For theists: If God is not male or female, are you offended if someone refers to God in female terms? Why?

Question

I'm not a believer myself, but this is a hypothethical question.

If all the 'he' references to God in the Bible were changed to 'she' would it bother you? If so, why, since god is supposed to be above 'male and female'?

'He protects us and fights for us, all masculine traits.'

Really? Is a female bear being 'masculine' when she goes after anything that threatens her cubs? Why this idea that women cannot be fierce and protective?

Answer 1

Religion is masculine practice. After all

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
1st Corinthians 11:8

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Genesis 29:14, Ephesians 5:28

12 And the man said, The woman whom You gave to be with me--she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate.
Job 31:33, Proverbs 28:13

When things are against the women, why would God be called a "she"? =)

Answer 2

I'm a "Theist" in the sense that I have a belief in a Higher Power... but that doesn't mean I believe in the Bible. I have no problem with considering God a "She"... usually I do look at it from that viewpoint.
As for "He" being our protector... they should take a close look at ancient Pagan beliefs... there are a lot of Goddess' of War, Protectress' of Women and Children which were just as fierce as the Gods of War.
I guess they just can't get past the idea of gender, even for something that they believe really doesn't have a gender. Could this be a sign of "carnality"? *_*

Answer 3

God referred to himself masculine terms. Notice how Jesus who is god himself, refer to his counterpart as a Father in the Bible. Matthew 11:7, 12:50, 13:43, and other countless verses in the new testament

Answer 4

Not at all. Humans are created in the image of God. We are male and female, but he is neither nor. God is referred to as He most of the time because that is how our society developed, and because the male was the typical protector/ sustainer of ancient societies. But the feminine aspects of the Divine are very real, and often forgotten. God is a caregiver, a lover of our souls, and understands us in ways that are usually attributed to women. I once heard a talk on Christian radio about the feminine aspects of God. It was very intriguing. I can't remember what the program was, but it aired in Miami in May 2000.

Answer 5

God doesn't have a sex, but He is masculine in nature. He took the initiative to start a relationship with us, He protects us and fights for us, all masculine traits. Jesus also referred to Him as Father, if He's the Messiah, He can't lie, so God's nature is masculine.

Answer 6

Oh many will be offended because they cannot deal with any other belief about the divine than theirs.

The Garden of Eden story was based on a man, not a creative god, a member of the Anannaki. It's incredible the number of humans who have been 'had' by and killed because of that deception.

Answer 7

I personally refer to God in male terms mainly because that is what I've heard all my life, but if someone called God a She I wouldn't be the least offended. To each his own.

Answer 8

I don't really like it when the Creator is referred to either as a man or a woman, because the Great Spirit is neither. I get more offended when the Creator is called a man, however, because of the use of that idea to justify thousands of years of patriarchy.

Answer 9

Most people are not offended. However, the Catholics are a male dominated religion, therefore they assume that God must be a masculine figure.

Answer 10

I think God has a wife or woman helper of sorts and they do have genders, but the easiest answer to your question is that the english language doesn't have a gender neutral word to refer to a person in the third person. All we have is "it" but that doesn't really work for people.