JIM BRUCE,
Sir, - Like W.J. Murphy (July 30th), I was raised to believe in God as a rather stern elderly man. In fact, it seemed that all three members of the Blessed Trinity were male.
It is refreshing to observe the growing tendency on the part of some commentators to consider that God may have a female aspect.
One wonders how God ever came to be seen as an exclusively male figure. I know little about the major religions of the world, but a male deity seems to be the common denominator of many.
Could this simply reflect the order of the world for so many thousands of years? That is, men have generally relegated women to a secondary role and used religion to institutionalise their own dominant position in society.
Assuming one believes in a creator god, then it follows that he or she must contain all that is in creation, both male and female.
However, given that our language does not contain an appropriate gender-neutral pronoun, perhaps we should use "she" rather than "he" when referring to God - if only to make up to women for all they have suffered down through the centuries in Her name. - Yours, etc.,
JIM BRUCE,
Beechfield Road,
Walkinstown,
Dublin 12.