I myself have issues with certain Christians who call God their daddy, dad or papa. No where is this term used in the bible.
But here is the issue. Whenever we start calling God daddy, dad or Papa, this brings Him to OUR level. It makes Him like an earthly father. This takes away from His holiness. And we lose respect for who He is.
Moriah Ruth
I actually do call God 'Daddy' sometimes. I fully understand why some Christians aren't comfortable with that- and that's fair enough if it does these things FOR THEM.
It doesn't for me.
Those who have had a male parent and called him daddy- did it mean that because you didn't use the title 'Father' that you respected him less, or that it took away from his authority as your Father? I find it odd when I watch American TV shows to find that so many adult women call their father 'daddy', as it's not really done here (it's regarded as a very 'upper class' thing to do) I'm pretty sure that those woman have a great deal of respect for their fathers.
Of course it's an intimate endearment, title or whatever you want to call it. Which is why I use it. It's a very personal thing and I wouldn't use it in any situation than private prayer. Again, I understand that it's a little too informal for some- but I find it odd that people who would strongly object to it, are ok using the term 'Father'. It's only a more formal version, after all. If we're worrying about bringing God down to our level- you can't 'humanise' Him much more than calling Him Father! We proclaim an intimacy that's astonishing when we do that- we're basically bringing the Creator of the universe, the most Holy being of all- our Lord.... right down to the most intimate child-parent level. It's a darn good job that the Bible makes it clear that it's not just ok- but exactly right to call God Almighty 'father'- because if we did it off our own back that'd be some cosmic gall, wouldn't it????
I personally look on it as one of those things that if a Christian is fine with it, they have the freedom to do so- but if another is uncomfortable with it, then it's fine for them not to do so. I have no right to call a Christian .. I don't know.. repressed (or some silly term) because they'd prefer not to use the name 'Daddy' and they don't have the right to imply that I am 'bringing God down' to any sort of lower level or don't have a very deep respect an awe for Him because I sometimes do.
I have deep reverence for God and deep understanding of His holiness and I always feel very sad when it's immediately assumed that to refer to God as 'Daddy' at all must be taking something away from His holiness and that those who use the term are not as respectful as those who don't. We're perfectly capable of seeing God as an intimate parent and a Holy, awesome God (and I mean 'awesome' in it's proper meaning- not the slang for fantastic/ cool/ etc)
I know I've waffled on- but I'd like to just say one last thing- and that's that for some people, relating to God with that sort of intimacy may not be necessary- for some of us, it's a precious thing. I didn't have the best view of Fathers per se in my youth. My Grandfather was the nearest I had- but actual Fathers- nope. For me the term 'Father' for God meant something- but because of the slight formality of it- and because it seemed to have got dulled down to a 'title for God' rather than the astonishing relationship it was meant to be, as far as many were concerned, it didn't really hit me until, during a very hard time in my younger life.I was praying alone and broke down and sobbed, calling out to God like a child- and I called Him 'Daddy'- because that's how I was coming to Him- as a helpless child needing her parent and abandoning myself totally to Him- with complete trust, with complete need, admitting that I couldn't do things under my own steam and it was an expression of love, reliance and total faith in Him- far from being something that trivialised God- it was something that let me move into a deeper and even more respectful relationship with Him- because I fnally knew what it was to be a daughter of God. For someone with no actual father and a step-father who rejected me- finding that intimacy with God has been so special and meaningful.
I have to say that I don't call God 'Daddy' as a matter of course. I don't pop it into every prayer- it's usually when I come to Him in times of recognising my helplessness and when I just need Him- like a child needs her Daddy. The vast majority of the time, I don't call Him that. I'd only ever use it privately- because it is intimate and I'm not thrilled about being written off not being respectful enough and because I acknowledge that some are not comfortable with it, so I wouldn't do that to them.
