# When I say "God," do you picture a man or a woman or something else? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075 "2012-03-07T22:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/21 "2012-03-08T01:40:05Z")
I’ve always pictured a guy with brown hair, wearing a lab coat. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/22 "2012-03-08T01:48:17Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > What image comes to mind when you hear the word “God”? The printed word “God” ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/23 "2012-03-08T01:49:38Z")
I don’t usually picture anything, but when I do it’s this [God](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1354&bih=752&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=RNskGPLymtwJ7M:&imgrefurl=http://planetpov.com/2011/08/25/gods-blog-8-25-2011/&docid=brZRbHmq47ikyM&imgurl=http://planetpov.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/holygrail049.jpg&w=800&h=441&ei=7w9YT52FCeWoiQKciemDCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=332&vpy=156&dur=4289&hovh=167&hovw=303&tx=171&ty=78&sig=102276420907142262844&page=1&tbnh=120&tbnw=168&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0). ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/24 "2012-03-08T01:55:41Z")
I definitely picture a Simpsons god too. Though more in a pasty white skin color than yellow. ---
**Author:** ![LegsAkimbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@LegsAkimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegsAkimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/25 "2012-03-08T01:56:40Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Old guy, white beard, stern expression, really big, kind of see-through. Well, this, although I wonder if that isn’t Santa Claus instead. I get them confused. Well, except I don’t see a stern expression. And maybe slightly chubbier cheeks. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/26 "2012-03-08T02:19:41Z")
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying\_Spaghetti\_Monster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster) Straight out of Wikipedia so it’s gotta be right! ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/27 "2012-03-08T02:59:23Z")
When you made me picture him (normally I see nothing at all) I pictured Oz from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ going to a Halloween party. He had a sticker on the inside of his jacket saying “GOD”. He was holding the jacket with sticker turned out & smiling with his mouth closed. If you made me picture “god” in some other specific situation the picture would be different. Like if you said “God, an Irishman and a sheep walked in to a bar” I picture the Sistine Chapel guy, an Irishman wearing green & a cartoon sheep. ETA I must’ve remembered it [wrong](http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&biw=1207&bih=702&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=uWLEmiDwbRQxHM:&imgrefurl=http://costumepop.com/costume-buzz/10-costume-ideas-for-the-jobless/&docid=dU08NtAurdw1iM&imgurl=http://costumepop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/oz-god-costume.jpg&w=600&h=441&ei=qCBYT4S8NcPv8APQu9DPBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=128&vpy=161&dur=316&hovh=192&hovw=262&tx=111&ty=105&sig=100912868528093964558&page=1&tbnh=155&tbnw=197&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/28 "2012-03-08T07:05:50Z")
For some reason, the first image I got was the Sagrada Familia. Next followed a collage of images, ranging from Romanic Pantocrators to cartoon versions ([specifically](http://www.eljueves.es/etiqueta/2948/dios_mio.html), one that’s got what would be called a beer belly on a mortal, wears a robe that looks suspiciously like a nightshirt and sneakers with the back stepped on and has some serious generational issues with his kid). ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/29 "2012-03-08T07:26:06Z")
The image of an old man comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/30 "2012-03-08T15:21:01Z")
I’m resistant to picturing God because the old guy with a beard in a white robe comes up. I can’t cozy up to Our Father, because I don’t like the idea of an old guy with a beard telling me to jump this way or else. (and I didn’t have a nice father anyway, that might have something to do with it). I do pray now and then. When I pray Hail Mary, I think of the deep blue sky, that image comes to mind. When I pray Our Father I try to picture a beautiful natural landscape, with a path or trail. The awesomeness of God can come through in this image. But the sadistic ass sitting on a cloud pointing fingers? No. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/31 "2012-03-08T17:03:39Z")
[The Great and Terrible God](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q-XSQpNE8FM/TCPe5hUiZoI/AAAAAAAABHY/XpAPj2JTkBM/s1600/Wizard-of-Oz-w24.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/32 "2012-03-08T17:20:28Z")
My image of God is very much not an image at all. For the most part, I perceive God largely from a conceptual perspective. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s essentially just thoughts, but they’re not images or words though, as I experience it, I sometimes will have responses to that concept that result in imagery, but usually words or emotions. In fact, it’s very much like feeling an emotion and trying to explain what that looks like. You may imagine happiness and have certain images associated with it, but it doesn’t actually look like anything itself. When I do have images associated with God, it’s usually in the context of that specific thought and its almost never in any sort of humanoid form. It would tend to be a much more nebulous, energy or light. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/33 "2012-03-08T17:32:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Sort of like the sun at noonday. > > Sort of. I picture a deep golden color in the darkness. Not too dissimilar to yours I think. It’s a brightness and warmth. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/34 "2012-03-08T19:03:47Z")
I picture the founder of my religion. The Dude. > **[Get Ordained for Free at the Religion of Dudeism](https://dudeism.com/)** > > Get ordained for free at the world's most easygoing religion. Inspired by The Big Lebowski, Taoism, Zen and more. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/35 "2012-03-08T19:22:17Z")
Based on what I’ve read about him in the Bible, I imagine him looking something like [this.](http://directgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Star-Trek-TNG-Q.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/36 "2012-03-08T19:37:52Z")
I don’t picture anything, my mind just goes completely blank ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/37 "2012-03-12T16:54:25Z")
I picture a strange combination of a person and a crocodile and an octopus. After that I go completely insane and am taken away. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/38 "2012-03-12T19:14:23Z")
I picture the image of God as depicted in [South Park](http://www.weirdspace.dk/SouthPark/Graphics/God.gif). ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/39 "2012-03-12T19:21:43Z")
Monty Python’s **Holy Grail** god in the clouds for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jasper\_Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@Jasper\_Kent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasper_Kent)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/40 "2012-03-12T19:26:37Z")
First thing I picture is the classic old guy with long white beard on a throne. But I haven’t _ **believed** _ in a god like that in at least 45 years. Weird, huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075.md?page=3)