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Wondergirl · Jun 8, 2023, 04:50 PM

God is not a dude.
God is not a man.
God is not a He.

Growing up, I was taught that “He” most certainly was all of those things—and it has taken decades to comprehend how toxic and dangerous and limiting an idea that was—and to have God right-sized in my head.

Imagining God as male, first creating a man (out of which was created a woman), not only justifies all sorts of misogyny and sexism both inside and outside the Church, but gives license to all manner of ignorance regarding the breadth of gender identity and sexual orientation that actually exists. So much of the fear-fueled violence Christians have generated toward LGBTQ human beings for centuries, comes from the limiting story we’ve told ourselves.

A Christian reader, incensed at my support for transgender human beings, recently left this comment on my blog; one of many variations on this theme:
“John, God knew what He was doing. He created people either male or female. That old, gay talking point of gender fluidity is so tired.”
Yes, that “old, tired, gay talking point” that Christians can’t stand—the one from the Bible.

It says all people are made in God’s image. Genesis’ creation story (the one these folks fervent cling to and defend to the death as literal and binding), quotes God as saying, the act of creation—in plurality.

Some Biblical scholars contend this declaration of God as “us,” is actually a Trinitarian conversation (God, Son, and Holy Spirit talking to one another, for some unstated reason.)

Others point to constraints in the translation from Hebrew to Greek that demand a plural pronoun (a sort of royal “We.”) But even if one accepts one of these explanations as suitable for the word used, there is still a question to answer:

Is the God of the Bible, maker of Humanity—simply male or female?
If only male, then women couldn’t truly be made in God’s image.
If solely female, then men couldn’t.

The only way every disparate human being could be made in the likeness of God (if we’re to use the same Bible these homophobic/transphobic Christians use), is if God both transcends and encompasses gender. If God is both male and female and neither male nor female—then this God (to quote my reader) is a “tired gay talking point.”

The truth is, even though the Bible appears on the surface, to reflect a limited and binary understanding of human sexuality befitting its ancient genesis, it uses images of and language for God, that aren’t strictly male:

Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. – God, Isaiah 49:15

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem. – God, Isaiah 66:13

But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. – David, speaking of God in Psalm 131:2
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Jesus, Matthew 23:37.

Ruach, the name for the Spirit of God in the original Old Testament Hebrew is feminine. The femininity of God is everywhere: Divinity transcending one gender.

I know that for many Christians reading this, these words feel confrontational, provocative — and quite blasphemous. If you are among them, that may be an alarm, that you’re hearing something you know rings true and is challenging the lens you’ve looked at God and other people through for your entire life. I get how terrifying such an existential crisis can be, but that fear is worth facing and the verses worth studying and the idea worth entertaining—because ultimately, understanding God as a heterosexual man, shrinks God into something comfortable, something easily managed—and something far too small to be God, if we’re honest with ourselves.

If we really believe God made every human being who has ever walked the planet, and that each of these people bears the DNA of their Creator—there is simply no way this God could simply be male or cisgender-heterosexual.

Maybe this whole gender identity and sexual orientation thing is a little more complex and expansive than we can glean from a 4,000-year-old poem, and maybe we should stop using it to destroy other people. Maybe, rather than shrinking God, we need to release God from that confining space inside our heads.

And as difficult as it is may be, we should expand our very image of God in a way that argues with our learned theology, because if we do, it might make us far more willing to treat the diverse humanity that crosses our paths—with the reverence and respect each one of them deserves—as made of God.

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2023, 05:39 AM

The author of this article needs to learn the meaning of a simile. I'm surprised he didn't attempt to advance the idea that God is a chicken. "...how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings."

It's just the usual unbiblical, liberal opinion piece where the greater part of the Bible is simply ignored. This summed it up pretty well. "...we should expand our very image of God in a way that argues with our learned theology." In other words, we should abandon the teaching of the Bible (a 4,000 year old poem??) and adopt the view of God put forward by John Pavlovitz. Sorry, but I'll pass on that one.

This was his most amusing comment. "Yes, that 'old, tired, gay talking point' that Christians can’t stand—the one from the Bible." Except, of course, that he cannot find any place in the Bible where that "old, gay talking point of gender fluidity" is actually stated. In the meantime, the concept of male/female is found in many dozens of places, a fact that the author conveniently neglects to state.

Wondergirl · Jun 9, 2023, 07:41 AM

Thus, you're saying God's a male.

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2023, 07:52 AM

Thus, you're saying God's a male.

I am? Show me where I said that.

What I was clearly saying is that Pavlovitz's article was an expression of his own ideas with a little Bible inaccurately mixed in.

Wondergirl · Jun 9, 2023, 08:30 AM

How then should we pray the Lord's Prayer? "Our _______, which art in heaven...."

Note the "which" (KJV).

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2023, 08:39 AM

Most translations read "who", but either way it makes no difference. What gender do you suppose "Father" is???

Show the place in the Bible where God is referred to as "she" or "her" and you might have a point. You can't, so you don't. The article was foolishly written.

His problem wasn't so much in gender. I have no doubt that God transcends gender. His problem was in trying to assert that there is some biblical support for the whole LGBT situation. There is not. The Bible is clearly opposed to same-gender sex, and arguments to the contrary always end up appealing to ideas outside of scripture as well as deceitful, false references to a handful of verses.

Wondergirl · Jun 9, 2023, 08:52 AM

Does Jesus love LGBTQ+ people? They've been around since Greek and Roman times, and even long before that.

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2023, 08:57 AM

Yet another reason I don't like discussions with you. When faced with an uncomfortable response (What gender do you suppose "Father" is???), you simply ignore it. Oh well.

Yes, God loves everyone including LGBTQ people. I'm reading a book now written by a woman who lived her life as a lesbian until she committed her life to Christ and escaped from that life. Watched a video a few days ago about another woman who had the same experience except she was much deeper in darkness than the first one.

They've been around since Greek and Roman times, and even long before that.

As have adulterers, pedophiles, rapists, murderers, thieves, and liars, so having been "around" a long time does not grant legitimacy.

Wondergirl · Jun 9, 2023, 10:40 AM

"Father" was an easily understandable word to use. Jesus' listeners understood what the role of a father is. Had Jesus gotten technical about what God really is, the crowd would have slowly wandered away.

What's to escape from even if she's a lesbian? "Deeper in darkness"??? My sil and her wife have been very happy together for at least 41 years.

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

As have adulterers, pedophiles, rapists, murderers, thieves, and liars, so having been "around" a long time does not grant legitimacy.

Glad you agree LGBTQ+ have been around for a long time. But your group has nothing to do with my group.

jlisenbe · Jun 9, 2023, 10:41 AM

"Father" was an easily understandable word to use.

Exactly correct. All fathers are male by definition. Thank you for pointing that out.

What's to escape from even if she's a lesbian?

A lifestyle of sin is well worth escaping. Simply being "happy" is not the goal. Being found pleasing in God's view is a much, much better goal, and also a very fulfilling and gratifying one.

Glad you agree LGBTQ+ have been around for a long time. But your group has nothing to do with my group.

Read more carefully and thoughtfully. The point evidently just zoomed right over your head.

Wondergirl · Jun 9, 2023, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Exactly correct. All fathers are male by definition. Thank you for pointing that out.

No, a father is the overseer of the family, loves and cares for them.
Mchaildren

A lifestyle of sin is well worth escaping. Simply being "happy" is not the goal. Being found pleasing in God's view is a much, much better goal, and also a very fulfilling and gratifying one.

Sin???