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Jade
Guest
Hi Friends!
What’s your opinon or expirence of who the Holy Spirit is?
What’s your opinon or expirence of who the Holy Spirit is?
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Trelow
Guest
So what’s up, why do we not seem to give the Holy Sprit the recognition He deserves. It’s almost as we tend to relocate him outside of the Holy Trinity and more as those ******* ***** JW’s would say, as an active force, not the person of God.
I feel we should strive to increase our understanding and worship of the Holy Sprit. That being said, it is alot easier to relate to a Father and a Son than it is a to a Tounge of Flame. Do we have an organization to help foster recognition and adoration of the Holy Sprit?
I feel we should strive to increase our understanding and worship of the Holy Sprit. That being said, it is alot easier to relate to a Father and a Son than it is a to a Tounge of Flame. Do we have an organization to help foster recognition and adoration of the Holy Sprit?
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exoflare
Guest
It should be obvious that the Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of God. Although I’m convinced some people actually think it’s nothing more than a feeling you get while reading scripture or singing songs or whatever else. :banghead:
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Pious
Guest
The Father is God
The Son is God
The Holy Spirit is God
O God the Holy Spirit, infinite love of the Father and of the Son, I offer myself to you today through the hands of your immaculate spouse the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am more than ever resolved to hear your voice and to do in all things your most holy will.
The Son is God
The Holy Spirit is God
DAILY ACT OF OBLATION
O God the Holy Spirit, infinite love of the Father and of the Son, I offer myself to you today through the hands of your immaculate spouse the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am more than ever resolved to hear your voice and to do in all things your most holy will.
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Thal59
Guest
Now that you have opened up the can of worms, allow this to wriggle out.
The greek NT always renders the Holy Spirit in gender neutral terms. Although, as you can see, people have already responded by calling the Holy Spirit “He.” However, in the OT Hebrew, the Holy Spirit is always rendered in the feminine! (Sheckinah, which is used to describe the “glory cloud” of God, or the Holy Spirit is a feminine gendered term.)
It frequently amazes me how many people absolutely refuse to deal with this gender enigma and insist on referring to the Holy Spirit in the masculine.
Thal59
The greek NT always renders the Holy Spirit in gender neutral terms. Although, as you can see, people have already responded by calling the Holy Spirit “He.” However, in the OT Hebrew, the Holy Spirit is always rendered in the feminine! (Sheckinah, which is used to describe the “glory cloud” of God, or the Holy Spirit is a feminine gendered term.)
It frequently amazes me how many people absolutely refuse to deal with this gender enigma and insist on referring to the Holy Spirit in the masculine.
Thal59
J
Jade
Guest
I agree. That’s what I’m trying to do with this poll- although I’m not sure how well I’m suceeding at it. The Holy Spirit is the one Person of the Trinity that I don’t know much about. The Old Testament reveals the Father to us, the New Testament reveals Jesus to us and we learn more about the Father, and we get just a teaser about the Holy Spirit.
I would argue and hold firm that the Holy Spirit is indeed a PERSON of the Trinity. We know Him as Tounges of Fire, in the form of a Dove, as a wind. But I think we have to remember, that He is SPIRIT in essence, like the rest of the Trinity is ( and please don’t get upset at me b/c I said that- I DO believe that Jesus rose body and soul into Heaven when He asscended…) but b/c the three persons of the Trinity are ONE and the SAME, they have to be spirit in essance- they are God. But anyway, I think the only reason we think of the Holy Spirit as a dove or fire or wind is b/c that is how we as humans feel comofrtable grasping Him. It is human nature to try and picture things, grasp things, and so it is entirly natureal for us to want some sort of image so we can try and picture Him. IT doesn’t mean that that is what He is. The Holy Spirit is the breath of God- how much more disembodied can you get?
That’s my two cents for the time being.
J
Jade
Guest
Hi Thal!
Interesting post. I had a simular discussion the other day about the feminitiy of God. I guess when you think about it, if the Holy Spirit is just that Spirit, in essence (as I posted in my last post) then it doesn’t really matter what gender you appy. But I think b/c the rest of the Trinity is male, it has just naturally evolved or been accepted or whatever, that the Holy Spirit is male too.
Does it bother you that the Holy Spirit is referred to as male?
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AlanFromWichita
Guest
I voted for 1, 2, and 3 because they all seemed to be components of it.
Thank you for allowing multiple votes.
Thank you for allowing multiple votes.
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edwinG
Guest
Hi Jade,
The Holy Spirit lives in you if you are a Christian. He can manifest to be a physical presence within you. ie in the Old Testament He was an annoying sound in the ear of Saul. There is no limit on when or how He may manifest.
For me personally, I have been called, promises made and been given work to do, but as yet, I have not been baptised with the Holy Spirit. But He has manifested Himself in my life in these ways. The best way to descibe one event is for me to picture myself as a grand piano and He as Beethoven. Man, He touched all of my keys and set me alight time and time again over a few days. Only the maker could find those keys. No drug or anything could produce those feelings.
He has translated languages for me on 4 occasions to my knowledge. He can do this so smoothly that the event goes past and you are completely unaware of what transpired at that time or He can do it in such a fashion that you are aware He is present, because something doesnt quite jell.
He took my legs out from under me and sat me on my butt and with such a loud noise and falling of pots that the neighbours stopped and listened. I was not hurt in the least, but that was His answer to what else I could do in reverence to God.
He has saved me from drowning and at the same time let me rescue two people from the same fate. I had to cry out to Jesus though.
He has had people speak to me. ( You will know when the person speaking to you is not that person but God, When He wants to He just makes you aware)
He has thrown a golf club of mine 50 yards up the fairway on a driving range.
HE has organised a taxi for me.
My list could go on and on and on and on and on. Each one is a story of my adventure with Christ, One God, and He alone. A day or two may go by before I recognise His work in my life, but He is my constant companion. I wouldnt walk out the door without Him. I ask Him to help me in all things, no area of my life is kept secret. Every aspect of my life, including my love making to my wife is open to Him and He is invited in. As for driving a car, I would be petrified to go without Him.
How dull your lives are. How sad your Christianity is without the knowledge of His comfort.
I watched some show on EWTN the other night and some older priest was talking about the Holy Spirit and miracles and his first example was about a priest and a donkey who fasted for 3 days and then when the donkey was freed it went to the bread and wine before it went to the food provided for it. This happened I imagine some hundreds of years ago. The other stories too were of ancient times. I thought how sad he couldnt tell a story of His working in the priest’s life on the way to the studio that day.
walk in love
edwinG
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MariaG
Guest
If it were not for the Holy Spirit, you would just read the words but they would not make sense. The Holy Spirit can lead and guide you. The truth of the words is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
As EdwinG attests, the Holy Spirit is with us everyday. The Holy Spirit want to lead and guide your every step. I do not believe in conicidence, only Godincidence. That quiet voice in your head telling you to go a different direction, but you ignore “your own” advice. That’s the Holy Spirit.
A good Christian I’ve met gave me some very good advice. When something unusual happens, stop trying to run around it but slow down and see what God has planned for you. Sometimes God wishes to bless you, you just need to slow down and listen to the Holy Spirit.
The Acts are a great place to read about the works of the Holy Spirit. Imagine, we can live our lives so in tune with God that just like the Apostles, we can say “Let’s go this town” but then the Holy Spirit tells us “No go here instead”.
The Holy Spirit wants to be your partner in life. Wants to lead and guide us in everything we do. We just need to slow down and listen to the Holy Spirit.
God Bless,
Maria
(Notice I did not place a gender on the HS at all
)
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Jade
Guest
How dull your lives are. How sad your Christianity is without the knowledge of His comfort.
edwinG
Hi EdwinG!
Thanks for your post, I really enjoyed it. I have one thing to clarify though. I wouldn’t say that my life is dull or my faith sad. I do have knowlege of His comfort, and I have expirenced many times His work in my life, I guess I’m just trying understand Him a bit better.
Thanks again!
edwinG
Hi EdwinG!Thanks for your post, I really enjoyed it. I have one thing to clarify though. I wouldn’t say that my life is dull or my faith sad. I do have knowlege of His comfort, and I have expirenced many times His work in my life, I guess I’m just trying understand Him a bit better.
Thanks again!
J
Jade
Guest
Isn’t that the Truth?
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MariaG
Guest
I misssed this on the first reading.I would have hoped by now you would not make such sweeping statements Edwin. I am terribly saddened that you would have to taint your testimony to the Holy Spirit with such things.
If a person in your church came to you and asked you to help them hear and understand that guiding of the Holy Spirit is this how you would respond?
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Thal59
Guest
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I guess if anything bothers me, it is the fact that no one wishes to look at the Holy Spirit the way “she” is presented in the OT. You are absolutely right, God is not subject to gender differences. But then one would ask why God insisted so many times that He be called Father and not Mother. Why did He send his only begotten son, rather than daughter if gender is of no importance?
They way I look at it, God is one God in three persons. Father, Holy Spirit (Sheckinah) and Son. In other words, God is not only an almighty deity, He is, so to speak, an eternal and divine “family” unto Himself. (Patriarch, Matriarch, and Progeny.) This family nature is fiercely protected by Catholicism through its pro-life, anti-death culture position. Some Protestants, such as the Presbyterians, allow even abortion on demand.
Perhaps the usage of both male and female genders in the trinity allows us to see more clearly the divine importance of the family, as well as those issues that relate to it. (Abortion, marriage, divorce, contraceptives, etc.)
Perhaps overlooking the feminine genderization of the Holy Spirit in the OT causes us to lose sight of the divine importance attached to the family.
Thal59
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edwinG
Guest
Hi EdwinG!Thanks for your post, I really enjoyed it. I have one thing to clarify though. I wouldn’t say that my life is dull or my faith sad. I do have knowlege of His comfort, and I have expirenced many times His work in my life, I guess I’m just trying understand Him a bit better.
Thanks again!
Hi Jade,
Thanks for your kind words. Once He had visited me in such a physical manner, then I started to remember how much He had been in my life before. I just failed to recognise that it was Him who was giving me all the glory. Think back in your life and you will find incidents that stand out with clarity and somehow in them their is a tiny unexplained part, just a miniscule. That miniscule is His way of showing you and helping you remember with clarity how He has been working in your life. In my deepest sinful moment He rescued me without my being aware it was Him. Years later now I know how much His love is for us. The day by day awareness of Him in your life brings almighty joy and a certainty of victory. Peace.
walk in love
edwinG
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edwinG
Guest
Hi MariaG,
I am so glad to be posting with you again.
Oh surely yes. I would exhort with all my heart hoping to let them know how beautiful life is with the knowledge of the comforter. What a dramatic difference it makes to ones life. Suddenly the bible really comes alive. The words take a deeper meaning. IT isnt just a set of good rules to live by. IT IS REAL. I would certainly spur everyone on to receive an awareness of Him. GO GO GO.
If you cant find Him in your life, search frantically for Him. Without this personal relationship you are in the dark and Hope is all you have, when Christ wants us to have so much more. Like peace and abundance in all things.
Cry out for Him if you are not aware of His working in your life.
walk in love
edwinG
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puzzleannie
Guest
my opinion jibes precisely with the opinion of the writers of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the description of the origin and action of the Holy Spirit given in Sacred Scripture. What other opinion could there be? My experience is that the Holy Spirit is actively guiding the Church on earth and is present in me through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, as the Church teaches.
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MariaG
Guest
And all of these things are good.
But you then went on to say in a previous post
Explaining, praising and sharing the works of the Holy Spirit are a good thing. Then telling someone who does not yet see the Holy Spirit working in their lives how sad and dull their lives? I guess we all have a different way to witness. I would not choose that way especially to those who are of a different denomination than I was. But I am not you.
God Bless,
Maria
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Bibliothecaria
Guest
Hi all,
I am so glad I found this thread! I must have missed it the first time I went through this forum–I guess the Spirit guided me this time! I went ahead and posted to the Ask an Apologist forum, anyway.
But I am glad I am not the only one who has conceived of the Holy Spirit as a feminine aspect–insofar as God can be masculine or feminine. I have associated Her with Sophia/Wisdom described in the Bible. And I would consider Her a mother figure, as well as a teacher, counselor, and guide. I like the idea of perceiving of God as a family–Father, Mother, and Son.
Above all, I feel it is extremely important that women be able to relate very closely and personally to God. It’s a fact of human nature that we all relate best to people and things who are like us. The Holy Spirit is more like me than the Father or Son. Growing up as a girl, I always loved God, but sometimes didn’t see what we “had in common.” I sort of assumed that He had a better, closer relationship and love for men and boys.
Fortunately my psyche and identity were saved by a very wonderful relationship with my human father and later male friends and lovers. But I still find it easiest to relate to the Holy Spirit as a feminine aspect of God, as well as to Mary and female saints.
I am so glad I found this thread! I must have missed it the first time I went through this forum–I guess the Spirit guided me this time!
I went ahead and posted to the Ask an Apologist forum, anyway.But I am glad I am not the only one who has conceived of the Holy Spirit as a feminine aspect–insofar as God can be masculine or feminine. I have associated Her with Sophia/Wisdom described in the Bible. And I would consider Her a mother figure, as well as a teacher, counselor, and guide. I like the idea of perceiving of God as a family–Father, Mother, and Son.
Above all, I feel it is extremely important that women be able to relate very closely and personally to God. It’s a fact of human nature that we all relate best to people and things who are like us. The Holy Spirit is more like me than the Father or Son. Growing up as a girl, I always loved God, but sometimes didn’t see what we “had in common.” I sort of assumed that He had a better, closer relationship and love for men and boys.
Fortunately my psyche and identity were saved by a very wonderful relationship with my human father and later male friends and lovers. But I still find it easiest to relate to the Holy Spirit as a feminine aspect of God, as well as to Mary and female saints.
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