The use of 'Him' to refer to God has been the subject of controversy among many feminist groups who claim that the Bible was so constructed to ensure that women felt like lesser persons than men.
THOUGH MOST Christian men will readily dismiss the issue surrounding the colour of Jesus, not many are willing to say that God is neither woman nor man.
In a recent conversation with a Christian friend, I referred to God as 'It'. He was most upset claiming that I was making God less of a being than 'He' really is.
Scientists claim that males consist of 51 per cent masculinity and 49 per cent femininity and females vice versa. Both males and females differ mainly because of their sex organs and hormones.
Men and women are pretty much the same in all other areas. They possess an equal amount of potential to lead, to learn and to accomplish. It is true that in the majority of cases men have excelled in certain areas. Men are far better than women at track and field and in most of the other sporting fields. They are stronger and better at tasks that require the use of muscles. However, men and women possess pretty much the same brainpower.
Did God require the use of strength when 'He' was creating the world? Did 'He' require those male hormones that enable men to jump higher, run faster or speak louder? Did 'He' require only brainpower?
The Bible's description of creation lets us think that God required only brainpower. 'He' spoke everything into existence. As a result one would think that God is much higher up the ladder than men and hence to have referred to God as 'Him' would only have been because of the lack of a better word. For the same reason that men referred to God as 'Him' then it is with this in mind that Christ referred to God as his father. If God has no use for hormones and strength then is it important that we refer to God as He/She or even It.
For me the safest word to use when referring to a being much higher than myself would have to be the word 'It'. To refer to God as him in this day would be to belittle 'It'. God has no gender. God needs no gender.
Mark Clarke
