Goddess or God?

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choy said:
God is referred to as a He and a Father because in the time and the culture where the Bible was written was a male dominated society. i don`t think a lot of people at that time would submit to a woman.
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There is more to it than that. God is not male, but Scripture most suitably employs male metaphors for Him, while on occasion employing female similies for Him. There is a basic distinction between the two, with "simile/comparing (mother) and metaphor/naming (father), and the meanings they convey. . .Whereas similies compare, metaphors predicate or NAME [emphasis mine], “Language for God and Feminist Language, a Literary and Rhetorical Analysis,” Roland Mushat Frye, Interpretation, A Journal of Bible and Theology.

See also this for some insights:

bringyou.to/apologetics/a49.htm
 
=Lethe;5688883]What do you think of female Gods? Though God is technically neutral in most religions, he/she/it is usually referred to as ‘He.’ I suppose this is also added to in Christianity as Jesus was male.
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I personally, as a woman, think I would find it easier to connect with the idea of God as an ‘it’ or a ‘she’ than as a ‘he,’ and I find it kind of saddening (but unsurprising) that most major religions have male Gods or leaders (in the case of Buddha.)
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***Given the times we live in your position is not surprising.

As you correctly state “God is Spirit”, neither male or female. However your position overlooks the obvious fact that God refers to Himself as “Father” and in other places as “Son”. Obviously that is how God chooses to be known to us.

Some would respond that this simply mirrors gender bias, which cannot be the case for several solid reasons. To do so would be sinful, and a Perfect God cannot sin. Also Jesus was known to not be overly influenced by the times He choose to be Incarnate on earth.

The Bible is replete with stories of God’s Special love, recgoniation and appreciation of women; including planing to become Incarnate through His Blessed Mother.

Women played highly signifiant roles in the life, death and after death of Christ. This notion that one must be a man in order to accomplish great things for Jesus is pure nonsense. Look at Mother Theresa, and Mother Angellica for example. God cares not who you are so much as what we are and what we do with, in and for Him.

Its not an issue of gender, its humility, love and obedience to His Divine Will. Amen!

Love and prayers,***
 
God is masculin in action but not in personality just as the human soul is femine in structure but not nessasarly in personality. The soul is like a womb that grows and births the mind of christ. The holy spirit enters us when we are receptive producing life. Read song of solomon it shows the nature of god and his relationship to the church (the bride of christ). while god loves us like a father/mother his actions in how he communicates with us on the spiritual level shows he is masculine. that is why he is called father. the sacrement of marrige is the mirrior image of how he unites with us becoming one “flesh” God (the masculine) enters the soul (the feminine) useing the spirit to give life. as mary said “my soul magnifies the lord”.
 
gurneyhalleck1 said:
Is the topic of this thread at all relevent to CAF? Does any poster seriously think Catholics are going to consider a goddess theology palatable in a religion such as ours? It seems more antagonistic and somewhat silly if anything. No Christian of any brand except the Episcopal Church would accept this neo-pagan way of seeing the Godhead.:confused::confused:
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Clearly you’re wrong that’s it’s irrelevant, since people have replied with their own views and opinions. And this is the ‘non-catholic religions’ section - why should I have to talk exclusively about Catholicism? I never said anything about whether you SHOULD believe in a goddess, I was asking what people think of the ‘gender’ of God

I’ll ask you something - does God have chromasomes? Does God have a male sexual organs? I don’t think God’s ‘maleness’ is a clear cut as that.
 
Lethe said:
What do you think of female Gods? Though God is technically neutral in most religions, he/she/it is usually referred to as ‘He.’ I suppose this is also added to in Christianity as Jesus was male.

I personally, as a woman, think I would find it easier to connect with the idea of God as an ‘it’ or a ‘she’ than as a ‘he,’ and I find it kind of saddening (but unsurprising) that most major religions have male Gods or leaders (in the case of Buddha.)
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God has no gender…God is both…and neither…God must have both male and female characteristics since “male and female created he them in his image”. Through out the scripture feminine characteristics and words are used. Shekinah and Spirit are both feminine nouns. Jesus spoke of God as a “hen who would gather her chicks”…there is female imagery in scripture in reference to God.
 
Publisher said:
God has no gender…God is both…and neither…God must have both male and female characteristics since “male and female created he them in his image”. Through out the scripture feminine characteristics and words are used. Shekinah and Spirit are both feminine nouns. Jesus spoke of God as a “hen who would gather her chicks”…there is female imagery in scripture in reference to God.
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Excellent bible reference Publisher!
I read it again in my red letter bible after reading this. Thank you.
 
Lethe said:
What do you think of female Gods? Though God is technically neutral in most religions, he/she/it is usually referred to as ‘He.’ I suppose this is also added to in Christianity as Jesus was male.

I personally, as a woman, think I would find it easier to connect with the idea of God as an ‘it’ or a ‘she’ than as a ‘he,’ and I find it kind of saddening (but unsurprising) that most major religions have male Gods or leaders (in the case of Buddha.)
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God is not sexually differentiated. An “it” is a bit difficult if one is to love it - & love is personal - not impersonal. The temptation is to think of God as abstract & impersonal, like a gas or vapour (& talk of the Holy “Spirit”) reinforces the idea - or to think of God anthropomorphically (the danger in words such as “He”, “Father”). As C.S. Lewis pointed out, the two dangers balance one another - the mistake is to think of God as reducible to one or other; when He is far “more” than human language can express. It may be significant that there is a wealth of Biblical imagery for God: Rock, Fire, Shield, Stronghold, clothing, righteousness, Wisdom, Justification, Banner, Father, King, Lord, comparison with a mother hen, a lion, & much much more.​

That apart, I find polytheism attractive. To believe in several deities would explain some things that monotheism does not; & monotheism makes one deity responsible for all things; which has its difficulties.
 
The Gnosis and gnostic systems aren’t dead, indeed, they leave and return under many forms, always crossing paths with Catholicism, if you want, read this:

JESUS CHRIST
THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE

A Christian reflection
on the “New Age”

By John Paul II

God Bless You !!!
 
Never having seen God, We should look to what Jesus thought about The Creator.

It is Written that Jesus called Him “Father”. That makes God masculine.

It is Written that Jesus siad that He and the Father were One and the same. That makes God masculine.

It is Written that Jesus , Who never lied to us, called out to His Father, using the very intimate name of “Abba” (Daddy). That makes God masculine.

It is the opinion of this catholic,that all of Holy Scripture , including genesis, happened or is going to happen , just as it is Written. They are not just life lesson stories.
 
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