Ariana Grande's Hit Song 'God Is a Woman' Draws Controversy, Accusations of Blasphemy
It's been a little over a week since pop singer Ariana Grande dropped her hit song "God is a Woman" and it's stirred up passionate reactions from both critics and fans.
The song is an anthem to female sexuality. Its central concept is that Grande is so good in bed, her partner is convinced to worship her as God.
"When all is said and done / You'll believe God is a woman," she sings.
The video, which already has 40 million views, merges religious and sexual symbolism. She is pictured performing sexual acts on planet earth, being worshipped by a choir dressed in white, and as a goddess in a recreation of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam.
"Sex is empowering," she wrote to a Twitter user who asked about the song. "It's the source of all life."
The song is #11 on this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart and the cosmetics retailer LUSH has even created a bath bomb named after the song. Fans can't stop talking about it on social media.
"GOD IS A WOMAN IS THE BEST SONG I'VE EVER HEARD OH MY GOD ARIANA GRANDE INVENTED MUSIC AJDKDKDJS," one Twitter user said.
GOD IS A WOMAN IS THE BEST SONG IVE EVER HEARD OH MY GOD ARIANA GRANDE INVENTED MUSIC AJDKDKDJS
— Anthony Gargiula (@AnthonyGargiula) July 13, 2018
"If Ariana Grande says God is a woman, then God is a woman. period," another user said.
if ariana grande says god is a woman, then god is a woman. period.
— ً (@explicitlyag) July 13, 2018
But not everyone has jumped on the Grande bandwagon. Some Christians believe the song is disrespectful and even blasphemous.
"I see a lot of tweets that are disrespecting God and it's really sad. God is not a woman He is the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords. He is God The Father God The Son and God The Holy Spirit and his name is LORD Jesus," one Twitter user said.
I see alot of tweets that are disrespecting God and its really sad. God is not a woman He is the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords. He is God The Father God The Son and God The Holy Spirit and his name is LORD Jesus.
— Jason Peace (@jasonhpeace) July 12, 2018
"God isn't a woman or a man He's God. There was no such thing as man or woman until He decided to create them on Earth in His image. These people don't know what they're doing with their blasphemy," another user said.
God isn't a woman or a man He's God. There was no such thing as man or woman until He decided to create them on Earth in His image. These people don't know what they're doing with their blasphemy
— Kayla (@kaylazert) July 13, 2018
While Grande's song may not be intended as a legitimate theological debate, some church leaders have tried to get Christ-followers to think of God as a woman. But Jesus makes it very clear in scripture that God is to be viewed as a father, not a mother, teaching his disciples to pray to "Our Father."
In the New Testament, Jesus taught his disciples to pray to God using a male term. In , one of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. "And He said to them, When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name.'" (NASV)
There are also several other references in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments that God is male and is referenced as "Our Father."
“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
“One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
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Meanwhile, Grande isn't apologizing for her lyrics and recently joked with fans on Twitter about going to hell for singing the song. The song is a part of a larger album set for release on August 17.
