What gender is the Holy Ghost

[CV75]

20 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

Is there official doctrine on this? 
Wouldn’t it be lovely to discover it’s a woman? The Comforter.  

I don't think there is any doctrine on this, but if the Holy Ghost bears witness of the Father and the Son following the same pattern that the Son bears witness of the Father (including the same likeness), operating as "a quorum of three presidents were anciently... after the order of Melchizedek D&C 107:29)," He would be male. It seems to me that such a structure is time-limited for carrying out God's work of salvation for this world, and the "divine councils" such as the Grand Council before and the Church of the Firstborn after have a very different makeup.

[Calm]

3 minutes ago, CV75 said:

He would be male.

Assuming divine presidencies are all one gender…which is a massive assumption. 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Calm

[The Nehor]

7 hours ago, teddyaware said:

Wishful thinking… Go to the official church website and do an “All Content” search using the terms ‘Holy Ghost’ and ‘he’ and you’ll get literally hundreds of hits from the church leaders, as well as hundreds of other hits from official church publications, that refer to the Holy Ghost as ‘he.’

For your consideration, just one of the hundreds of examples:

In a sermon delivered in 1857, President Heber C. Kimball stated: “The Holy Ghost is a man; he is one of the sons of our Father and our God; and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ, just as I stand by Brother Brigham.”

If repetition of folklore and theories and extrapolations were proof of truth you are opening the door to a lot of insanity.

[teddyaware]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

If repetition of folklore and theories and extrapolations were proof of truth you are opening the door to a lot of insanity.

 

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

If repetition of folklore and theories and extrapolations were proof of truth you are opening the door to a lot of insanity.

The incontrovertible fact that the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly testified that the Holy Ghost is a male spirit —just as he was prior to his incarnation — puts the oft-repeated LDS. doctrine that the Holy Ghost is a valiant male spirit child of God far beyond folklore and “insanity.” But who cares what the Lord taught… right?

[Smiley McGee]

3 minutes ago, teddyaware said:

The incontrovertible fact that the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly testified that the Holy Ghost is a male spirit

🤣

Sometimes I wish I had your confidence. 

[CV75]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

Assuming divine presidencies are all one gender…which is a massive assumption. 

Yes, it is a big assumption as it stands alone, which is why I narrowed things down to "time-limited ...for this world" and prefaced that with "if...," rendering it a much smaller, conditional assumption!

At what point would any assumption about the Holy Ghost's gender interfere with the power, gift and constant companionship of the Holy Ghost? Who can share how their conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification?

[The Nehor]

9 minutes ago, teddyaware said:

 

The incontrovertible fact that the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly testified that the Holy Ghost is a male spirit —just as he was prior to his incarnation — puts the oft-repeated LDS. doctrine that the Holy Ghost is a valiant male spirit child of God far beyond folklore and “insanity.” But who cares what the Lord taught… right?

He didn’t though. In only one gospel was a word with a male pronoun used and that is because the descriptive word used as a name was male. In the other gospels the references to the Holy Ghost are gender neutral.

In D&C 130 where there were opportunities to give the Holy Ghost a gender the text never does it.

So, not really “incontrovertible” unless you are using a very odd definition.

[Calm]

3 hours ago, CV75 said:

Who can share how their conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification

I don’t think what gender they are matters even close to what they do and it would surprise me if learning the Holy Ghost was male would have contributed to someone’s testimony where in the same case learning they were female was a blow to it (I am assuming someone who did not previously believe the Holy Ghost has a gender at all being convinced they were another spirit child of the Father)

[Calm]

3 hours ago, teddyaware said:

 

The incontrovertible fact that the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly testified that the Holy Ghost is a male spirit —just as he was prior to his incarnation — puts the oft-repeated LDS. doctrine that the Holy Ghost is a valiant male spirit child of God far beyond folklore and “insanity.” But who cares what the Lord taught… right?

References to where Christ testified in this manner please.  I am genuinely curious as to what you interpret in this way.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Calm

[Pyreaux]

Ancient Temple Iconography depicted a Male and a Female pair of angels as the two mediators of God

The Female Cherub of the Ark of the Covenant and the Thrown in the Holy Of Holies

The Holy Spirit was one of the two Cherubim figures in the Temple on the Ark of the Covenant (Num 8:14-15). In Edenic imagry, they are the Two Cherubim that were to guard the way through Eden's Garden and a sword of heavenly flame stood between them (Gen 3:24). They were a male and female pair, replacing Adam and Eve, we are told as the former Cherubim male and female pair commissioned to guard the way (LXX, Ezek 28).

What is a Cherub? The Hebrew word for "cherub [krub (H#3742)]" has an uncertain meaning. Because Arabic is a secondary branch of Hebrew, it was once thought to be related to the Arabic word "k-rabia" meaning "like a growing child" and so they were portrayed in renaissance art as winged children (Sarna, Exploring Exodus p212). Modernly it is believed to be related to the Akkadian word "karibu" which means an "intermediary" between gods and men (Entziqlopedia Miqrait, 8 vols [1955-82] s.v. K'rubh).

The Cherubim intermediaries of Solomon's Temple were mostly depicted as human in form, not animal composites, with "wings [kanap (H#3671) flaps]" which can mean wings, but can also refer to the edge of a "garment" or "skirt" (Eze 5:3; Hag 2:12). A particular pair of Cherubim stood on both sides of the top of the Ark of the Covenant, facing towards each other, but gazing down at the same spot that was shielded from sight by their "wings" or garment “flaps”. One was remembered as being male, the other was female (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 3:159).

In the Jewish Talmudic tradition, the Jews remember the ark's Cherubim being a man and a woman in an embrace as a husband and his wife. They even had some mobility, in that when Israel sinned, the images rotated away from each other, and when they repented, they rotated towards each other (Talmud, b. Baba Bathra 99a).

All Israel got a good look at the Ark in the Talmud's account of how the Ammorites and Moabites attacked Jerusalem before the Babylonian attack of 598 B.C. (2 Kg 24:1-2) the foreigners then paraded the ark through the streets accusing the Israelites of being idolaters. "When strangers entered the Sanctuary, they saw the Cherubim intertwined with each other; they took them out into the marketplace and said: "Israel, whose blessing is a blessing and whose curse is a curse, should occupy themselves with such things!" (Talmud, Yoma 54b).

"When the sin caused that the Gentiles should enter Jerusalem, Ammonites and Moabites came together with them, and they entered the house of the Holy of Holies, and found there two Cherubim, and they took them and put them in a cage and went around with them in all the streets of Jerusalem and said "You used to say that this nation was not serving idols. Now you see what we found and what they were worshiping!" (Lamentations Rabbah Petihta, 9; Pesiqta diRabh Kahana [1868] p 137a, [1962] p301; Yalqut Shimoni to Israel, 474; Yalqut Shimoni to Zephaniah, 567).

The Female (Lioness-faced) Cherubim on the Holy Place Walls

In Solomon's temple, the pattern on the Holy Place wall were trees and Cherubim on the walls in alternating patterns of the temple beyond the first veil, and they were also thought to be figures of two Cherubs in an embrace. Ezekiel describes the Solomanic Temple walls as containing a lioness faced cherub and a male cherub conjoined into one form, one form with the two heads facing opposite directions as to be two figures in an embrace (Ezekiel 41:18).

The Jews remember that the Priests would host viewings of the Cherubim (Its not thought to be the Cherubim on the Ark or Thrown behind the second veil, maybe just the ones on that were on walls of the Holy Place, beyond the first veil), "when Israel used to make the pilgrimage, they would roll up for them the Parokhet [veil], and show them the Cherubim which where entwined with one another, and say to them: "Behold! the love of your God is like the love of male and female." (Talmud, b. Yoma 54a). Rashi, commenting on this, says "The Cherubim were joined together and were clinging to, and embracing each other like a male who embraces a female" (Rashi on b. Yoma 54a).

Rabbi bar Rab Shils read 1 Kings 7:36, rather than describing the imagery on the bases of the lavers being "Cherubim" and "lions", and between, quote "according to the space of each of the wreaths round about [k'ma'ar ish w'loyoth]" (1 Kings 7:36), as rather "like a man intertwined with his wife [k'ish ham'ure b'liwya (shelo)]" (Raphael Patai, Hebrew Goddess [1990], p121-125).

Its interesting to note here that one of Asherah's symbols, besides trees, included lions. Called the "Lion Lady" at the Arad Temple, with a lion figure at the base of the offering table (Dever, Recent Archaeological Discoveries 139-140).

The Jews saying Temple's Male and Female Cherubim Represent Two Angelic Powers that Stand before the Throne of God

Kabbalistic Jews seem to remember, Rabbi Yitzhak said, "From this we learn that God is "just and right [Num 7:89; Deut 32:4]", that is, male and female, and likewise the Cherubim were male and female" (Zohar III:59a).

Flavius Josephus (37-100 A.D), the first century Jewish scholar, was the last eyewitness to the Temple of Hared when is still stood, and reluctantly indicated the Cherubim represented two divine beings that stood before the throne of God (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 3:6:5).

Philo of Alexandria, another a first century Jew, gives multiple interpretations. Such as, as part of the Edenic setting in the Temple, the Cherubim represented the Cherubim that were placed "at the east of the garden of Eden" and from which between them was a "sword of flame". "But there is a higher thought than these,... while God is indeed one, His highest and chiefest powers are two, even Goodness and Sovereignty. Through His Goodness he begot all that is, through his Sovereignty He rules what He has begotten. And between the two is a third which unite them, Reason." (Philo, On Cherubim 7:21-24; 9:27-30).

(Note: "Reason" is what Philo usually calls God the Father, though he also says that the Cherubim symbolize "Reason" and "Knowledge", "Knowledge" who He also calls "Wisdom", the Mother, and the process of the Creation of the earth is described in terms of procreation (Philo, On Drunkenness 8:30; 9:33))

Christians saying the Temples' Male and Female Cherubim Represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit standing before God

Early Jewish-Christian groups, like the Ebionites, speak of a pair of angels that stand before God, one male, one female, which one is the Son of God and the other is "the Holy Spirit" (Epiphanius, Adv. Haer. 30:16:4f; Ascension of Isaiah 9:36).

Early Christian Father Origin said that from his Jewish teachers, "My Hebrew master used to say that the two six winged Seraphim in Isaiah [6:2]... were the only begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit. And we ourselves think that expression in the song of Habakkuk 'in the midst of the two living creatures shall thou be known [LXX, Hab 3:23]' is spoken of Christ and the Holy Spirit" (Origin, On First Principles 1:3).

(Note: In Isaiah, the Cherubim are the "Seraphim" (Isa 6:2), in Ezekiel the Cherubim are the "Living Creatures" (Eze 1:5). In the Greek Septuagint version of Habakkuk has a missing line from the Masoretic Hebrew where it says "In the midst of the two living creatures you will be known." (LXX, Hab 3:2). )

Edited September 7, 2023 by Pyreaux

[MustardSeed]

5 hours ago, CV75 said:

Who can share how their conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification?

I can assure you, if our church authorities even entertained the question my commitment to the church would be strengthened and subsequently I would probably e closer than I am now. 
 

I never before contemplated the idea that the HG could possibly be more female, and I imagine if that were the case id have a different experience because I relate entirely differently with women than I do men.  Particularly in issues regarding motherhood, which is where the HG does most of their intervention with me. 

[MustardSeed]

52 minutes ago, Pyreaux said:

Ancient Temple Iconography depicted a Male and a Female pair of angels as the two mediators of God

The Female Cherub of the Ark of the Covenant and the Thrown in the Holy Of Holies

The Holy Spirit was one of the two Cherubim figures in the Temple on the Ark of the Covenant (Num 8:14-15). In Edenic imagry, they are the Two Cherubim that were to guard the way through Eden's Garden and a sword of flame of heavenly stood between them (Gen 3:24). They were a male and female pair, replacing Adam and Eve, we are told as the former Cherubim male and female pair commissioned to guard the way (LXX, Ezek 28).

What is a Cherub? The Hebrew word for "cherub [krub (H#3742)]" has an uncertain meaning. Because Arabic is a secondary branch of Hebrew, it was once thought to be related to the Arabic word "k-rabia" meaning "like a growing child" and so they were portrayed in renaissance art as winged children (Sarna, Exploring Exodus p212). Modernly it is believed to be related to the Akkadian word "karibu" which means an "intermediary" between gods and men (Entziqlopedia Miqrait, 8 vols [1955-82] s.v. K'rubh).

The Cherubim intermediaries of Solomon's Temple were mostly depicted as human in form, not animal composites, with "wings [kanap (H#3671) flaps]" which can mean wings, but can also refer to the edge of a "garment" or "skirt" (Eze 5:3; Hag 2:12). A particular pair of Cherubim stood on both sides of the top of the Ark of the Covenant, facing towards each other, but gazing down at the same spot that was shielded from sight by their "wings" or garment “flaps”. One was remembered as being male, the other was female (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 3:159).

In the Jewish Talmudic tradition, the Jews remember the ark's Cherubim being a man and a woman in an embrace as a husband and his wife. They even had some mobility, in that when Israel sinned, the images rotated away from each other, and when they repented, they rotated towards each other (Talmud, b. Baba Bathra 99a).

All Israel got a good look at the Ark in the Talmud's account of how the Ammorites and Moabites attacked Jerusalem before the Babylonian attack of 598 B.C. (2 Kg 24:1-2) the foreigners then paraded the ark through the streets accusing the Israelites of being idolaters. "When strangers entered the Sanctuary, they saw the Cherubim intertwined with each other; they took them out into the marketplace and said: "Israel, whose blessing is a blessing and whose curse is a curse, should occupy themselves with such things!" (Talmud, Yoma 54b).

"When the sin caused that the Gentiles should enter Jerusalem, Ammonites and Moabites came together with them, and they entered the house of the Holy of Holies, and found there two Cherubim, and they took them and put them in a cage and went around with them in all the streets of Jerusalem and said "You used to say that this nation was not serving idols. Now you see what we found and what they were worshiping!" (Lamentations Rabbah Petihta, 9; Pesiqta diRabh Kahana [1868] p 137a, [1962] p301; Yalqut Shimoni to Israel, 474; Yalqut Shimoni to Zephaniah, 567).

The Female (Lioness-faced) Cherubim on the Holy Place Walls

In Solomon's temple, the pattern on the Holy Place wall were trees and Cherubim on the walls in alternating patterns of the temple beyond the first veil, and they were also thought to be figures of two Cherubs in an embrace. Ezekiel describes the Solomanic Temple walls as containing a lioness faced cherub and a male cherub conjoined into one form, one form with the two heads facing opposite directions as to be two figures in an embrace (Ezekiel 41:18).

The Jews remember that the Priests would host viewings of the Cherubim (Its not thought to be the Cherubim on the Ark or Thrown behind the second veil, maybe just the ones on that were on walls of the Holy Place, beyond the first veil), "when Israel used to make the pilgrimage, they would roll up for them the Parokhet [veil], and show them the Cherubim which where entwined with one another, and say to them: "Behold! the love of your God is like the love of male and female." (Talmud, b. Yoma 54a). Rashi, commenting on this, says "The Cherubim were joined together and were clinging to, and embracing each other like a male who embraces a female" (Rashi on b. Yoma 54a).

Rabbi bar Rab Shils read 1 Kings 7:36, rather than describing the imagery on the bases of the lavers being "Cherubim" and "lions", and between, quote "according to the space of each of the wreaths round about [k'ma'ar ish w'loyoth]" (1 Kings 7:36), as rather "like a man intertwined with his wife [k'ish ham'ure b'liwya (shelo)]" (Raphael Patai, Hebrew Goddess [1990], p121-125).

Its interesting to note here that one of Asherah's symbols, besides trees, included lions. Called the "Lion Lady" at the Arad Temple, with a lion figure at the base of the offering table (Dever, Recent Archaeological Discoveries 139-140).

The Jews saying Temple's Male and Female Cherubim Represent Two Angelic Powers that Stand before the Throne of God

Kabbalistic Jews seem to remember, Rabbi Yitzhak said, "From this we learn that God is "just and right [Num 7:89; Deut 32:4]", that is, male and female, and likewise the Cherubim were male and female" (Zohar III:59a).

Flavius Josephus (37-100 A.D), the first century Jewish scholar, was the last eyewitness to the Temple of Hared when is still stood, and reluctantly indicated the Cherubim represented two divine beings that stood before the throne of God (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 3:6:5).

Philo of Alexandria, another a first century Jew, gives multiple interpretations. Such as, as part of the Edenic setting in the Temple, the Cherubim represented the Cherubim that were placed "at the east of the garden of Eden" and from which between them was a "sword of flame". "But there is a higher thought than these,... while God is indeed one, His highest and chiefest powers are two, even Goodness and Sovereignty. Through His Goodness he begot all that is, through his Sovereignty He rules what He has begotten. And between the two is a third which unite them, Reason." (Philo, On Cherubim 7:21-24; 9:27-30).

(Note: "Reason" is what Philo usually calls God the Father, though he also says that the Cherubim symbolize "Reason" and "Knowledge", "Knowledge" who He also calls "Wisdom", the Mother, and the process of the Creation of the earth is described in terms of procreation (Philo, On Drunkenness 8:30; 9:33))

Christians saying the Temples' Male and Female Cherubim Represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit standing before God

Early Jewish-Christian groups, like the Ebionites, speak of a pair of angels that stand before God, one male, one female, which one is the Son of God and the other is "the Holy Spirit" (Epiphanius, Adv. Haer. 30:16:4f; Ascension of Isaiah 9:36).

Early Christian Father Origin said that from his Jewish teachers, "My Hebrew master used to say that the two six winged Seraphim in Isaiah [6:2]... were the only begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit. And we ourselves think that expression in the song of Habakkuk 'in the midst of the two living creatures shall thou be known [LXX, Hab 3:23]' is spoken of Christ and the Holy Spirit" (Origin, On First Principles 1:3).

(Note: In Isaiah, the Cherubim are the "Seraphim" (Isa 6:2), in Ezekiel the Cherubim are the "Living Creatures" (Eze 1:5). In the Greek Septuagint version of Habakkuk has a missing line from the Masoretic Hebrew where it says "In the midst of the two living creatures you will be known." (LXX, Hab 3:2). )

Thank you- a little bit of both then

[Pyreaux]

5 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

Thank you- a little bit of both then

Well, as conjoined figures, I guess, as depicted in Ezekiel. But I presume they are separate figures, the female intermediary of God is purely female, not hermaphrodite.

[Calm]

34 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

Thank you- a little bit of both then

 

22 minutes ago, Pyreaux said:

Well, as conjoined figures, I guess, as depicted in Ezekiel. But I presume they are separate figures, the female intermediary of God is purely female, not hermaphrodite.

The idea that it might be a couple working together like two senior missionaries is rather appealing to me, like really appealing, intellectually and emotionally.

[CV75]

9 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

I can assure you, if our church authorities even entertained the question my commitment to the church would be strengthened and subsequently I would probably e closer than I am now. 
 

I never before contemplated the idea that the HG could possibly be more female, and I imagine if that were the case id have a different experience because I relate entirely differently with women than I do men.  Particularly in issues regarding motherhood, which is where the HG does most of their intervention with me. 

Thank you, and I understand how one can imagine how they might feel under certain validations of belief or desire. But I am asking how the conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has already hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification. I ask because when I received my spiritual witnesses, consideration of the Holy Ghost's gender never entered my mind. The power I felt did not have a gendered vibe to it, at least a discernable vibe for me. I suppose the same can be said of priesthood power and of inspiration concerning our gender-dependent endeavors (you mentioned motherhood). I think we might assimilate the power of God and then express it in gendered terms and applications, and hopefully according to God's will. I also think that God uses male and female agents.

[Rain]

2 hours ago, CV75 said:

Thank you, and I understand how one can imagine how they might feel under certain validations of belief or desire. But I am asking how the conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has already hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification. I ask because when I received my spiritual witnesses, consideration of the Holy Ghost's gender never entered my mind.

It could be because everything is male centric and you are male. Many women do not feel looked over or represented by by a presence or leader like them so they begin to wonder why that connection is not there for them. 

And it's not just that.  There are many reasons why women may consider the question. 

2 hours ago, CV75 said:

The power I felt did not have a gendered vibe to it, at least a discernable vibe for me. I suppose the same can be said of priesthood power and of inspiration concerning our gender-dependent endeavors (you mentioned motherhood). I think we might assimilate the power of God and then express it in gendered terms and applications, and hopefully according to God's will. I also think that God uses male and female agents.

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Rain

[MustardSeed]

1 hour ago, CV75 said:

Thank you, and I understand how one can imagine how they might feel under certain validations of belief or desire. But I am asking how the conceptualization of the Holy Ghost's gender has already hastened their testimony, purification and sanctification. I ask because when I received my spiritual witnesses, consideration of the Holy Ghost's gender never entered my mind. The power I felt did not have a gendered vibe to it, at least a discernable vibe for me. I suppose the same can be said of priesthood power and of inspiration concerning our gender-dependent endeavors (you mentioned motherhood). I think we might assimilate the power of God and then express it in gendered terms and applications, and hopefully according to God's will. I also think that God uses male and female agents.

Same for me until I considered the possibility.  Then I thought Wow wouldn’t that be something?

I trust that it matters zero to you.  To me, it is a remarkable consideration. 

[CV75]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

It could be because everything is male centric and you are male. Many women do not feel looked over or represented by by a presence or leader like them so they begin to wonder why that connection is not there for them. 

And it's not just that.  There are many reasons why women may consider the question. 

 

 Yes,  I understand and appreciate why the question of the Holy Ghost's gender might get asked (or not). My question is whether or how one's take on that has facilitated the operation of the power of the Holy Gjost in their lives.

[CV75]

34 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

Same for me until I considered the possibility.  Then I thought Wow wouldn’t that be something?

I trust that it matters zero to you.  To me, it is a remarkable consideration. 

I wouldn't say it matters zero to me, since I am asking for others' experience with their conceptualization. It seems that very few people connect the Holy Ghost's gender -- whatever they think it may be -- with the blessings the Holy Ghost imparts.

[The Nehor]

The Holy Ghost identifies as an attack helicopter.

[MustardSeed]

14 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I wouldn't say it matters zero to me, since I am asking for others' experience with their conceptualization. It seems that very few people connect the Holy Ghost's gender -- whatever they think it may be -- with the blessings the Holy Ghost imparts.

I don’t think many have questioned it either.  I was baptized nearly 50 years ago and never contemplated this question. Been active all my life. I imagine since I haven’t question it, and since you haven’t questioned it that most people have not questioned it. We simply accept the category of “him” as this is how it has been categorized in conversation in church, our whole lives. We have assumed without any doctrine that the Holy Ghost is male.  Doesn’t that make you stop and think for a moment? Why do we assume that when there is no doctrine to support it? 
 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, CV75 said:

 Yes,  I understand and appreciate why the question of the Holy Ghost's gender might get asked (or not). My question is whether or how one's take on that has facilitated the operation of the power of the Holy Gjost in their lives.

I may not have replied well.  I was replying to what you said here "I ask because when I received my spiritual witnesses, consideration of the Holy Ghost's gender never entered my mind."

[Rain]

42 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

I don’t think many have questioned it either.  I was baptized nearly 50 years ago and never contemplated this question. Been active all my life. I imagine since I haven’t question it, and since you haven’t questioned it that most people have not questioned it. We simply accept the category of “him” as this is how it has been categorized in conversation in church, our whole lives. We have assumed without any doctrine that the Holy Ghost is male.  Doesn’t that make you stop and think for a moment? Why do we assume that when there is no doctrine to support it? 
 

I think younger generations question it more. I never questioned mostly men in the scriptures.  My daughter is more spiritual than I ever was.  She was really young when she started to ask me about that.  

[CV75]

2 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

I don’t think many have questioned it either.  I was baptized nearly 50 years ago and never contemplated this question. Been active all my life. I imagine since I haven’t question it, and since you haven’t questioned it that most people have not questioned it. We simply accept the category of “him” as this is how it has been categorized in conversation in church, our whole lives. We have assumed without any doctrine that the Holy Ghost is male.  Doesn’t that make you stop and think for a moment? Why do we assume that when there is no doctrine to support it? 
 

I think many of the posts asserting that the Holy Ghost is a male demonstrate the basis is in the scriptural text as we have it. I think prioritizing function (the fruits) over form is why people haven't questioned the Holy Ghosts gender.

[MustardSeed]

32 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I think many of the posts asserting that the Holy Ghost is a male demonstrate the basis is in the scriptural text as we have it. I think prioritizing function (the fruits) over form is why people haven't questioned the Holy Ghosts gender.

And I think society shaped the scriptures and presently shapes our world (heavenly) view.