So, went to a Catholic retreat here in TX last year -

Born and raised a Catholic, went to an all girls high school, for which I am so grateful.

So, in July I went to a three day retreat at a Catholic retreat center and during one of the prayer sessions, Father referred to God as "She" for the duration of the session. That was about 9 or 10 times.

Perhaps the Catholic Church is changing...

Just sayin'

a reply to: BlissSeeker
As a long-standing member, you will know that the Catholic church has had its more "progressive" wing since Vatican 2. So not necessarily fast-moving, and not necessarily the whole community.

a reply to: BlissSeeker

From one extreme to the other, sounds catholic to me

originally posted by: BlissSeeker
Born and raised a Catholic, went to an all girls high school, for which I am so grateful.

So, in July I went to a three day retreat at a Catholic retreat center and during one of the prayer sessions, Father referred to God as "She" for the duration of the session. That was about 9 or 10 times.

Perhaps the Catholic Church is changing...

Just sayin'

I am pretty convinced God is woman. No man can create something so damn beautiful and attractive as a woman!

a reply to: BlissSeeker

You should consider getting out of the Catholic church.

It sounds as if you have an open mind if so - Get this book: The Gnostic Origins of Roman Catholicism by Ken Johnson, Th.D.

While reading it do some research on the material. It will help you make a better decision.

Good luck,

DS

I can get behind God being a woman. It's not like we know any damn thing after all. Plus womanly cycles would explain bad weather. Menopause = climate change. It's all perfectly scientific.

Why would this even be a question?

Both man and woman are created in the image of God, in that they are greater than all the other creations as they, like God, have a mind, will, intellect, emotions, and moral capacity. Animals do not possess a moral capacity and do not possess an immaterial component like humanity does. The image of God is the spiritual component that humanity alone possesses. God created humanity to have a relationship with Him. Humanity is the only creation designed for that purpose.

That said, man and woman are only patterned after the image of God—they are not tiny “copies” of God. The fact that there are men and women does not require God to have male and female features.

Being made in the image of God has nothing to do with physical characteristics.

We know that God is a spiritual being and does not possess physical characteristics. This does not limit, however, how God may choose to reveal Himself to humanity. Scripture contains all the revelation God gave to humanity about Himself, and so it is the only objective source of information about God. In looking at what Scripture tells us, there are several observations of evidence about the form in which God revealed Himself to humanity.

Scripture contains approximately 200 references to God as the “Father.” By necessity, one cannot be a father unless one is male. If God had chosen to be revealed to man in a female form, then the word “mother” would have occurred in these places, not “father.” In the Old and New Testaments, masculine pronouns are used over and over again in reference to God. Jesus Christ referred to God as the Father several times and in other cases used masculine pronouns in reference to God.

While God is not a man, He chose a masculine form in order to reveal Himself to humanity. Likewise, Jesus Christ, who is constantly referred to with masculine titles, nouns, and pronouns, took a male form while He walked on the earth. The prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament refer to both God and Jesus Christ with masculine names and titles.

God chose to be revealed in this form in order for man to more easily grasp who He is. While God makes allowances in order to help us understand Him, it is important to not try to “force God into a box,” so to speak, by placing limitations on Him that are not appropriate to His nature.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

I am an ordained priest of the Kriya Yoga lineage - been a student of Hinduism for over 25 years.

Been studying astrology, palmistry and more esoteric arts (i.e. crystal healing) since 1990 but not witchcraft or conjuring nonsense.

Been to India, Jagannatha Puri, where ancient lore says Jesus once studied.

So, yeah, Catholicism doesn't hold me back ONE. BIT.

Thanks for your concern though.

a reply to: Raggedyman no use in a flip response

a reply to: Skorpiogurl

Biblical, God identifies as a female as well as male
mikemorrell.org...

Ancient and Near East communities were patriarchal sonanfemale deity would not have worked
mikemorrell.org...

Though in scripture God exhibits many female characteristics

Sophia:
First nine chapters of Proverbs focus on Wisdom

Proverbs 4:13 she is your life, giver of life
Proverbs 8:35 whoever finds me finds life
Proverbs 8:15 decrees what is right
Proverbs 8: 22 – 31 like Wisdom herself, before the foundation of the earth I was there. Wisdom comes from God, was created by God
Wisdom 7:22 – 8:1 She is the fashioner of all things; 21 attributes which is the product of two perfect numbers 3 & 7. Wisdom is perfection multiplied by perfection. Intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all powerful. Overseeing all, penetrating through all other intelligent spirits
Wisdom 8:1 She orders all things
Wisdom 7: 24 She pervades and penetrates all things
Wisdom 7:27 She renews all things – renewable energy
Wisdom 9:10 She shares the throne of God
Wisdom 7:10 – 14 She’s the source of all things new
Sirach 1:1 – 8 It is God who knows wisdom and pours her forth upon the world
Sirach 24: 1 – 27 Hymn of self-praise sung by Wisdom in which she describes herself, her origins, her relationship to God and the good things she does for human beings. She came from the mouth of God, she is God’s word, breath, Spirit; as the spirit/wind that hovered over the waters of creation and as mist / steam that covered the earth at the beginning; she is universal, everywhere. Her image as a tree echoes Proverbs 8 – she strikes root among God’s people. She feeds all who long for her. Her food is sweeter than honey. Her food is herself. All who eat of her will hunger still, who drink of her will thirst for more. One will never be able to get enough of what she offers. What she offers is life. She concludes her song with a promise similar to Proverbs 8:35 – 34 – those who obey her will not be shamed. Those who serve her will not fall short. I believe she is the personification of God’s wisdom as the feminine archetype.
Birthing God – womb
• Gen 7:1 – Breasts illuminate a feminine image of God
• Deut. 32:18 “You forget the rock who begot you, unmindful of the God who gave birth to you”

• Job 38:8 “Who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?”
• Job 38: 28-29 God’s fathering of rain and giving birth to ice from her womb
• Isaiah 42:14 “I groan like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant”
• Isaiah 46: 3-4: “You who have been carried since birth, whom I have carried since time you were born” – incubating in God’s womb
• John 1:12: Those who believe in God are born of God
• John 4:7: Everyone who loves is born of God
• John 16:21: God is bringing forth a new humanity like the pangs of a woman in labor; her hour has come
• Acts 17: In God we live and move and have our being
• Gal 4:19: God’s womb is in pain
• Romans 8:22 From the beginning to now the entire creation has been groaning in one great act of giving birth (creation)

Creator God of Israel is also imaged as the shaper, maker and mother God who formed Israel in the womb and birthed Israel with labor pains:
• (Deut. 32:18; Psalm 90:2; Proverbs 8:24 – 25; Isaiah 43:1,7,15; 44:2, 24; 45:9, 11; 51:13; 54:5 From the word “womb” (rehem) comes the verb “to have compassion” (raham), and the phrase “Yahweh’s compassionate (rahum) and gracious” repeatedly appears in the Hebrew scripture to describe the merciful and saving acts of God in history. (Deut. 4:31; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:17; Ps 78:38; 86:16; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8; John 4:7 These verses show images of God who demonstrates “womb – like compassion” for her child Israel.
• God creator is sometimes depicted as woman giving birth and sometimes a reproductive image of God as both male and female: Deut 32:18; Job 38:28 – 29; Is 42:14; Acts 17; John 16:21; Gal 4:19; Rom 8:22; John 1:12

Nursing mother:
• Isaiah 49:15 does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son (daughter) of her womb
• Numbers 11:12 was it I who conceived all this people, was it I who gave them birth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom like a nurse with a baby at the breast
• Psalm 131:2 – 3 But I have clamed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul within me is like a weaned child.
• John 7: 38 From his breast shall flow the fountains of living water
• 1 Peter 2:2 – 3 You are newborn and like babies you should be hungry for nothing but milk – now that you have tasted the goodness of Christ

Nurturing God – mother:
• Gen 1 :2 nesting mother
• Deut 32 : 11 – 12 mother eagle
• Hosea 11:34 I myself taught Ephram to walk, I took them in my arms
• Hosea 13: 8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs
• Psalm 131 image of repose – like a child in its mother’s arms as content as a child that has been weaned
• Ps 17:8 guard me in the shadow of your wings
• Ps 36:7 all people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings
• Ps 57:1 in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge
• Ps 61:4 find refuge under the shelter of your wings
• Isaiah 31:5 like birds hovering overhead, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem
• Isaiah 46:3 – 4 who have been borne by me from your birth carried from the womb… even when you turn gray, I will carry you. I have made and I will bear, I will carry and will save
• Isaiah 66: 10 –13 comforting mother…… as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you
• Luke 15:8 woman tirelessly sweeping for her lost coin, for what is important to her
• Luke 13: 34 (Matt 23:37), how often I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings

Other images:
• Ruah – Gen 2:7, Ps 104: 29; Jn 3:8 presence gives life; feminine Hebrew word meaning breath, wind, inspiration or spirit.
• Rahamin Hebrew word for compassion – root word, rahan, means womb.
• El Shaddai – God of the mountains or God of the breasts
• Seamstress – Gen 3:21
• Washerwoman Isaiah 4:4, Psalm 51:7
• Midwife Psalm 22:9 – 11, Psalm 71:6; Isaiah 66:9
• Woman baking bread Matt 13:33
• Seeks justice Proverbs 8:18

I think many churches understand this, hopeful the Catholics allow women to nary priests and become priests as well

a reply to: network dude

I'm a believer in reincarnation and the facts are we alternate between sexes, every many years, because we need to experience every aspect of being human. Astrology helps understand all of this.

In the part of India I visited, there were small, corner shrines all over the place. And who's there - Durga, female warrior energy of Parvati, Shiva's consort.

All over Mexico is painted Our Lady of Guadalupe but She is known as Tonantzin in Nahuatl, the language of Mexico before the conquistadors.

And my Paramguru said this of men and women, women have menopause once a month but men are affected by the moon everyDAY - grumpy, grumbling is the proof

a reply to: Raggedyman

Thank was fabulous!

Yes, priest should marry

a reply to: BlissSeeker

I think it's preposterous to think a being, that knows and sees everything at once would have to deal with anything as primitive as gender.
Procreation is not really relevant if you're an eternal being, outside of time. Not bound by space.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: BlissSeeker

I think it's preposterous to think a being, that knows and sees everything at once would have to deal with anything as primitive as gender.
Procreation is not really relevant if you're an eternal being, outside of time. Not bound by space.

This

a reply to: Raggedyman

That's a whole lot of information there.

Right. Basically, you take from it what you want.
I take from it what I want.

Either way my bottom line is God is neither male nor female.

Keep this in mind. Eve, woman, was created from Adam's rib.

originally posted by: dfnj2015

I am pretty convinced God is woman. No man can create something so damn beautiful and attractive as a woman!

A few words on how he appears to humans:

God In His capacity as the "Unqualified Absolute" is gender-less. I think in our lingo we call It/Him the "Infinite Consciousness or Mind".

In Paradise He is the "Father", human looking, loving, wonderful, sitting on a shining white throne, with a fatherly white beard, totally radiating a bright soft light.

Whereas in other circumstances in relation to humans, He appears as either male or female of different ages, usually an old age man/woman. In my experience I've seen Him mainly in human male form or very close to it and terrible at that, with very few exceptions.

It is my opinion that in His capacity as the Holy Spirit He appears as a motherly kind figure. In God we find both qualities, male and female.

originally posted by: Skorpiogurl
a reply to: Raggedyman

That's a whole lot of information there.

Right. Basically, you take from it what you want.
I take from it what I want.

Either way my bottom line is God is neither male nor female.

Well that’s pretty clear, identifies as a father, ie the prodigal sons father as well as identifying as a mother
Righteous and loving with compassion

Not suggesting that God is female, self identifies as a father not a male.
In fact, God identifies as The God of the mountains, mountains also means breasts...

originally posted by: CharlesT
Keep this in mind. Eve, woman, was created from Adam's rib.

Spiritually man and woman are equals, God breathed and designed

originally posted by: BlissSeeker
a reply to: Raggedyman no use in a flip response

C'mon - Don't take away the only thing he's good at