If we are made in God's Image, "HIS" image, does that preclude that God has a Feminine Aspect?

Question

Yes I know God knows no gender, but people preach that we are of HIM and made in HIS image....well, what about females? And if we are made in God's image, too why don't people say that we are made in HER image or at very least we are made in HIS/HER image? As well, why are all the women in the bible jezabel's and whore's?

Answer 1

The Suffix HIS with respect to God often is used to describe God's father like qualities, and is in itself no indication of gender.
From a christian point of view, all churches which derived from Paul (Saul) and the apostle Peter (Simon) all stick ridgedly to a patriachal belief steming from 1st century Pharisee tradition. However, if you study Essene Judaism and also if one studies the Kabalah, there one finds that God has both masculine and femine aspects in equal measure.

In early Judaism, many demigods had male and female aspects, a belief steming from Sumarian, and Vedic religions which both predate Judaism and from which Jewish tribes probably diverged from.

In early Christian sects such as the Nazarene's, we see an equal male and female aspect of God's and all beings such as angels. In short, all beings in God's Kindom have both male and female aspects (although they are one spiritual body). In the material world, all soul's are split in two mortal bodies (Eve is made from Adam's rib). Hence even angels and demigods that exist in the material world have separate male and female bodies. One popular saying attributed to Jesus was that: "Until the two become one, and until the male becomes like the female, and the female becomes like the male, and until the inside becomes like the outside and the outside becomes like the inside, then it is not possible for one to enter the kingdom of heaven". Also some scholars point to evidence that Jesus had 12 female apostle's whom worked along side their male counterparts helping to spread the word to women folk.

One of the critizism's of 1st century Judaism was that it had become patriachal to the extent that women were not aloud to become priests, and that women were not given equal status to that of men. Such tradition also spread into gentile christendom because Paul believed strongly that women were inferior. That and other things has led many scholars to question whether Paul really did embrace Christianity, or did he mearly join Christianity in order to contaminate it with Jewish tradition. One consequence of that is the fact that Roman Christians tried to slander Myriam of Magdala (Mary Magdalene) in order to justify labeling those whom worshiped her (as the female aspect of Jesus) as heretical. We see such hatred against Magdalene worshipers by the Holy Sea as late as the middle ages when both the Cathars and the Knights Templar were almost totally wiped out.

Answer 2

The answer to all your questions is that the people that the bible was written for existed in a strongly patriarchal social structure (as do we, still, which takes care of any 'changing society' questions), and a powerful male image was more worthy of instant respect even to the ignorant. Power is power.

The popular image of God as a powerful older man with long white hair is an artifact of human history. That's Zeus' image, and famous painters employed it liberally. The ancient church accepted that as a means to an end... it helped the Greeks understand and being a culture given to need images to worship, it gave them a familiar image to focus on mentally during their devotions. Likewise the Christmas tree and the time of year when Christmas is now celebrated, as a way to help western pagan cultures through having something familiar and treasured (the tree, the date) from their own culture. Religious worship evolves in a living faith.

Nowhere in the bible does it say what God looks like, but it does state that God's nature is neither male nor female. Whether you believe that the bible is 100% divinely-inspired or not, anyone can accept that the people reading it had to want to read it, and there are and have been plenty of people who can't fathom strength and power as being anything but physical, so, God's a guy, for now, if it helps us understand him.

Answer 3

Hello Greenie, Well there's one deeply controversial statement! Being made in the 'image of Goes goes so much deeper than the shape of our skin. And the design of our gender. I believe that one of the aspects God was speaking of had more to do with the 'character roles' each gender was made to reflect &represent. The male= strength, protector,provider, leader, father, etc. The Female= gentleness, tenderness, nurturer, comforter, mother, caregiver etc.
The Word of God as I have read it said, "Let Us make Mankind in OUR IMAGE----Male & Female, They were made." The other 'image I believe God was speaking of was this.... God is Made up of Three parts, He has a form(body) A Soul (That invisible expression of His thoughts, will, and emotions) And He is Spirit. We are body, have a soul, and are born with the 'seed' of His Spirit. AS far as the women of the Bible are concerned, I can think of a few who were woman of virtue. There was Ruth, Esther, Mary;Jesus's mother, Dorcus, Rebeccah, Rachael, Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah, & Naomi, just to name a few. Hope this encourages you to see the blessed position and purpose God has established for woman then, now & in the future. Eve, the woman, was the only thing in all God's creation, that was declared, "Very Good!" Rose

Answer 4

"Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way."

To follow this through ... when a man and woman come together as "one", that is the most complete image of the nature of God.

Gender-inclusive language wasn't common until the latter part of the 20th century. But it has always been understood by the Church that both male and female were created in His image.

Answer 5

A reasonable question. I don't have the answer but I wonder if the pronouns used in languages other than English are gender-neutral or masculine. Most western languages use masculine pronouns *as* gender-neutral ones so that wouldn't be much of a help. Anyone know of any languages in which there is a separate "it" pronoun and whether the Christian God is referred to by that or by the masculine?

Answer 6

As you said, God is neither male nor female.
But apparently God is closer to male than female and so He called Himself using male terms.

But it may also be that as God planed for man and women, and the plan of salvation, it was necessary for Jesus to come as a man or a woman, and thus the sacrificial system had to for tell that as well as the law and the rest of the Bible it self.
So in that respect God chose to call Himself a male to keep continuity.

Answer 7

1. Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of God’s having flesh and blood. Scripture says that “God is a spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a body. However, Adam’s body did mirror the life of God, insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It sets man apart from the animal world, fits him for the “dominion” God intended (Genesis 1:28), and enables him to commune with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.

2. In countless references to God in Scripture, there is clearly a consistent pattern of His being referred to with masculine titles, nouns, and pronouns. While God is not a man, but is a Spirit, He chose a masculine form in order to reveal Himself to mankind. Likewise, Jesus Christ, who is constantly referred to with masculine titles, nouns, and pronouns, took a male form while He walked on the earth. The prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Testament refer to both God and Jesus Christ with masculine names and titles. God chose to be revealed in this form in order for man to more easily grasp who God is. To assert that God chose a female form to be revealed to man is not consistent with the pattern established by Scripture. Again, had God chosen a feminine form, there would be more evidence in Scripture of that. That evidence simply does not exist. While God makes allowances in order to help mankind understand Him, it is important to not try to “force God into a box,” so to speak, by placing limitations on Him that are not appropriate to the nature of who He is.

3. "All" of the women in the Bible are not Jezabels and whores. There are many more evil men in the Bible than woman.

Answer 8

To the feminazis, God is a "her". I mean, it must be true; Alanis Morrisette played God in Dogma- and Hollywood and all the fruitcakes who worship tinsel town seem to think so.


Wait a minute. Is it fallacious reasoning to assume the truth of something contrary to fact if enough people believe it? I mean, if 500 million people believe God has a feminine aspect to "Him", then it must be true-right?

Answer 9

God is an entity...no his or her aspect...

and not all women in the bible were jezebels or whores... there was Queen Ester...Let's not forget Mary the Mother of Jesus...Elizabeth mother of John the Baptist, Sara wife of Abraham... had child when she was 80, Mary Magdalen she was a whore, but she was forgiven by Jesus... we can't all be saints except Mary mother of Jesus...the main reason why she was choosen was because she was without sin... a virgin chosen by God in order to birth Jesus my lord and saviour... there are plenty of other remarkable women who are in the bible too many to name....

Answer 10

If God created guy in his very own photograph, then guy exhibits us what God is like, suitable? What you're asserting is, if God is benevolent and guy is malevolent, then guy isn't made in God's photograph. it somewhat is logical. yet what I say is, God created guy with the opportunity of unwell, and definitely there could nicely be no longer something in introduction which does no longer embody polar opposites. I nonetheless believe that guy is made in purely like god ... and lady too, and that tells you plenty approximately what God is like. distinctive from how maximum Christians think of him, I fancy.