Why do people always refer to God as "Him"? Surely it's really disrespectful to put any human characteristics on It, since It's outside of human conscience (if there even is a God)?
The Bible was written in a time where Man was in power; you only need to look at the older texts (not the Bible) to see that - and we all know how much filtering goes on when writing such a text as the Bible.
So what is the justification for calling God Male?
2007-02-11 20:46:31 · 43 answers · asked by hippihappichick 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Essentially, the justification is that in order for people to view God as person, they need to assign it human characteristics. The only way people can relate to God is through its personification. And, since humanity has traditionally formed patriarchal societies, it's no surprise that the predominant personification of God is male.
2007-02-11 20:53:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
"Allah" comes from the Arabic word "elah" - (Arabic) means 'a god' or something that is worshipped. This word (elah) can be made plural, as in "aleha" and it can be male or female. "Allah" comes from "elaha" but it brings more clarification and understanding.
Allah = Has no gender (not male and not female)
* "He" is used only out of respect and dignity - not for gender
Allah = Always singular - Never plural
* "We" is used only as the "Royal WE" just as in English for royalty
Allah =Means "The Only One to be Worshipped"
Is "Allah" only for Islam and Muslims?
"Allah" is the same word used by Christian and Jewish Arabs in the Bible, before Islam came.
On page one [1] of Genesis in the Old Testament, we find the word "Allah" seventeen [17] times.
1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
2007-02-12 02:10:22 · answer #2 · answered by BeHappy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't cry pretty girl, you are are perfectly correct. It is just a story but some people don;t like facing up to the cold reality, they prefer to be asleep and live in a daydream.
If the story was in fact true, you would probably find more comfort in understanding it from the first woman created by 'Yahweh': Lilith, she believed she was equal to Adam and Adam didn't approve of her equality so she left and then Yahweh cursed her. It's a very male dominant mythology.
2007-02-12 01:10:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God isn't technically male OR female, it's just that people needed something to connect with when talking about God (and let's face it, the name IT doesn't sound too powerful, does it?), and as men were seen to be more powerful at the time the Bible was written, God was referred to as 'He'.
2007-02-11 23:29:26 · answer #4 · answered by Amy R 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no such thing as a God Female or male people just believe to help them in this life
2007-02-11 21:23:40 · answer #5 · answered by jw 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think you at least partially hit the nail on the head. Calling God "It" seems disrespectful and makes God sound like a thing. The choice of "Him" was made because it was a male dominated world at the time.
I believe that God is closer to being both male and female. Although if I had to choose one sex, I would say female. Males can take life, but females can give life as well as take it. Wouldn't that make God closer to being female?
2007-02-11 20:57:46 · answer #6 · answered by Virginia S 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Do not kid your self, man is still in power,just because they change the rules a bit to keep women quite they are still very much in power. If God is referred to as a woman would you be happy, even though it does not change anything.
But I am not saying you are not right. Things have changed for the better but the core of power belongs to man and things are put in place to keep the majority happy. thats why you might think that women are somehow in power because they are kept happy,it is a con.
To me God is a very personnel, and in my mind I see him as a great power with no sexuality but I find it hard to write or talk about it without referring to him or he.
It is the way we have been taught which is controlled by the people who are in power.
2007-02-11 20:55:54 · answer #7 · answered by SAR13 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Who says God is male? Personally I think God is beyond gender, I believe God made male & female both to have His own characteristics. Together both has (or can have) godly attributes.
2007-02-11 21:19:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
In reality it's probably due to the origins of language!
In most languages words are masculine or feminine!
Odds are that as Men were in power back then, they made GOD masculine, and therefore along the years GOD became a man!!
2007-02-11 20:51:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
God is God. You can have him as male or female as you wish. It is all in the mind.
Hindu philosophy describes God in many negatives. "IT is not male ,not female, not visible,etc. Still, we have a plethora of Gods!Do you know why? We need someone personal to react, console, and comfort us.We need someone to protect us.Only when we surpass this need can God become IT.
Until then, to each his/her own!
2007-02-11 21:09:19 · answer #10 · answered by mom 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋