Talk:Holy Spirit

Gender of the Holy Spirit
Given that there are valid arguments for a male, female and gender-neutral Holy Spirit, shouldn't this wiki use gender-neutral pronouns, such as "they" and "it" instead of "He" in related articles (and especially this one) to avoid bias?The Talking Toaster (talk) 17:48, 1 August 2012 (UTC)


 * After a quick look at this article, I'm not even seeing where the pronoun "he" is being used. Is it being used? As it relates to the religion-specific articles, it would come down to how the Holy Spirit is referred to in those religions. For example in Christianity, the vast majority of Christians today and historically consider the Holy Spirit to be a person of the Trinity. Therefore, it would be wrong to refer to the Holy Spirit at Holy Spirit (Christianity) as an "it". Furthermore, most Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as "he". While the minority viewpoint should be noted, it shouldn't be given undo weight so that we change every instance of "he" to "they". That's my opinion. Also, this might be something better addressed on each sub-articles specific page, since they each cover different religions. Ltwin (talk) 18:33, 1 August 2012 (UTC)


 * I agree. No big deal at all. History2007 (talk) 18:35, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Once patrilineality system had been set up, the Holy Spirit or any great God (Zeus, for example) were regarded as a Big Father. If matrilineality were dominant, we're supposed to have a Big Mother instead. Tuanminh01 (talk) 06:42, 30 August 2016 (UTC)

What makes you thing that "most Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as "he" "? It depends on the language. The Greek language term "πνεῦμα (pneuma)" is used the Bible and translated to English as "spirit". The term's grammatical gender is actually neuter, neither masculine nor feminine. See the article Gender of the Holy Spirit for variations. Dimadick (talk) 10:48, 22 September 2016 (UTC)


 * In traditional Christian theology, all persons of the Godhead are referred to in masculine pronouns. This is true even of English Bible translations as well. See John 14:26 in the King James, English Standard Version, the Douay-Rheims, and the English Revised Version: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." Ltwin (talk) 19:33, 22 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Fathers carry Life. Billions in one small sac
 * Indeed fathers carry the seed that gives life to that monthly dying egg. Women carry. Men give life. God gave life. Jesus is his son. The holy spirit is a part of the triunal God. Not that difficult to understand but people can nowadays make everything over the top ridiculous. Masculinity plays a big role on this planet and it’s never gonna go away. It will live forever
 * Mothers ,yes women, you know your role. You are very important too. God forms you in the womb OK.
 * when you emasculate yourself that’s when you decide your seed ends. Your bloodline is done. For eternity.
 * God is not gonna rewrite the Bible to fit every generation.
 * Stop trying to change scripture when scripture. supposed to change you 2603:3012:380:4100:CC7D:4BF7:E562:B47E (talk) 12:58, 6 July 2024 (UTC)

Argument for male pronoun seems POV. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Db919 (talk • contribs) 22:17, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

Our gender in the resurrection age will be the gender of the Holy Spirit. Neither male, nor female, but a totally new creation. A totally new gender that the world do not know. Amen Oluwaseyi229 (talk) 04:27, 19 April 2020 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia content must be based on coverage in independent reliable sources. Your belief is not a reliable source. - Sum mer PhD v2.0 14:15, 19 April 2020 (UTC)

Hindu View?
The proposition put forward here as the Hindu view of Holy Spirit strikes me as implausible in the extreme. As it stands this section screams "idiosyncratic mumblings of some California professor" to me. As for the idea that there is "a Hindu view" of ""the" Holy Spirit," I think the article would have to establish that there is any such idea before making good-hearted ecumenical, or other, claims about what the idea's content might be. David Lloyd-Jones (talk) 21:36, 7 December 2016 (UTC)
 * You have a point. A lot of the existing material seems to relate to the Trinity, not the Holy Spirit per se. Does what is written below look any better to you?


 * In Hinduism, the concept of Advaita has been indicated as a parallel to the Christianity view of the Trinity, and in North India Indian Christians have associated the Hindu term Atman, the Ultimate reality or absolute, directly with the Holy Spirit. The relation has been discussed by comparative religion scholar Raimon Panikkar. He called the Holy Spirit, as one of the Three Persons of the Trinity of "father, Logos and Holy Spirit", a possible bridge builder between Christianity and Hinduism, saying “The meeting of spiritualistic can take place in the Spirit. No new 'system' has primarily to come of this encounter, but a new and yet old spirit must emerges."


 * I agree, it's nonsense. If there's any Hindu equivalent of the Holy Spirit it's the usually-dormant spiritual energy inhabiting the body known as kundalini shakti. Philip St. Romain’s book, "Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality" covers this parallel. I would quote from it but have no copy currently. 90.215.11.206 (talk) 22:25, 18 May 2020 (UTC)

Zoroastrian View
I remembered a while back while browsing through Wikipedia that there was a section on this article on Zoroastrianism, but I noticed recently that it was removed for some reason. If there is a brief section on Hinduism and Buddhism, then surely Zoroastrianism also deserves a section, as it is mentioned very frequently in their belief system. However, I will indeed try to check the existing sources and replace them with more reliable and appropriate ones if possible. Aldergarbo (talk) 05:28, 30 April 2018 (UTC)

After looking at them, I believe the sources used were indeed unsuitable, and have replaced them with several new ones. The concept of a Holy Spirit is indeed central to the Zoroastrian faith as I understand it, and I do not believe it should be entirely omitted from the article. Aldergarbo (talk) 06:03, 30 April 2018 (UTC)

Gender of the Holy Spirit
Do most religions like Judaism and Bahai Faith say that the Holy Spirit is male and/or female, or essentially genderless? Should it be mentioned somewhere in the article maybe?? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.24.111.89 (talk) 21:43, 11 September 2018 (UTC)

I think the Jewish Encyclopedia has some information: "The spirit talks sometimes with a masculine and sometimes with a feminine voice (Eccl. vii. 29 [A. V. 28]); i.e., as the word "ruaḥ" is both masculine and feminine, the Holy Spirit was conceived as being sometimes a man and sometimes a woman." it also says something about "Shekinah" as well, which apparently may or may not sometimes be the same concept: "The Shekinah tinkled like a bell (Soṭah 9b), while the Holy Spirit also manifested itself to human senses in light and sound. The Holy Spirit had the form of a dove, and the Shekinah had wings." -- http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7833-holy-spirit http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13537-shekinah

In Buddhism section
In Buddhism is a Christian imposition of a false equivilency & narrative. It is offensive, and misleading, and propaganda. It does not imo belong in Wikipedia. Db919 (talk) 22:05, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

Cutrent text of section for reference: "Buddhism "In Buddhism, Holy Spirit is compared to Buddha-nature as a Buddhist image or Christ consciousness, a oneness with an all encompassing plan. Hence, the Holy Spirit is considered the "means of which the faithful develop and journey to their spiritual goal."[42] Citation makes it clear: Thomas Ragland (2003). The Noble Eightfold Path of Christ: Jesus Teaches the Dharma of Buddhism. Trafford Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-4120-0013-0. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Db919 (talk • contribs) 22:10, 25 October 2019 (UTC)


 * I would agree, the source appears to be a book of advice and evangelism, not scholarship. 73.71.251.64 (talk) 02:48, 26 October 2019 (UTC)

In Ephesians 1:17 What does mean when says The spirit of wisdom and revealation
Is this the spirit of man or something else — Preceding unsigned comment added by 152.160.166.110 (talk) 16:06, 15 March 2021 (UTC)


 * The spirit is the holly spirit, known to guide prophets and messangers and even jesus talked to god through him 197.119.67.157 (talk) 18:31, 5 April 2024 (UTC)

"Rooah" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Rooah. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2021 May 22 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Jay (talk) 18:09, 22 May 2021 (UTC)

Definition of the Holy Spirit
I have noticed that the first input definition only talks about what the Jews believe which does not represent the 3 Abrahamic religions like Islam or Christianity.

Since each Abrahamic religion has a different definition of the Holy Spirit, it seems appropriate to leave in the entry definition of the article what each religion believes.--Rafaelosornio (talk) 21:19, 22 November 2021 (UTC)
 * Sounds about right, and fulfills neutrality and undue. Probably the only controversy with this would concern wording. What wording would you go with? Randy Kryn (talk) 21:27, 22 November 2021 (UTC)


 * It is difficult to redact the article since each religion (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) believe something different about the Holy Spirit. I hope the wording can be improved. In my opinion it should be mentioned what each religion believes.--Rafaelosornio (talk) 23:08, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

Powers of the Holy Spirit
The Bible, the new one, the one that's only 2000 years old, talks of "powers of the Holy Spirit," reserved for those who are deemed by God to be worthy, and useful, and of some idea that good and bad aren't just imaginary ideas, and that that there is life anywhere in the Universe is something like a miracle. Speaking in a voice like James Earl Jones must be one of them. What others are there? Zahadan (talk) 02:04, 4 December 2021 (UTC)


 * I don't know about "powers". We have an article on spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.


 * "These abilities, often termed "charismatic gifts", are the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues."

Spirit de sancti, Spirit de sancti, Spirit de sancti!
I hear someone praying in latin and repeating the words: Spirit de sancti ! I can not hear anything of the first parts if the baptism prayer.. I see a image of someone casting holy water on an coffin with their hand, and repeating just Spirit de sancti.. Men named Johannes, and/or "Paulus the first" are there. It looks like a funeral. If I could hear something in latin like this, translate it and then see that it says: The Holy Spirit, and actually is a sentence that makes me believe that I could hear them pray fir their dead pope.. While another pope is praying and then sprinkling holy water on the casket with his right hand I think.... It must be a sign ? I do not speak any latin before I heard this beeing said like at a seremony, at the vatican most likely.. Medium88 (talk) 06:27, 7 August 2023 (UTC)

This page is about me so why can’t i comment
I’m the holy spirit Skannerz22 (talk) 14:16, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

Holy spirit is "ruah" is breath
Strange to have a page on holy spirit that does not manage to mention that ruah in hebrew also means breath/wind, and that the original greek translation of the bible used "pneuma", which also means "breath". Would interestingly connect to the vedic notion of agni, the "breath" or "fire". 2A04:EE41:4:1111:1088:833:4BF6:F7A6 (talk) 19:39, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

This article is way off base on Judaism
This article is so far off base about Judaism that it should be considered to be a form of missionizing. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity#Judaism and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shituf#Judaism's_views_of_the_Trinity_doctrine and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Spirit_in_Judaism#%22Spirit_of_God%22

I will make the necessary changes to remove any reference to a Jewish belief in the topic of this article if no one else disagrees. Ruttgc49 17:43, 15 May 2024 (UTC)