Comments on: “For Christian readers, God must be a man.”

By: Lisa Crawford via Facebook

Lisa Crawford via Facebook — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:00:40 +0000

As a pianist, I have played several Christian Scientist services where the phrase Father/Mother God is common. I like that But, as an Elder of my own church frequently tasked to give a Communion prayer (and not having a spontaneous bone in my body), my rough drafts almost always included that phrase; my actual prayers never did. As much as I would like to include that concept in my corporate worship, the Communion table was just not the time and place to make that statement.

By: Jennifer Hanish via Facebook

Jennifer Hanish via Facebook — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:08:38 +0000

I’ve never thought or really even cared what He carries below.. all I know is that I am fed up with the likes of the blue-haired using Him as their poster child to hate. cowards, every one of them

By: Joanne Elliott via Facebook

Joanne Elliott via Facebook — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 09:54:30 +0000

I will read your book John. I’ve had strong views about the feminine/masculine idea of our God for a long time.

By: Driftwood2K11

Driftwood2K11 — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:06:02 +0000

There were people in church (when I attended many, many, many, many, many moons ago) used to tell me God had a gender, and that he was male. I used to reply, “Does he have a penis?” This would elicit white faces and hands up to mouths. I mean, really, if God is male, does he have a penis? Does he use it? If not, why not? Did he use it on Mary when she had Jesus? These are all reasonable questions that extend (heh) from the premise that God must have a gender and that gender must be male. I don’t get the big deal. I mean, if that’s what you believe, follow through on it.

By: Sensible Seamstress

Sensible Seamstress — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:04:45 +0000

I regularly throw out a “she” when talking about God, or a “he/she,” or use the word “God” carefully so as not to say “he” (after awhile it becomes obvious that I’m refusing to use “he” exclusively) and it freaks out everyone who hears it. It even freaks me out while I’m doing it. But I think it’s important to do because we are SO used to God as a “he” and I think it keeps us from fully experiencing God – to limit God like that.

Kudos to John for trying, but he’s right: those kinds of comments are too scary for the status quo.

By: Sensible Seamstress

Sensible Seamstress — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:59:27 +0000

And many of us can’t even get to the deeper questions because we can’t get beyond the rigid boundary of gender that has allowed many conservatives to marginalize half of the human race. That’s why this is an important issue.

By: Sensible Seamstress

Sensible Seamstress — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:55:28 +0000

Awesome book!

By: Bethany McFarlin- Cook via Facebook

Bethany McFarlin- Cook via Facebook — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:54:50 +0000

@Richard- just read the link. That was cool!

By: Bethany McFarlin- Cook via Facebook

Bethany McFarlin- Cook via Facebook — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:50:25 +0000

If it weren’t for people like John I’m sure I would have jumped onto the agnostic band wagon.

By: BMac

BMac — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:47:16 +0000

Even biblical literalist can clearly see in Genesis that God created BOTH male and female in his image. Yet, Ive heard horror stories of pastors telling people they can just leave of they won’t accept that God is male. Sickening! These are people who are so insecure with themselves that they have to grasp at straws to gain a shred of self worth. It’s SO silly. I’ll never understand the extremely sensitive male ego of some.