How can the common christian conception of God (omnipotent and omniscient) be compatible with Him being male?

Question

How can an infinite being have a gender?

Does God actually have male genitalia? Or is it merely psychological?

Answer 1

The English language has a special problem in that it is not a gender based language in the way that the romance languages are. We don't have masculine, feminine and neutral nouns - they are all neutral. Therefore, some words take on genders of their own. If you call a man "pretty," he's pretty likely to be offended because this is considered to be feminine. In the same vein, the use of our neutral pronoun "it" on a senscient being is often considered offensive because it makes the person or animal somehow less than whole.

God is not male, nor is God female. God is not anything in regards to gender. God exists beyond the confines of space and time, so our human labels don't apply. Still, we have to call God something (or do we? question for another time) and traditionally, the father figure was the one who provided for the family, offered love and support and teaching and security. That model doesn't necessarily apply any more, but changing language like this after 2000+ years is a huge thing. Besides, we can't just rewrite history. (Well, we can, but you know what I mean.)

Answer 2

The answers to this good question are driving me nuts! ;)

1) There's more to being male or female than having physical genetalia. Have you ever heard the expression "Act like a man" or "Be lady-like"?

2) The Bible uses that phrase. It's not by accident or so stupid early Christians could relate to something. There are "fatherly" characteristics that are distinctly and uniquely masculine. The Virgin Mary, likewise, in heaven (without physical properties) is definitely "feminine" (nurturing, caring, as a protecting mother would be.)

(2a. I know, I know, men can have those characteristics and women can have masculine characteristics...but that's not my point. Men traditionally and historically fight wars, women have and raise babies. I'm not making a judgement, I'm just saying that is how the cosmos works, typically)

3. Christ offered us many mysteries for us to experience. The bread and wine of the Eucharist to experience his body and blood. The mystery of confession. The mystery of matrimony which is marrying a man a woman and Christ. We aren't supposed to figure it all out and define it.

(I know some of you don't believe a word I'm saying, but if you don't know what I'm talking about, then you are the one missing out. For 2000 years, the Orthodox Christians have been experiencing these mysteries the same way...and for 1054 years...YOU did too, if you called your self a Christian. If YOU were born between 33AD and 1054AD, you would know exactly what I'm talking about. It was distorted after 1054 in the western church and really distorted after Martin Luther came along. The mysteries are for you if you prepare yourself.)

Answer 3

That is often a major misconception. I in MY humble opinion believe God is of neither male nor female gender. Most people label him because he is a strong head figure, and a lot of people associate that with males. The head of the house, The money bringer, The security, The safety. So they look to God, calling him male to soothe their own insecurities. The God I know, is loving and nurturing. If I could understand him better thinking him a male, then he doesn't mind, but Think of what God thinks. He being the all powerful being of neither gender, watching Us but mere humans calling him male.
Its just easier to put into context. Most people understand it better if you label him in the male sense.

Answer 4

Who says God actually is a male? It may be an idea that has developed in the minds of Christians over the years but this doesn't mean God actually is a male.

Answer 5

Your right. God is not technically a male. He is Spirit. Males and females were created by Him in order to reproduce and make more of their kind. The same holds true for the animal kingdom as well. God is generally referred to as a male because of the role He plays in our lives. He's like a Father. Not only that but when Jesus came, although He was God as well, He (Jesus) took the likeness of man and therefore since He was conceived by the Holy Spirit God was His Father.

Answer 6

Christian concepts of God are based on what is believed to be revealed about God by God. Jesus called God "Our Father" thats good enough for me. He was more interested in showing a relationship marked by intimacy with a loving and caring Father than he was in stating that God was all powerful and all knowing.

Answer 7

I don't know that it is.

If it is true, then yes! God created man in his own image, so God should have arms, lets, head and penis!

If God and originally MAN were spirit, then eating the apple made us flesh and blood. Then we have a problem.

However, in Genesis it says the Son's of God saw the Daughter's of Adam and Eve and saw they were fair and took them as wives.

Obviously the "sons" of God must have had bodies and penis (peni?)

One still wonders, why does man -- MALE -- have nipples?

Is that not duncil?

Like the Appendix. Serves no real purpose in a man?

Makes one wonder if God was a female, created Eve and then made man from her rib, thus MAN would have some of her attributes, including, perhaps, nipples.

Who kows for sure.

Answer 8

Male superiority prompted the architects of christianity to cosider God as a male

Answer 9

Why can't an infinite being have a gender? You're question fails to bring up any thought provoking, faith challenging questions or concerns.

Answer 10

God has no gender as we know it.

God in the trinity is the Father, therefore we use the term HE to mean our heavenly father.