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May 9, 2025
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I think god, being omnipresent, can embody any pronouns depending on what aspect of him is being highlighted by the human interpreter, who naturally assigns symbolism to the pronoun. I do think our view of this is influenced by our gendered-language thinking and think maybe it wouldn’t be a problem in a language without gender?
May 9, 2025
I think it’d be cool and would make sense to refer to God with God/Gods/Godself! It/Its could also work for God. For you, you could look into other neopronouns like ae/aer/aers/aerself or xe/xey/xem? I used the former among very very close friends for a short period of time in high school and I still have a fondness for it although I prefer they/them now. Hope you find something that feels good for you! 💛🏳️⚧️
May 9, 2025
YO! Theologian here 👍🏼 God (in the Christian worldview) is fascinating because, like someone said below, He made humans “in Our image,” which would then mean that both Adam & Eve fulfill that imagery. There’s a take that since Jesus is the only physical manifestation of God, the language is more that God made humans in the physical image, point of reference being Jesus. Does that track? In terms of God, the Bible refers to God with both masculine & feminine language, often referring to him as a loving father but also likens him as a mother taking care of her kids. The thing we have to remember is this is a book, written by humans, inspired by God, trying to do their best with their limited understanding of God, in a patriarchal society. So the majority of the language is male-centric because their culture was men = strength / power / headship, but that doesn’t mean it’s a perfect use of the he/him pronoun. Even the language around the trinity: father / son / spirit, it’s an imperfect analogy but it’s them trying their best with what their human knowledge is at the time. “How do we explain these three parts of God?” -> “Oh like a dad and his son and a ghost!” — it immediately falls apart if you think about it for too long, but that’s the point: we don’t know so we try our best with what is known to us. God’s male-centric language in the Bible is a cultural thing that’s done with a limited understanding. Final thought here: usual pronouns would also fall short, I think, since God is self-sufficient. He doesn’t need a partner or anyone. Some male centric language is also attributed because God created all the things, and the idea is what a male’s seed carries life, and that’s then attached to a female’s eggs and etc. — again, limited understanding at the time!!! But their idea that “Oh God created life, surely that means it’s a HE” isn’t perfect lol. But it’s a start hopefully this makes some sense and wasn’t too nerdy.
May 9, 2025
I think if we are made in God’s image then God is every interpretation of gender. I see pronouns as a means to an end. Who cares what actual word is used to refer to someone. You still know who’s being talked about. Though, I understand words have meaning, and socially, pronouns carry a lot of weight right now. And using capital He/Him always seemed anti-god to me. If God has that big of an ego, then his(?) teachings are hypocritical. God is a socialist not a dictator. In my opinion.
May 9, 2025
@HAILEYD4WN just got whiplash cause I Skipped Everything n Jus read God is a Socialist
May 9, 2025
This is why I’m such a big fan of created pronouns or neopronouns. Like in French people are beginning to use “iel” rather than “Elle” or “il” And xe has been in use for a while now. I think there’s something very special about queer people creating their own language and spaces and distinct forms of expression. Awkward maybe cringe depending on how u see things but necessary yeah. As I navigate the world as a young queer person being uncomfortable in uncertainty has been really freeing. like I don’t even believe my pronouns (they/them) correspond wholly to my gender, they’re just a little hint at it. All this to say maybe god is a he/him lesbian. I also say this as someone who’s an atheist. I think the awkward fumbling attempts to handle and sculpt divinity are endearing and make a point in and of themselves. As above so below, how we attempt to conceptualize our own gender(s) and identities is how we envision the divine.
May 9, 2025
i feel like the more i think about it i just feel like gender has to transcend language as with language inherently comes some expectations or preconceptions of that thing/ person (at least in the place and culture i live in) and even if that changes between people, there’s no real way to avoid it on the whole. i think just using the language we‘ve got and knowing that gender identity can’t be shovelled into or encapsulated by a label or a pronoun is something like ive ‘settled for’ or accepted ig
May 9, 2025
@MADDIEAMYH like i have my own perception of my gender identity but as far as pronouns or labels go i just use the ‘default’ bcs it’s easiest and nothing feels particularly fitting
May 9, 2025
@MADDIEAMYH I agree whole heartedly with what you’ve said. We are both searching constantly for the best words to communicate with but also defaulting to what’s been ingrained on our brains so deeply that they might as well be pressed straight onto our tongues. Reminds me of a quote I read that to speak outside our mother tongue can be liberating because we have to find the right words to say, not intuit them. Why wouldn’t that apply to gender, why not to pronouns?
May 9, 2025
Never been a big fan of they/them because I feel it is a bit dehumanizing. Obviously w respect to people’s preferences but it’s just a few shades off from “it”, which I don’t think is a very nice thing to be calling people. Conversely though my idea of god is very fluid and nonconforming. It can exist as an individual or an object or multiple people at once, and is intangible even in the most tangible of forms, so I think it or they are fine pronouns to refer to it as, as much so as him or her are.
