Dorthy Soelle

Dorothee Soelle says, "When it is understood that we can speak only symbolically about God, every symbol that sets itself up as absolute must be relativized." My understanding of Soelle's idea is that she is talking about how she believes God shouldn't always be considered a Ð''he'.

For example the word father and the word God go hand in hand. So Soelle's idea talks about using the word father as one way of speaking about God, but when we are made sure it is the only way to speak about God we turn it into a prison of God's. Soelle has the idea that God can be a Ð''she' or a Ð''mother'. These are some other symbols that can be used, according to Soelle as God.

For me, I think this is just an opinion. I see God as a man, the Father of the Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is the key word. This is what I was taught growing up in a religious family and from going to church and confirmation. It does not bother me that people refer to God as a man because I refer to God as a man. I do not care if God is a man or a woman, it doesn't change the way I feel about God. I understand how today women are against having everything and everyone referred to as a man. I don't really care. For an example to the sexist aspect, it doesn't make me a better person if you were to call me a mailman or a mail carrier. I don't take any offense to it.

When I in vision God, I see him as a man with high power and long hair. I'm not sure why I see God with long hair, but that is just my image. Maybe it is because Jesus had long hair, or that many people a long time ago had long hair, but I'm not really sure.

Soelle's idea is her own, and I know I don't have to agree with her. I just know I wouldn't spend my time writing in a book about how people should also see God as a Ð''she', and not just the Father or a Ð''he'.