Why is god called a "he"?

[Aryeh Jay]

Yahweh was created by the same group of people that treated women as property. It is hardly surprising they made Him male.

Well, you narrowed it down to 87% on ancient cultures…

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Well, you narrowed it down to 87% on ancient cultures…

True, but irrelevant to the point.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Thing is, it's circular reasoning if you look at it like that, "the Bible is God-breathed because it says it is".

Also, why is it that when people say that the Bible is "inspired by God" they give "inspired" a completely different meaning in comparison to any other context in which the word "inspired" is used.

Just because you say it is circular reasoning, doesn't mean it is not true. Many, many things in the Bible have been proven historically accurate as well as the places from 3,000 years ago have been proven to be real places. There are many archeological things that have also been proven.

So I don't see it the way you do at all. I see proof. The Egyptian hyroglifs also talk about Pharoah and the Israelite's and the plagues as well as when Moses led them out of Egypt.

So what do you believe it is? Please note: I said it is God-breathed, not just inspired.

 

[ToBeLoved]

True, but irrelevant to the point.

Did you sign up to post here?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Why is that always the question when someone expresses a thought that is different?

 

[ToBeLoved]

Why is that always the question when someone expresses a thought that is different?

It's not. But Apologetics is a sub-forum that must be specifically requested to post in. We all had to do it and I'm wondering if self professed non-Christians are allowed to post here or if they would not have made it past the request to post thread.

Each sub-forum has it's own rules in sticky post on the main sub-menu page.

If I may ask, do you know what apologetics means?

 

[Gene Parmesan]

It's not. But Apologetics is a sub-forum that must be specifically requested to post in. We all had to do it and I'm wondering if self professed non-Christians are allowed to post here or if they would not have made it past the request to post thread.

Yes, we can post here.

Christian Apologetics
A forum for non-Christians to challenge the Christian faith, and for Christians to defend their faith.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

It's not. But Apologetics is a sub-forum that must be specifically requested to post in. We all had to do it and I'm wondering if self professed non-Christians are allowed to post here or if they would not have made it past the request to post thread.

Each sub-forum has it's own rules in sticky post on the main sub-menu page.

If I may ask, do you know what apologetics means?

I am aware of the rules to post in this sub form.

I know what apologetics means.

 

[-57]

Or, what I think far more likely is that the human authors of scripture, being in a thoroughly patriarchal society, thought of God as Father and wrote that into their document.

Are you saying that the Bible really isn't inspired but is based upon the thoughts a patriarchal society?

 

[-57]

Thing is, it's circular reasoning if you look at it like that, "the Bible is God-breathed because it says it is".

Also, why is it that when people say that the Bible is "inspired by God" they give "inspired" a completely different meaning in comparison to any other context in which the word "inspired" is used.

it's more than that...it's proof is seen in other scripture.
lets take Isaiah 53 as an example....how did the Isaiah get is so right that they call it the fifth Gospel? Did Isaiah make it all up or was this future presentation inspired by God?

 

[-V-]

This is a sincere question. Why is god called a "he"? Does he have male private parts? Does he have testosterone? What about females? Is he half male half female?

If you say we are not made physically in gods image, just our consciences is than why is he called a "he"?

For Bible-believing Christians, the reason is that God is referred to (by Himself and others) in the Bible solely in masculine terms.

This doesn't mean God is "male". He's a spirit and has no true gender. Terms like "Father" are anthropomorphisms which describe the dynamics of the relationships God has among the Trinity and with us.

 

[-V-]

Thing is, it's circular reasoning if you look at it like that, "the Bible is God-breathed because it says it is".

If it is God's Word, what higher authority exists that it can appeal to for justification?

Also, why is it that when people say that the Bible is "inspired by God" they give "inspired" a completely different meaning in comparison to any other context in which the word "inspired" is used.

False. It's not a definition *we* came up with, "God-breathed" is the definition Scripture itself uses.

 

[JackRT]

Are you saying that the Bible really isn't inspired but is based upon the thoughts a patriarchal society?

Yes.

 

[-57]

Why has no one even looked up the word "FATHER"?

 

[Nihilist Virus]

It's not. But Apologetics is a sub-forum that must be specifically requested to post in. We all had to do it and I'm wondering if self professed non-Christians are allowed to post here or if they would not have made it past the request to post thread.

Each sub-forum has it's own rules in sticky post on the main sub-menu page.

If I may ask, do you know what apologetics means?

What would be the point of apologetics in the presence of believers only?

 

[Nihilist Virus]

This is a sincere question. Why is god called a "he"? Does he have male private parts? Does he have testosterone? What about females? Is he half male half female?

If you say we are not made physically in gods image, just our consciences is than why is he called a "he"?

Jehovah is derived from an ancient Canaanite deity named El. When some Canaanites broke off to become pre-Hebrews, they generalized "El" into just referring to the word "God" and not the name of an actual God. We have done the same with words like dumpster, kleenex, vaseline, and etc. My phone attempted to capitalize vaseline because it is a name, but in common usage it can refer to any petroleum jelly.

As far as I know, El was married to the well-known deity Ashteroth. Ashteroth was a fertility deity and thus was a goddess, so El had to be male.

I think you should reject any Christian answer that Jehovah is genderless because he is always depicted as a man in Genesis. It is true that he is amorphous in Exodus, probably because he was a volcano god there, but everywhere else Jehovah is a man.

 

[ToBeLoved]

What would be the point of apologetics in the presence of believers only?

I think as we come across non believers we learn what the main points are that they raise and much of theology discussion is internal. When we talk with an unbeliever, it is usally geared specifically to whatever thing they find a problem. But in general discussion, we often have much more theological discussions because we have studied it probably and also have the Holy Spirit.

I have participated in this before. Blogs would be the easiest parallel. Usually non-believers don't go on Christian blogs, but we still discuss theology with a position that we have come accross in the past.

It is one of the most thorough ways to really learn the Bible, is to defend it.

 

[Nihilist Virus]

I think as we come across non believers we learn what the main points are that they raise and much of theology discussion is internal. When we talk with an unbeliever, it is usally geared specifically to whatever thing they find a problem. But in general discussion, we often have much more theological discussions because we have studied it probably and also have the Holy Spirit.

I have participated in this before. Blogs would be the easiest parallel. Usually non-believers don't go on Christian blogs, but we still discuss theology with a position that we have come accross in the past.

It is one of the most thorough ways to really learn the Bible, is to defend it.

If the consensus ever leans in that direction, so be it. Obviously it's well within your rights. Some Christians cite "be prepared always to give an answer for your faith" while others prefer not to "cast pearls before swine." But you're kidding yourself if you think even half of atheist objections will be discussed internally. <Staff Edit>

 

[DogmaHunter]

This is a sincere question. Why is god called a "he"? Does he have male private parts? Does he have testosterone? What about females? Is he half male half female?

If you say we are not made physically in gods image, just our consciences is than why is he called a "he"?

Because back when it originated, women had to shut up and sit in the corner while the men were organizing society for their own benefit

 

[DogmaHunter]

No. A Hebrew man would be an indentured servant and would be set free on the 7th year.

Don't forget the loophole though....
If you give the hebrew man a wife while he is your slave, then the wife remains your slave after the 7th year. If the hebrew man wishes to remain with his wife (his wife isn't set free, after all), he can agree to become your slave for life. At that point, you pierce his ear and boom - he's your property for life.