Mother God!?!

Warning: This is a long and uninteresting post that rambles

Friday on my way back from work I decided to stop in at pentagon city mall instead of going back to our apartment because Danielle was going to be home late. I got myself a McDonald’s ice cream and just started people watching. It wasn’t long before I was approached by two young people who introduced themselves and asked if I ever read the Bible. I said yup. Then the guy asked me if I’d ever heard of “mother god.” “nope,” i said. He then asked me if I believed what the Bible says… “yes, when it is read in context,” I said… Knowing that some crazy interpretations where about to be revealed.

I myself have in the past approached people in public areas with a partner to share with them my beliefs, so I was quite aware of the tactics that they use to get someone involved and to keep the conversation focused… But man was it annoying when I knew what he was doing and he would change his tactics when he discovered I knew more than most people he spoke with. The kid would read a verse and have me finish the last word or the most significant part. And, instead of addressing an issue that I raise he would just reread one of five verses… He and his partner would not listen to me they would just repeat and circle–it was quite annoying. But I still enjoy being able to talk about the Bible and cause people to think about it in a correct way.

First he read Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And he asked me questions like: “Does God speak in singular or plural?” “Who did God create in His image?” Already this kid is insulting my intelligence, and this verse doesn’t reveal anything about a “Mother God.” I ask him who he thinks “us” refers to in v. 26 and he says the Trinity, “the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” hey, so do I. Then by the way he kept asking my to repeat who God created in His image… aka “male and female,” that he believes there is a Father God and a Mother God, the male is created in the image of the Father God and the female in the image of the Mother God. Quite a stretch if you ask me! I proposed to different interpretations of the text to them. One… God created man in his image and woman came later from man. Two… the image of God does no mean something physical and something like a soul that both men and women posses. The dude also brought up the fact that God created Eve to be the helper of Adam, which I couldn’t understand as something that argued his point.

Next they quoted Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Again he made me read certain phrases like “divine nature,” “clearly seen,” and “so that men are without excuse.” And again, great verse but what does this say about a “mother god?” Is the duality of a father and mother God clearly seen?”

The best verse and the one that we chatted about the longest was in Revelation 22:14-17

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

There interpretation was that “the bride” is the “mother god” and that this verse shows that the “mother god” gives salvation. Before being able to look at the verse I told them that in context that it becomes apparent that “the bride” most likely refers to the Church. Although they readiley admitted that “the bride” else where in the NT refers to the Church it does not in this instance or some others in prophecy. Crazy! They’re reasoning is that the Church could not give salvation. First off I’m using the NIV and I’m pretty sure they were using another version but I don’t see how they could possibly see that this verse shows that Salvation comes from the bride. “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” The verse is just saying let he who knows testify. It is not “Come to me for eternal life,” it’s more a “Come and enjoy what God has offered us.” It make perfect sense that the Spirit, Church, and those who hear would say, “Come!”

Other questions there were a few other verses but these were they’re strongest and I know that isn’t saying much. The said they went to a “bible church,” and that they followed the old testament law, like the Sabbath, and that they knew the name of the Holy Spirit. I asked them to take me to their leader. They refused, however, earlier on they said that they had a table setup somewhere. During the course of evens I also asked if there was a “mother god” wouldn’t Jesus have known and testified about it?? They claim he did when he said he’d return in the last day. Wah? Anyway… Just thought I’d throw that out there. I’d love to hear a clear argument for this or find the church that teaches it.

Though it helped to pass the time I must say that I did not handlle the situation the best I could have. It was very easy for me to just argue with them and not reach out. I hope that in the future I would seek to put them first. Someone wise once said something like, “I will forfeit all points except the most important.”

UPDATE (6/29/2011): Looks like http://www.examiningthewmscog.com has a lot of good information if you have more questions about this group.