Are Hermophodites mentioned in the Bible?

[AJLove]

Just curious. I've been wanting to know for the longest.

[Emproph]

There are some good articles here (http://www.isna.org/faq/what_is_intersex) for anyone who's interested in the matter.

Please be careful though, some of them are graphic. Perfectly educational, but graphic.

One thing to make sure of, I believe the condition is referred to as intersexed, as opposed to hermaphrodite. Not just in polite or politically correct terms, but more importantly, in accurate terms.

And I know little more than having read just a few of the articles on the site linked to above. So if anyone knows better, please correct me.

In terms of the accuracy of the term "intersexed," there are something like 23 known chromosomal combinations. And just from what I can recall, the people who exhibit these anomalous combinations experience the gamut---from physical ambiguity, to psychological transgender identity.

So, were there people with big noses in the Bible? Who knows? Depends on their chromosomes..

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

I've read bible scholars who have some evidence that some of the ancients believed that the first human being, Adam, before a companion was created for "him," was an Androgyne (another term for Hermaphrodite). This was based, in part on a literal reading of the first chapter of Genesis which says that "man" was created "male and female." These ancients interpreted the creation of Eve (in chapter 2 of Genesis) as a division of Adam into separate male and female individuals.

These ancients were probably influenced by a myth told by Plato and other Greeks who suggested that humanity was originally hermaphoditic and that the first humans were divided by the gods into separate male and female individuals as a punishment.

I believe the ancients were aware of the existence of intersexed individuals, and there is some reference to them in some ancient texts---but probably not the Bible. There was a lot of literature in the ancient world besides the Bible, you know. Just like there is now.

Steven Webster

[BruceChris]

I've been interested in this question for years. Unfortunately, my box just crashed and dumped a page or two of text. I've gotta run, try the links below, more later.

www.bodieslikeours.org/forums

www.isna.org

As someone who sees science as a gift from God, I tend to see humanity as part of God's overall plan, i.e., evolution, and the two sexes have been with us for hundreds of millions of years.

Namaste', Bruce Chris

[hippie4lyfe]

It is actually physically impossible to be a hermaphrodite and the term is considered pejorative. The correct usage would be intersexual. I don't believe there is any intersexual reference in the Jewish or Christian bible but Hindu texts have many transgender gods/goddesses and perhaps some can be considered intersexual.

[maria9]

thanx
catus
The Bible (http://www.thebible365.com)

[BruceChris]

If you are attempting to tell us that there is no such thing as an individual who is a completetly fertile, as both a male and a female, you are quite correct. And, as the term hermaphrodite is now considered a perjorative, you are also correct.

However, if you are of the persuasion that there is no such thing as an individual who is intersexed, I suggest that you go back, and much more thoroughroughly read:

www.bodieslikeours.org/forums And www.isna.org

VASTLY more carefully. These people do exist, and I have personally encountered many such individuals.

In the Christian Bible, GLBT and Intersexed individuals are commonly grouped under the therm "eunich".

Namaste', Bruce Chris.

[keltic63]

thanx
catus
The Bible (http://www.thebible365.com)

I'm inclined to mark this as spam, a post solely intended to drive traffic to this particular blog.

maria9, I encourage you to make an introduction thread in the appropriate new members forum.

[Gennee]

When I have my discussion in June I am going to touch upon this. I'm doing research on it.

Gennee

[Dakota]

:) I do feel sorry for all of the intersexed individuals out there who had surgery forced on them in infancy, and then were lied to about their condition (if we should call it that) out of shame, because, once again, it's all about making someone into something they are not just to get them to conform. This makes me want to confess something to you all: I have a secret alter ego named Joey who is an intersexual, and I often wish I were her because the real life I live is the pits right now. I've been currently writing a story about Joey in my Journal, and although she has never had surgery and probably never will, and she does tend to hide her intersexuality from a world that does not understand, Joey has never once in her entire life encountered anyone rejecting her or trying to get her to conform by the people who have eventually found out about her intersexuality. I guess she's been lucky so far. However, just like our genitals should never define who we are as male or female, being gay, lesbian, and/or Christian should never define who we are as individuals. In other words, you are who you are, and no one should ever be allowed to change that (or judge and condemn you for it, either), but we should never let our labels dictate what type of individuals we become. :)