This is a thorny one for many people devoted to "that ol' style religion". One of the few persons around here who is caring and kind absolutely goes wild when the idea of the Holy Spirit being female is mentioned,

THE TRINITY IS TOTALLY MALE!

Don't know what it is about men wanting to elbow women out of the 'God picture'...

Thank you Catherine, that was very interesting reading. And thank you Seamus for adding your wonderful thoughts to the conversation.

Stated simply we can answer that question with one word... Control.

Politicize spirituality and you come up with politicized religion.

Somewhere along the line feminine/fertility cults were supplanted by masculine/authoritarian cults.

Try this book by Marija Gimbutas, "The Living Goddesses" .



In it's present perverted form perhaps. The new testament marginalizes the Marys oddly enough. They're strong figures if you read between the lines. Simon Peter and Paul were misogynists. There was a least one female bishop in the early history of the church.

The Trinity fits into other Triadic relationships.
(Those concepts in the "Father" line can move about in that top line. I'm pretty sure I have the others in their respective places.)

"Father" = Totality = Whole = Complete = Unity = Balance

"Son" = Masculine = Carnal = Positive = Dominance = Take

"Holy Ghost/Spirit" = Feminine = Spiritual = Negative = Submissive = Give

Begging pardon for the broad sweeping generalization... Why is it that fundamentalist Jews/Christians/Muslims cling to the idea that the Female Form is Evil?

Is man is created in god's image? Or is god created in man's image? Why does man strive to separate himself from the feminine when that's where he came from? God doesn't make babies, men and women do. I've not seen too many babies born out of "God's" womb.

Excellent point, Seamus.

The real drive behind the antiabortionists: misogyny. I don't believe one of them cares a hoot for a fetus. They care about this issue because it gives them a chance to flex their rightous muscles. They need this kind of thing to give them an opportunity to march around, pretending to be morally concerned. If their marching tramples women's rights, feelings, and bodies, well, that is just fine. According to the bible, women don't deserve fair treatment.

As Dan Barker says in his book which I have cited before: "Although the bible is NOT antiabortion, it is ANTICHOICE. If there is one thing the bible and fundamentalist MEN can't TOLERATE, it is a woman who takes CONTROL."

Catherine