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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.women
Subject: Re: Deific gender question
Message-ID: <921@pucc-h>
Date: Tue, 7-Aug-84 22:50:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.921
Posted: Tue Aug  7 22:50:37 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Aug-84 02:47:14 EDT
References: <254@siemens.UUCP>, <957@pyuxn.UUCP>
Organization: Tucumcari Divinity School
Lines: 40

From Rich Rosen:

> In referring to even speculative notions about deities,
> I almost always use the neuter form 'it'.  Is there anyone out there who
> thinks it's appropriate to refer to a deity as male, simply because ancient
> scribes transcribed references to god in the masculine?

It is appropriate to refer to God with *some* personal pronoun.  "God created
man in His own image", and we are persons; so how could God not be personal?
Even without the creation argument, a god is something greater than human; so
it seems a little odd to suggest an impersonal god when we see personal
humans.

As to the gender question:  The New Testament, in probably dozens of places,
uses the word Father to refer to God in heaven; particularly is this evident
in the words of Jesus Himself.	On the other hand, even the man Jesus is
recorded as having applied at least one feminine image to Himself
("O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers
her chicks under her wings, and you would not let me!" [approximate quote]).

There are hints in the Bible that gender distinctions may disappear in heaven;
Jesus said that after the resurrection of the dead, they neither marry nor are
given in marriage, but become like the angels in heaven.  Combining this with
the fact that God, especially in the New Testament, is seen to display
qualities of both sexes (as traditionally associated), perhaps God is above
gender.  But perhaps not; again, the words Father and Son are used repeatedly.
Anyway, *some* personal words are needed; we might as well go with what we've
got while we're here on this imperfect earth and seeing a dim reflection in a
mirror, to use Paul's metaphor.

(from Rich's signature):

> If it doesn't change your life, it's not worth doing.

This has a great deal of application to Christianity.

-- 
-- Jeff Sargent
{decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq
May you have the wisdom of lions and the strength of owls -- er, ....