Unitl Recently, It Was Widely Assumed God is a 'He'

i would love to go to a worship service where god is referred to entirely in the feminine form.

"in the name of the mother, daughter and holy sophia"

the sacred feminine was translated out of the bible, primarily out of fear and to differenciate the jewish and christian god from the goddess worship of early human beings.

many times i have heard...god is genderless and it doesn't matter. you create a service where jesus is a daughter (through god all things are possible) and it clearly will matter.

This thread is simply too much. Starting off with the essay itself:

"...it should be noted that the female has fared better in the post-Industrial Age before the impact of technology on the unisexualization of human life and culture."

Really? Technology has actually helped to level long-tilted playing fields by taking away the advantages of size and strength, in favor of the intellect. This is a boost for women, no?

"the political inclusion of women into the highest levels of human power is making it clear that changes in the human realm could also be registered in the heavenly kingdom."

Really? And this "heavenly kingdom" would be, where exactly? And how would social conditions on this planet impact this "heavenly kingdom?"

"the intellectual transformations that accompany modernity have changed our reading and interpretation of the holy texts."

This from a proponent of Islam? Please tell me where in the Islamic world is it permitted for anyone to openly challenge the interpretation of the Koran and Hadith? Yes, I see Muslims in the freedom and safety of the West (the dar al harb) availing themselves of this opportunity, yet they still kneel towards Saudi Arabia when they pray.

Seems to me that both genders can take a big stride forward by shucking off the yoke of these threadbare superstitions.

Does it Matter?
wolfie asks.

If you are a woman, it matters a "Hell" of a lot.

If you are a man, you think the current state where God is a father like you is just peachy.

People in power love to have their power affirmed

Does it matter what gender God is? Why should we focus on such small and unnecessary issues?

Besides, Jesus said, "I do my Father's work" not "I do my Mother's work." Through out the Bible God is refered to as "Father" not "Mother". And the birth of Christ wouldn't make sense if God was a woman. Yet, we were made in the image of God. We were created, male and female, so God could be both male and female.

The Human Problem

Religious believers face difficult questions. If there IS a God (or many), "it" must want it that way.

THE BIG PROBLEM for Believers is

They can either believe in a Personal God such as the Theists describe,
who created the earth, answers our prayers, and can decide to do things like tell Jesus it is now time for the second coming,

or believers can

2. Realize that the above story is mythological, ridden with inconsistencies and immoralities, and say that
God is: Indescribable in words
Has no body or fixed boundaries
Does NOT interfere with the world
Is neither male nor female,

and is therefore some sort of
All encompassing creative energy that has no
Reason, Intelligence, or Volition

The second position is of course much more reasonable.

The Problem: it posits a God
That Makes NO difference to the world.

Can we have creating energy without having to posit a concept of God. Is the Pope Catholic?

What is called 'God' has many aspects. We humans frame with words, but those words cannot contain the thing they attempt to frame. Therein lies the difficulty of religion. Anthropomorphic and anthropocentric: Religion can become our reflection writ large. It is something to be aware of both with regard to sexual projection onto deity and the difficulty of religious extremism. Religion is something to be viewed and practiced with care, doubt , and sober reflection.

Is God a he? A she? Why doesn't He/She tell us? In fact, since there is really no evidence that God had ever communicated with anyone, why do we assume He/She exists?

Clearly God is a delusion. I didn't need Dawkins to tell me that. It is obvious. All you religious types are either fools or knaves, sometimes both.

A Hymn to Inanna
Below are the words of a high priestess, named Enheduanna (en-hey'-du-ana), who worshipped the Goddess, Inanna. Enheduanna, is the first known author in the history of writing, she was a high priestess who lived 4,000 years ago in the city of Ur, (now southern Iraq).

The passage below is a new translation of Enheduanna's poetry from the recently published book "Inanna, Lady of the Largest Heart" by Betty DeShong Meador,

"Queen of all given powers/unveiled clear light/
unfailing woman wearing brilliance/cherished in heaven and earth/
chosen, sanctified in heaven/you/grand in your adornments/
crowned with your beloved goodness/rightfully you are High Priestess/
your hands seize the seven fixed powers/my queen of fundamental forces/guardian of essential cosmic sources/you lift up the elements/bind them to your hands/gather in powers/press them to your breast/

vicious dragon you spew/venom poisons the land/like the storm god you howl/grain wilts on the ground/swollen flood rushing down the mountain/
you are Inanna/supreme in heaven and earth..."
By Enheduanna

Betty

Actually, I am only a Canaanite fertility deity on my off time. During my day gig I'm an academic, but in biology, not theology. We have a preference for simple declarative sentences, even if they are not so balanced.

I would like to say something humorous but after reading the essay and comments including my own I think I'll skip it. I don't want to spoil the wake.

Three major religions have their roots in an aboriginal, territorial, tribal book. Without the book, and others similar, we might face each in our shared humanity. The Universe is hostile enough to us, without being hostile to one another.

The sun is but a morning star...

Right. So if that has been the case, why should religions be trusted ever again by women (or anybody else)?

We could simply move on to the next irrationalism embedded in any religious belief, if we cared to make religion more rational.

I think you've pretty much done away any reason to be religious, actually.

thank you

Mr. Sulayman S. Nyang, first of all, please accept my apologies for the rather brisk treatment I gave to you at our last encounter. Howard taught me to seek truth, and I just did not see you doing that Sir. Far from receiving preferential treatment from this alum, as far as I am concerned, you got what you had coming to you. For that I do not apologize. I just wish it had not been necessary. Now, on the matter of gender assignment, this is more typical corruption of God's work by the monkey hands of man. God communicates to each and every one of us however we need to perceive God. This allows clear, concise communication without the noise of prejudice or negative environmental experiences. We do not have to adjust our common perception of God to middle ground because the average will still deviate significantly from all members of a group. If I need to visualize God as Muhammad Ali (personally I see him as Moses, but that is besides the point) I can do so and it will not affect the message one bit. It will, assuming that I have love for Muhammad Ali, ensure that no negative noise gets in the way of the message. Personally, I am beginning to see God as pure Light now, though I have visualized the Creator as a female entity. Of course, my God is not a jealous God. The Word is the Word. You make your choices and live with the consequences of your own decisions. Jealousy does not compute. Not necessarily true with a flesh and blood adult of either sex. Territoriality: Female=Jealousy Male=Violence, or Rage. Ape roots, what can I say. Every culture has their own way of dealing with the emotional shortcomings of our drive to reproduce. Let us all be adults about it. No one has all of the answers, except perhaps...what is that name again...ahhh
GOD
ALLAH
JEHOVAH
Shepherd
Judge
Kanna
El Roi
Yesha
Gaol
Magen
Zur
Melekh
Kurios
Despotes
Theos
I AM
SOTER
WORD
ALMIGHTY
Just to copy a few. Is it any wonder we can not seem to find our faith with both hands and a mirror? How about Truth? Did not see that one taken yet. Did I miss it? Light, Truth. all one in the same meaning.

Founders Library my friend. Written in Stone, "ye shall seek the truth and the truth shall set ye free." I am pretty sure that is it.

Best regards, and may God Bless you and Keep you always.

The real God is a woman, a loving mother, tough love with no free lunch. Her name is Lady Liberty. She's pictured on the money along with the words, IN GOD WE TRUST. It's a no brainer.

The Bible is word of Devil. http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul proves that for the average person of faith and tell us what Devil wants and HIS vicars are handsomely rewarded for leading the multitudes to HIM.

Ba'al, You is My New God Now.

YES. Let's take an unambiguous stand.

Ba'al suggests:
We could start by condemnation of religions, sects, and cultural practices that sanction the view that women are chattel, or that defend violence against women, or their mutilation.

That is perhaps too "un-balanced" a stand for academics Like Dr Nyang to take.

But we regular humans can all stand up and state that basic moral principle with vigor and articulateness.

it is certainly deeper than mere religion- in america in my own short life i warched my mother go from a traditional housewife- to the first female union steward in her union- as a young girl i was somewhat reppelled by the incredible anger expressed by feminists- and knew in my heart that the pendulum had to swing over and would settle back i the middle.
Even in america women couldnt own property or vote until the beginning of the 20th century-

sexual harrassment- abuse- domestic violence are issues that affect women all over the owrld- but at least it is being discussed i the open now.

those who use their religion to oppress another being clearly have warped hearts- and should be stopped and exposed where ever they occur.

I am a practicing muslim, and in the freedom of america i am permitted to function in a way that is cinsistent with the true message of my religion. There are abusers in all stratas- and we need strong female voices to use our own doctrine to discredit those who would engage in aberrant practices.
peace

Mr. Nyang writes "We have to wait patiently for the total revolution of modernity and postmodernity in the struggle between the genders in the field of religion."

We could start by condemnation of religions, sects, and cultural practices that sanction the view that women are chattel, or that defend violence against women, or their mutilation.

Ever hear of the Red Hat Huts?