Gender Bias ???

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Whine - argument by emotive language tut tut.

Use of 'Abba' - argument by selective observation, prestigious jargon and digression.

Unfounded opinion? Two thousand years of male-dominated christianity, Mr Carrobie, that's a reasonable foundation I think. My opinion? No. A simple assay of the weight of scriptural evidence favouring men ov ...[text shortened]... denial rather lacks credibility. Perhaps you can find some scripture to back your position?

more opinion, even more opinion and lastly an attempt to use character associated deficiencies (mine), to establish what could not be brought about through reason. scurrilous and ungentlemanly conduct. I have provided numerous Biblical references, not one of which has been adequately addressed, both linguistic, poetical and grammatical. You may refer to those before proceeding any further.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
yes i do not deny these renderings, but you have evaded the question, which was, if God is genderless and one should not ascribe any gender to him, how will you render these verses? You have simply ignored the question. Furthermore it is clear that Christ, used in connection with God, the term , 'Abba', that is from the Aramaic, father. Why would ...[text shortened]... th the other reference to a women not forgetting her child and the rest. Not very convincing.

If Christ had called God "mother" how do you suppose the Jews (or even his own disciples) would have reacted? If Christ had come in the form of a woman would anyone have listened 2000 years ago? Think about it.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
more opinion, even more opinion and lastly an attempt to use character associated deficiencies (mine), to establish what could not be brought about through reason. scurrilous and ungentlemanly conduct. I have provided numerous Biblical references, not one of which has been adequately addressed, both linguistic, poetical and grammatical. You may refer to those before proceeding any further.

And I have provided numerous bible references. If even one of my references holds to be true, then my argument is true, yours does nothing to dissprove my claim. To disprove my claim you would need a bible reference that said God is strictly male. There is no such reference.

Originally posted by Doward
Hosea 13:8 Like a bear robbed of her cubs,
I will attack them and rip them open;
like a lion I will devour them—
a wild animal will tear them apart

John 3:5 (here the feminine is used for the Spirit): 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

John 1:13 (again t ...[text shortened]... you RC. God is unrightfully thought to be male, God is neither gender and both at the same time.

so what, i dont disagree with assigning feminine attributes to God, but he is rendered masculine and rightly so, for its both linguistically, doctrinally, poetically, grammatically correct to do so. Why don't you make any references to the verses that i have provided? You were asked to provide an alternative rendering, why have you failed to do so? if you are objecting to the use of God in the masculine then please, here is your opportunity to put it right, why have you failed to do so?

Originally posted by Doward
If Christ had called God "mother" how do you suppose the Jews (or even his own disciples) would have reacted? If Christ had come in the form of a woman would anyone have listened 2000 years ago? Think about it.

Are you saying God couldn't have made it work?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
so what, i dont disagree with assigning feminine attributes to God, but he is rendered masculine and rightly so, for its both linguistically, doctrinally, poetically, grammatically correct to do so. Why don't you make any references to the verses that i have provided? You were asked to provide an alternative rendering, why have you failed to do so? ...[text shortened]... masculine then please, here is your opportunity to put it right, why have you failed to do so?

because God is both genders and neither gender as I have clearly already stated. It is appropriate to call God either he or she, both are contextually and grammatically correct.

Originally posted by Doward
If Christ had called God "mother" how do you suppose the Jews (or even his own disciples) would have reacted? If Christ had come in the form of a woman would anyone have listened 2000 years ago? Think about it.

i thought about it and disregarded it as the words of a madman, the fact of the matter is, the text, in Hebrew is rendered as masculine, it simply doesn't say, a womanly women of war, its states a manly person of war. Whether the Hebrews would have accepted a feminine God is neither here nor there and has no relevance for us other than to provide a vehicle for your vain protestations. If your argument is true, produce an alternative rendering. It should be easy, does not truth have a potency all of its own

Originally posted by Doward
because God is both genders and neither gender as I have clearly already stated. It is appropriate to call God either he or she, both are contextually and grammatically correct.

i dont mean to be rude, but you can go beyond what is written if you like, but i will not be induced to follow your apostasy. Scripture is quite clear, and God is rendered for various reasons as masculine, why you should have a problem with this, i have no idea?

Originally posted by JS357
Are you saying God couldn't have made it work?

Interesting question. I think for that to work their world would have needed to be turned upside down in ways that we cannot imagine. The real point of my argument is that Christ being male was the obvious choice given the culture. Today perhaps a woman might be a better choice, though I doubt we have evolved enough for that just yet.

Originally posted by Doward
Interesting question. I think for that to work their world would have needed to be turned upside down in ways that we cannot imagine. The real point of my argument is that Christ being male was the obvious choice given the culture. Today perhaps a woman might be a better choice, though I doubt we have evolved enough for that just yet.

nonsense, there have been countless feminine figures which have inspired others, Boadicea, Joan of Arc etc etc

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
i dont mean to be rude, but you can go beyond what is written if you like, but i will not be induced to follow your apostasy. Scripture is quite clear, and God is rendered for various reasons as masculine, why you should have a problem with this, i have no idea?

Yes scripture is quite clear...God is both and neither. numerous references have been offered to prove my point, you have yet to provide a reference that says that God is strictly male in gender.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
nonsense, there have been countless feminine figures which have inspired others, Boadicea, Joan of Arc etc etc

so then Jesus could just as easily have been a woman?

Originally posted by Doward
so then Jesus could just as easily have been a woman?

Hardly, considering he was destined to be a King, we are allowed to use the term King in relation to Christ, or is that too masculine?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Hardly, considering he was destined to be a King, we are allowed to use the term King in relation to Christ, or is that too masculine?

S/He could have been the Queen no?

Originally posted by Doward
Yes scripture is quite clear...God is both and neither. numerous references have been offered to prove my point, you have yet to provide a reference that says that God is strictly male in gender.

look, it has been established that God is without gender, i am not trying to establish that he is male, i am concerned with translation. If the text renders God as male, it should read in the masculine. All you have provided is texts that attribute feminine qualities, which is fine. If you are objecting to God being rendered masculine then provide an alternative rendering, here are the texts that I provided.

(Exodus 15:3) . . .Jehovah is a manly person of war. Jehovah is his name.
(Isaiah 42:13) . . .Like a mighty man Jehovah himself will go forth. Like a warrior he will awaken zeal. . .
(Mark 14:36) . . .And he went on to say: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”