father. So, under this line of reasoning, we call God Father, because that's what he wants us to call him.

Three notes to append:

1. No one really believes that God has a sex. Some, but not most, might believe he has a gender, but not a sex.

2. But, technically speaking, if we really wanted to assign God a sex, it would have to be male. Traditionally Christians have believed in, not only the bodily resurrection of Christ, but his bodily ascension. And since Christ was obviously male... That's really just nitpicking though.

3. I was sure I had a third point just a second ago, but it seems to have slipped my mind. If it comes back to me, I'll edit.

SecretMethod70 · 03-21-2004, 03:18 PM

As usual, I can't speak for other Christian religions (although I suspect most agree), but the Catholic Church doesn't assign a sex to God at all. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Quote:

42: God transcends all creatures. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of God—"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"—with our human representations. Our human words always fall short of the mystery of God.

239: By calling God "Father," the LANGUAGE of faith indicates two main things: that God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at the same time goodness and loving care for all his children. God's parental tenderness can also be expressed by the image of motherhood, which emphasizes God's immanence, the intimacy between Creator and creature. The language of faith thus draws on the human experience of parents, who are in a way the first representatives of God for man. But this experience also tells us that human parents are fallible and can disfigure the face of fatherhood and motherhood. We ought therefore to recall that God transcends the human distinction between the sexes. He is neither man nor woman: he is God. He also transcends human fatherhood and motherhood, although he is their origin and standard no one is father as God is Father.

370: In no way is God in man's image. He is neither man nor woman. God is pure spirit in which there is no place for the difference between the sexes. But the respective "perfections" of man and woman reflect something of the infinite perfection of God: those of a mother and those of a father and husband.

03-21-2004, 03:51 PM

Not really much to add, except to say that the idea from the movie Dogma always appealed to me... the idea that we project our own image onto God. ie a female would think God was female, etc....

TheKak · 03-21-2004, 09:34 PM

My dog told me that God looks like a dog!

Seer666 · 03-22-2004, 02:48 PM

Well, I thing Carlin hit it dead on. God has to be a man. No woman would or could fuck things up so bad.

filtherton · 03-22-2004, 06:30 PM

If god is a male then there have to be female gods right? Gender is function of reproduction. If god is male than there must be at least one female god to make his maleness meaningful. Does a male god have some sort of phallic manifestation? Isn't that how we define maleness?

I don't think the idea holds any water.

As for having to use the masculine pronoun, i always learned that god is god, no pronouns apply.

Seer666 · 03-22-2004, 10:15 PM

Well, it does say something about "THou shall have no other Gods before me". Now, that doesn't say "no oter Gods". Just means no matter waht, you have to put Him at the top of the food chain. With that veiw, you could very eaisly have other, maybe female gods. If you are someone that feels the need to asign sex...

Lunchbox7 · 03-23-2004, 07:17 AM

Its human nature to feel more associated with beings that resemble ourselves. Human ego. Thus humans like to think of God in the image of a human therefor must have a sex.

losthellhound · 03-23-2004, 08:30 AM

God doesn't have to have a sex, it's a GOD!

Seer666 · 03-27-2004, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by losthellhound
God doesn't have to have a sex, it's a GOD!

Look at the Roman and Greek gods. They all had a sex. And sex could also be used as a term to descibe more then just reproductive organs. Mind set as well, can be broken down to masculine and feminin.

SecretMethod70 · 03-28-2004, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Seer666
Look at the Roman and Greek gods. They all had a sex. And sex could also be used as a term to descibe more then just reproductive organs. Mind set as well, can be broken down to masculine and feminin.

Yes, but the poster is referring to the Christian God and to my knowledge few, if any, Christian religions actually believe that God has a sex.

asaris · 03-28-2004, 11:38 AM

Seer666: usually, when people are being careful in their use of language, sex = having reproductive organs of a certain sort and gender = being inclined in a certain way, i.e., masculine or feminine. Just trying to be helpful; I'm by no means any more careful with my language on a regular basis than anyone else.

losthellhound · 03-29-2004, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Look at the Roman and Greek gods. They all had a sex. And sex could also be used as a term to descibe more then just reproductive organs. Mind set as well, can be broken down to masculine and feminin.

Those gods and goddesses had a sex because the origin, and the understanding of those dieties required them. Remember though that the lines between sexes was different. Zeus was male, but had a daughter (Athena) by himself without Hera, split open his head and voila..

In the old testament God is God... no sex needed

Yakk · 03-29-2004, 01:10 PM

Oh my god, I get it now!

Lucifer's expulsion was a domestic dispute.

;-)

thespian86 · 03-29-2004, 01:12 PM

I always assumed that "Created in his image" was why man, Adam, was created first... Women, were created second, but not that is because importence... I always believed that women were created as man, only altered slightly for reproduction purposes... Women, they amaze me...

adia · 03-30-2004, 01:05 AM

I have personally always favored the god demonstated by Plotinus ( around 260 b.c.) where god was nothing humanoid at all. it was simply the most perfect one thing that existed, and it didn't need your acknowledgment to be perfect. also, anything that we expereince as existing is "contained" within the god(something that ole Spinoza liked to talk about). But in the end it's all just Aristotle all over again, just like everything.

SecretMethod70 · 03-30-2004, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by adia
I have personally always favored the god demonstated by Plotinus ( around 260 b.c.) where god was nothing humanoid at all.

That's pretty much what most (all?) Christian religions believe.

adia · 03-30-2004, 04:13 PM

the god of the old testament demonstrates a lot of strange
human qualities. granted that it may all be working as a parable, a tool to transfer an idea, but the bible just doesn't have that logical way of saying this is what god would have to be.

(of course, its been awhile, like a year or something, since i'ce really read the bible. i'm on other philosphy at school)

Dilbert1234567 · 03-30-2004, 11:16 PM

male, a woman could never screw things up like this.

Lebell · 03-30-2004, 11:36 PM

Rather than saying God has no sex (asexual) I prefer to say that God encompasses ALL sexes.

analog · 03-31-2004, 02:27 AM

I think to think of God, rather than by sex or static image, as a force that we perceive in a manner that is possible for us to understand, and is generally pleasing.

I think God will look different to every person, as no single image could be sufficient to visually represent him. To me, God might be an older gentleman who reminds me of my passed grandfather, which would comfort me. To another, God may be female because that is what that particular person interprets God to look like in their mind.

Besides, it's silly to assume that God would be tied down to just one form anyway. That kinda belies the whole all-powerful thing, dont' you all think?

SecretMethod70 · 03-31-2004, 02:38 AM

Precisely. Really, the idea of trying to attribute any "form" at all to God is silly IMO. God simply is.

03-21-2004, 02:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Xothan Tilted Location: Athens, GA	Sex of God? Why do people put a sex to God? (I'm referring to the Christian God) I just don't understand how an all-powerful being could be even remotely similar to his creations (yes, I know we were created "in his image," but I imagine that to lie more along the lines of free will and intelligence, not actual physical resemblance). This question has bugged me for a while, and I was just wondering if anyone else had some thoughts.

03-21-2004, 02:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
asaris Mad Philosopher Location: Washington, DC	Well, most Christians believe that the Bible was inspired by God (though they disagree on exactly what that means). One thing noteworthy, as I pointed out in another thread, is that while the Bible occasionally uses feminine imagery to refer to God ("O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34), it never uses it to refer to God directly. In fact, when his disciples ask Jesus how to pray, he tells them to address them as Father. So, under this line of reasoning, we call God Father, because that's what he wants us to call him. Three notes to append: 1. No one really believes that God has a sex. Some, but not most, might believe he has a gender, but not a sex. 2. But, technically speaking, if we really wanted to assign God a sex, it would have to be male. Traditionally Christians have believed in, not only the bodily resurrection of Christ, but his bodily ascension. And since Christ was obviously male... That's really just nitpicking though. 3. I was sure I had a third point just a second ago, but it seems to have slipped my mind. If it comes back to me, I'll edit. __________________ "Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht." "The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

03-21-2004, 09:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
TheKak Insane Location: Virginia	My dog told me that God looks like a dog! __________________ Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I.

03-22-2004, 02:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
Seer666 Oh dear God he breeded Location: Arizona	Well, I thing Carlin hit it dead on. God has to be a man. No woman would or could fuck things up so bad. __________________ Bad spellers of the world untie!!! I am the one you warned me of I seem to have misplaced the bullet with your name on it, but I have a whole box addressed to occupant.

03-22-2004, 10:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
Seer666 Oh dear God he breeded Location: Arizona	Well, it does say something about "THou shall have no other Gods before me". Now, that doesn't say "no oter Gods". Just means no matter waht, you have to put Him at the top of the food chain. With that veiw, you could very eaisly have other, maybe female gods. If you are someone that feels the need to asign sex... __________________ Bad spellers of the world untie!!! I am the one you warned me of I seem to have misplaced the bullet with your name on it, but I have a whole box addressed to occupant.

03-21-2004, 02:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mantus lascivious	The idea of God being a male obviously has roots in the ancient and rather male dominant world. The major reason why we continue to use the adjectives “he” or “she” is because the English language forces us too. If we personify a living thing then we immediately have to attach a reference to it’s sex.

03-21-2004, 03:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Untitled Guest	Not really much to add, except to say that the idea from the movie Dogma always appealed to me... the idea that we project our own image onto God. ie a female would think God was female, etc....

03-22-2004, 06:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
filtherton Junkie Location: In the land of ice and snow.	If god is a male then there have to be female gods right? Gender is function of reproduction. If god is male than there must be at least one female god to make his maleness meaningful. Does a male god have some sort of phallic manifestation? Isn't that how we define maleness? I don't think the idea holds any water. As for having to use the masculine pronoun, i always learned that god is god, no pronouns apply.

03-23-2004, 07:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Lunchbox7 Addict	Its human nature to feel more associated with beings that resemble ourselves. Human ego. Thus humans like to think of God in the image of a human therefor must have a sex.

03-23-2004, 08:30 AM	#11 (permalink)
losthellhound Thats MR. Muffin Face now Location: Everywhere work sends me	God doesn't have to have a sex, it's a GOD! __________________ "Life is possible only with illusions. And so, the question for the science of mental health must become an absolutely new and revolutionary one, yet one that reflects the essence of the human condition: On what level of illusion does one live?" -- Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

03-28-2004, 11:38 AM	#14 (permalink)
asaris Mad Philosopher Location: Washington, DC	Seer666: usually, when people are being careful in their use of language, sex = having reproductive organs of a certain sort and gender = being inclined in a certain way, i.e., masculine or feminine. Just trying to be helpful; I'm by no means any more careful with my language on a regular basis than anyone else. __________________ "Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht." "The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

03-29-2004, 01:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	Oh my god, I get it now! Lucifer's expulsion was a domestic dispute. ;-) __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.

03-29-2004, 01:12 PM	#17 (permalink)
thespian86 change is hard. Location: the green room.	I always assumed that "Created in his image" was why man, Adam, was created first... Women, were created second, but not that is because importence... I always believed that women were created as man, only altered slightly for reproduction purposes... Women, they amaze me... __________________ EX: Whats new? ME: I officially love coffee more then you now. EX: uh... ME: So, not much.

03-30-2004, 01:05 AM	#18 (permalink)
adia Upright	I have personally always favored the god demonstated by Plotinus ( around 260 b.c.) where god was nothing humanoid at all. it was simply the most perfect one thing that existed, and it didn't need your acknowledgment to be perfect. also, anything that we expereince as existing is "contained" within the god(something that ole Spinoza liked to talk about). But in the end it's all just Aristotle all over again, just like everything.

03-30-2004, 04:13 PM	#20 (permalink)
adia Upright	the god of the old testament demonstrates a lot of strange human qualities. granted that it may all be working as a parable, a tool to transfer an idea, but the bible just doesn't have that logical way of saying this is what god would have to be. (of course, its been awhile, like a year or something, since i'ce really read the bible. i'm on other philosphy at school)

03-30-2004, 11:16 PM	#21 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	male, a woman could never screw things up like this. __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

03-30-2004, 11:36 PM	#22 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	Rather than saying God has no sex (asexual) I prefer to say that God encompasses ALL sexes. __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!

03-31-2004, 02:27 AM	#23 (permalink)
analog Banned	I think to think of God, rather than by sex or static image, as a force that we perceive in a manner that is possible for us to understand, and is generally pleasing. I think God will look different to every person, as no single image could be sufficient to visually represent him. To me, God might be an older gentleman who reminds me of my passed grandfather, which would comfort me. To another, God may be female because that is what that particular person interprets God to look like in their mind. Besides, it's silly to assume that God would be tied down to just one form anyway. That kinda belies the whole all-powerful thing, dont' you all think?

03-31-2004, 02:38 AM	#24 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Precisely. Really, the idea of trying to attribute any "form" at all to God is silly IMO. God simply is. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling