Are there any Monotheists that believe that God is female?

[Orias]

Can I ask how you are defining female and male?

Sorry for butting in

Female is soothing and nurturing. Male is firm and inspiring.

Would a god have a reproduction system?

Wouldn't that contradict the idea of monotheism?

:bat:

 

[illykitty]

I believe the Higher Power does not have a gender but has qualities of both genders. I don't think the source of everything would be limited to something as simple as gender. The Higher Power is probably a very complex being.

I have no problem though with the idea of the Higher Power manifesting in male or female forms though, such as say, incarnations or lower deities. For example, Krishna or Bastet.

 

[FearGod]

I believe the Higher Power does not have a gender but has qualities of both genders. I don't think the source of everything would be limited to something as simple as gender. The Higher Power is probably a very complex being.

I have no problem though with the idea of the Higher Power manifesting in male or female forms though, such as say, incarnations or lower deities. For example, Krishna or Bastet.

We can't guess or imagine how god looks like,but the best figure is

1 - The first
2 - have no gender
3 - not a human
4 - nothing can be compared to him
5 - an eternal entity
6 - The omniscient
7 - powerful
8 - merciful

Other things to say is just from our minds as to say god incarnated as Krishna or Jesus or a flying horse just speculations.

 

[Î Î¿Î»Ï Ï€Î­ÏÏ‡Ï‰Î½ Γʹ]

Biblically, God is usually characterised as male in Scripture, but there are often analogies made to a comforting mother. This is thought to be mainly metaphorical or allegorical language, and not an indication of gender.

Despite that, the monotheistic religions are in agreement that God can't be spoken of in human terms. Since English has no animate neuter pronoun ("it" implying inanimacy), one must choose one or the other. I believe in some native American languages, which have both an inanimate and animate neuter, "God" or the equivalent concept is regarded as being "animate neuter" (in the same category as natural objects such as wind, rivers, etc).

In a lot of mystic traditions, such as Kabbalah or Gnostic Christianity, God has both Masculine and Feminine emanations.

 

[Tarheeler]

Sometimes I wonder how different the Abrahamic religions would be if Hebrew had gender-neutral pronouns.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

I'm sorry if this is an offensive thought to some, but I'd like to express an idea somewhat out of the box this thread has enclosed itself in.

If we assign a gender to god, it should be with a practical purpose. God for most of us is undefined by human or, better yet, biological attributes. And yet for some of us, acknowledging this, we choose to interact with god through the gateway of biological & human consciousness in addition to, and as a means of, understanding that God is ultimately uncircumscribed by our concepts.

So, that said, if we are as spiritual pragmatists to assign a gender to God, for what reason are we doing so? And I'll contend that the reason is sexual (whether erotic or not, it concerns God's creative, reproductive nature) - mother and father, husband and wife, daughter and son.

I say reproductive nature specifically because some contend that man is a microcosmic reflection of God - made in God's image, and as a God herself. God is reproducing himself.

So, we are assigning a gender to God to relate with her in a way defined by sexual reproduction. Some of us choose to treat God as a parent, others as a lover, and some even as a child.

Perhaps these are not so different from Freud's idea of superego, ego and id.

 

[Breathe]

Sometimes I wonder how different the Abrahamic religions would be if Hebrew had gender-neutral pronouns.

Interesting question.

Some, I think, very.
Others (like Judaism) possibly not as much?

 

[Harmonious]

I'd say that if God has any gender, He wouldn't be all that godly.

The only reason I use the pronoun "He" is because it's the custom in English. Note that the "He" is capitalised, to denote divinity, not gender.

Well said.

I would also say that in Hebrew, God is sometimes referred to as She. Sometimes it is a boondoggle when playing with what is written versus what is supposed to be pronounced.

And then... The verbs are either masculine or feminine, depending on which name of God is being used.

But as you said, the reason for this switch-up and mostly interchangeable usage of male and female words is because God doesn't have a gender, but Hebrew (and other languages) doesn't have a neutral.

 

[Harmonious]

Interesting question.

Some, I think, very.
Others (like Judaism) possibly as much?

Actually, I believe that if Hebrew had gender-neutral pronouns, Judaism wouldn't be any different.

 

[Breathe]

Actually, I believe that if Hebrew had gender-neutral pronouns, Judaism wouldn't be any different.

Oops, I realized I missed out the "not". :cover:

I don't think it'd be different theologically like, say, Christianity would be, but would that still be the case for minor ways of explaining and/or understanding things? (E.g., would "King of Kings" be avoided?)

 

[Î Î¿Î»Ï Ï€Î­ÏÏ‡Ï‰Î½ Γʹ]

Oops, I realized I missed out the "not". :cover:

I don't think it'd be different theologically like, say, Christianity would be, but would that still be the case for minor ways of explaining and/or understanding things? (E.g., would "King of Kings" be avoided?)

Well for one, "King of Kings" was originally an Assyrian term, šar šarrāni and referred to earthly leaders. This is appended to refer to God, by adding another layer: "King of King of Kings" ( Melech Malchei Ha-M'lachim )

 

[Harmonious]

Oops, I realized I missed out the "not". :cover:

It happens.

I don't think it'd be different theologically like, say, Christianity would be, but would that still be the case for minor ways of explaining and/or understanding things? (E.g., would "King of Kings" be avoided?)

It is understanding God's role concerning power.

We call God our Father, our King, our Sheppherd, our Sustainer, and we refer to God as Place.

God has lots of roles in human lives. The roles that traditonally are thought of as powerful or disciplinarian are given male designations. Father, King, Lord of Hosts.



Roles that denote comfort, Presence, Place are usually treated with female verbs and adjectives.

 

[dantech]

Judaism doesn't see God as male or female since the only goal of having a gender is for reproduction purposes. In many Jewish texts and prayers, you will notice that God is referred to using sometimes male, and sometimes female suffixes. This is to describe the many titles that God has, just like Harmonious mentioned.

For example:

Melekh (King) : Male
Shekhina (Divine Presence) : Female

 

[Philda Tressie]

God is Spirit, therefore He has no gender, even though referred to in the masculine gender.

 

[SpentaMaynu]

God is both male and female as well as none of the above. Sometimes I refer to God as He/She/It and sometimes as G/god(s)[dess]

 

[Alceste]

I use the feminine pronoun when talking about God to annoy people with archaic patriarchal values.

 

[Galen.Iksnudnard]

I use the feminine pronoun when talking about God to annoy people with archaic patriarchal values.

I actually like this idea. :yes:

Personally, I see God as having no specific gender, but having male and female emanations. Jesus is male, but the Holy Spirit (aka Shekhinah) is female.

 

[Silver Wolf]

I put yes but I am a panentheistic "monotheist" so I mean God is both male, female and far beyond mere sexes too.

^ I did the same with the same reasoning. God is Female, "He" is also Male, and Beyond gender.

 

[Leftimies]

The reason why I voted 'no' was not because i believe he is male. I don't believe in a God.

BUT! I used to be monotheist, and even back then, I firmly held the belief that God being eternal and separate from the creation, would not need arrangements for reproduction. I was also reluctant on giving human attributes to God, viewing God more as a primordial force/ultimate reason behind reality.

That was back then, so this is just two cents blasting from the past

 

[Willamena]

Especially in poetry, where god is envisioned as the quintessential "other," and where the poet is male, you will find god expressed in a female image.