TRYING TO WRITE IN NON-SEXIST LANGUAGE

[mawilliams]

NON-SEXIST LANGUAGE: WHAT A CHALLENGE!

I recently wrote a commentary on Revelation.  Realizing that masculine pronouns applied to God will offend some people--and I do not want to offend anyone--I found much difficulty expressing myself.  Gradually, as I worked through my book, I realized that the whole issue of non-sexist language really stems from inadequate grammar and not from human thinking.  We all know God is a spirit.  God does not have a physical body.  Having no physical body means that God is neither male nor female.  Only living, physical beings are male and female.  All nonliving physical things are neuter, at least in English.  However, some languages include nonliving things as male or female.  Confusing, isn't it?

Most languages we are familiar with have only three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.  English, as I mentioned, uses masculine and feminine only for living, physical beings that reproduce sexually.  All nonliving physical beings are neuter.  No matter what language we speak, we all know that God, angels, devils are living beings, yet they do not reproduce sexually.  Therefore, we all recognize that masculine and feminine pronouns are not correct for them.  Neuter pronouns are even less correct.  What English needs is a fourth gender that provides pronouns other than masculine, feminine, and neuter.  We English-speaking people cannot imagine such pronouns--try inventing some--but that is what we need: pronouns for spiritual beings.

Try speaking about God or spirits without using pronouns.  It's almost impossible, so ingrained is the habit to use pronouns rather than repeat nouns over and over again.  When speaking, I can come close, but I can't eliminate pronouns referring to God.  I can avoid pronouns when I write, but it required practice.  And I also chose several synonym nouns so I do not overwork any single noun.

Referring to God with masculine pronouns is a problem with our language, not our thinking.  Since there are no adequate pronouns, we use masculine pronouns only because longstanding tradition always used masculine pronouns.  We can read into masculine pronouns whatever we like.  Most of these insights are not relevant.  If English had a fourth gender for spiritual beings, everybody would use that gender.  Then, all concern about maleness applied to God would disappear.  I learned later that India has more than twenty-five hundred dialects and most have non-masculine, non-feminine and, non-neuter pronouns that are specific for spiritual beings.   These languages have more than three genders.  People who speak those languages tell of humorous word plays when trying to translate from these languages into English.  At the opposite extreme, a Persian language has no distinction of gender in pronouns.  The same pronouns suffice for both masculine and feminine genders.

How challenging!: writing a book discussing God's Revelation and never using a single pronoun referring to God.  I believe I am the only author who wrote a commentary devoid of sexist language.  Now I'm working on non-sexist spoken conversation.  Wish me luck!  And I will pray that God may keep you in the palm of ..... Whoops!  There I go again.

(modified to remove advertising for your book)

[Soldier4Christ]

I must disagree with the author of this article. The english language does use words such as she and her for nonliving things such as ships as well as other nonliving items. This is not done on the basis of an actual physical gender but rather based on a characteristic or a feeling toward that item. The same is done with he and him. Although it may not be gramatically correct it has been an accepted method for as long as the language has existed.

This thought is based on the political correctness of many different beliefs such as God is a women or God is both male and female.

God made Adam in His likeness. Any time that God made Himself present to humans it was in the form of a male not a female.

Jesus Christ is the head of the Church as men are to be the head of the household.

There is much more that I could post on this but I think it is sufficient to see with this even God associates himself with males not females.

[airIam2worship]

AMEN, PR.
I could post more on this but it probably won't hit home.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

First, I'm moving this thread out of the Bible Study area because it isn't a Bible Study.

The vast majority of Christians, including women, have no interest at all in being politically correct, especially regarding the Holy Bible and the things of the LORD. As far as I'm concerned, trying to be gender-neutral is simply trying to please people - not God.

I would note that the Holy Bible has many references to women, and the ones I am thinking about give dignity and respect to Godly women. Further, a Godly Christian woman understands and appreciates the instructions given to men and women in the Bible.

So, MaWilliams, I would say to quit trying to please people - please God.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 John 5:4-5 NASB  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

[Shammu]

As a politically incorrect member of this forum, I must say AMEN beps!!

With us not pleasing God we are in sin, which God hates.

[airIam2worship]

AMEN BEP's. How dare anyone question God?

[legacy lady]

I would like to say as a female, whom I am supposing this correctness is to not offend.  I know that I am blessed everyday of my life that I live under the covering of my husband, my Lord Jesus Christ, and my Father God.  

We, men and women of God should not conform to the ways of this world. The women of the world are terribly deceived and I (who serve women extensively) can honestly say are miserable, when they stepped out (as a culture)  from under the covering of the men in their lives (husbands or fathers) they drew down a great curse, that now plagues every immorality of our society.  

Dear Brothers and Sisters I beg you to hold tight to the Order in which God set things it is the only one that works!!!!!

Peace to All
Tiffany

[nChrist]

Amen Sister Tiffany!

I've heard some people say that the Holy Bible is demeaning to women because of the instructions given in the Bible to Godly women. Most of those complaining have not read the instructions given to Godly men.

The example I'm thinking about right now is marriage. Christ is to be the head of the home. If the husband is yielded to Christ as the Bible instructs, a Godly woman would have a happy marriage and so would the Godly man. The instructions of the Bible are really more demanding and difficult for the man than they are the woman. Not only is the man to love and yield to Christ, he is to love his wife as Christ loves the church and be ready to lay down his life for her. Yes, the Bible does instruct the woman to yield to her husband, but that's a matter of joy if her husband is yielded to Christ FIRST. In my firm opinion, I think that the Holy Bible contains the ONLY prescription for a happy Christian marriage.

I honestly believe that many Christian marriages fail these days because the man and woman don't yield to Christ and follow the instructions of the Holy Bible. I firmly believe this and really consider it to be a fact.

Love In Christ,
Tom

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NASB  You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

[legacy lady]

bep,
I couldn't agree with you more.  My husband and I have, for almost a year now, been given the opportunity to serve several marriages in distress, I would say 100% of the problems we have faced has simply been --his ability to love--or--her ability to submit--(and if you knew me you know that is not in a "door mat" kinda way).  God set up a perfect plan for family and by His infinite wisdom paralleled it with Christ to His Bride. 

Sadly our churches much like our marriages have determinded to do it their own way.  Leaving an obviously lack of power in both the marriage and the church.

I praise God daily for my marriage, for the amazing man of God he blessed me with, daily in awe of His ability to meet my every need. 

I challenge the women who read this post, to honor God the way He desires and no matter what you face you will began to see the Power of Our Father in all aspects of your life.

Peace to all

[sincereheart]

Sadly our churches much like our marriages have determinded to do it their own way.  Leaving an obviously lack of power in both the marriage and the church.

Amen! When the focus stays on Christ, both churches and marriages stay on track!

I praise God daily for my marriage, for the amazing man of God he blessed me with, daily in awe of His ability to meet my every need.

Another AMEN! It's so refreshing to read about a woman who actually is thankful for the man she chose to marry! I know I'm blessed beyond imagining by having a wonderful, godly husband! 

[nChrist]

Sisters,

I'm almost certain that your husbands would give thanks for Godly wives. I know that I give thanks for my Godly wife every day. A husband and wife standing together in Christ grow very strong, and they experience the fulness of joy in JESUS together. This is a beautiful relationship that the lost will never understand.

Legacy Lady, I will pray for your ministry with couples in distress. We have an epidemic, even among Christians.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Corinthians 1:9-10 NASB  God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

[airIam2worship]

Sisters,

I'm almost certain that your husbands would give thanks for Godly wives. I know that I give thanks for my Godly wife every day. A husband and wife standing together in Christ grow very strong, and they experience the fulness of joy in JESUS together. This is a beautiful relationship that the lost will never understand.

Legacy Lady, I will pray for your ministry with couples in distress. We have an epidemic, even among Christians.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Corinthians 1:9-10 NASB  God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Amen BEP, I know my husband really appreciates me and that makes me feel like a 'Queen'. I am so much happier since my husband gave his life to Jesus, I can see him, growing in the faith and we have gotten so much closer. Nothing and no one on this earth can take his place, Jesus first , my husband second.

[Shammu]

Brother Tom, Add another AMEN!!

I know my late wive was a gift from God. While she was alive we both praised God, for us being with each other. I still praise God, for the time we had together.

[LittlePilgrim]

First day back. It figures this is the first place I would show up, eh?

I have to add my own AMEN to the above statements.

I think it's important to understand, especially for the feminists in our society that the instructions in the Bible are not a statement of equality. They are not saying women are less than men in any way. In fact, a wise man will alway listen to his wife's council. Men and Women are both created in the image of God. The instructions merely state what ROLLS they are to play.

God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Spirit are all equal. Yet when He was here on Earth, Christ SUBMITTED himself to the authority of the Father and was ministered to by the Spirit. I believe it is this picture of the relationships within the Trinity that a true marriage is supposed to depict.

[infotechadviser]

Oh wow, she thought it was some accomplishment to brag about!

Do these tribes in India she mentioned have a word for --Father-- as opposed to --Mother--? Because Jesus referred to his **-Father-** a big bunch of times. 

The ideal father takes care of his family but carries a big stick (maybe one that goes boom) to protect that family.

There is a promise in that very book of Revelations she did her writing on that has a very severe warning:

Rev. 22:19:  __"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book"___ (from God's Holy Word, in the KJV, also known as the AV)

I once heard Pastor Cole get a question about this new abomination out of England they spun as a "woman-friendly version", which had already gotten Thieu pejorative title of the "feminist" version. I don't remember him as endorsing it but he thought all the hoopla about using gender-neutral references for God and for man instead of the masculine, he thought it was misguided! he justified himself by referring to the tribe he worked with in Angola that had no gender-specific pronoun!

The obvious answer to that is that if the target language has a word for "snow", then you use that word! And there's another relevant point, illustrated by the fact that along with the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ of Nazareth that Saint Patrick brought the Irish, they were gifted with a written language.

That illustrates that entire peoples and tribes can learn new things along with the Bible itself! To think that a jungle African tribe cannot fathom what snow is, is something that comes from unthinking cultural arrogance. This does not mean that the poor toiling translators are being arrogant in their translations, but I think it helps understand the point by calling it at least a condescending attitude.

If the Bible uses a masculine pronoun to refer to God, or to men and women in general, in English we have understood that for a millennium.  "There is no male nor female in Christ Jesus". There's that too. Personally I do not think for a minute that there cannot arise a female prophetess, either, it says even in Amos we'll have them!

And here's a subtle little bottle-breaker from the word: Gen 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them..

..So no, I do not think it is man created in God's image but the woman not.

--Alan