What is the American Sign Language sign for God?

Answer 1

Gosh, there's a lot. Off the top of my head I can come up with 3 but there's probably a bunch more.

The reason that there are so many is the communities of deaf signers tend to develop their own religious signs without contact with other deaf groups that may have developed their own sign.

But neither here nor there, the first sign, the one I use most often, is formed from 2 handforms or shapes. I first point with my index finger to a place in space - above me and to my right. Right because I am right handed. This sets in space where God is. Second, when I bring my hand down from pointing above me, my handform changes to a flat hand and I do the sign for honor; pulling my hand palm facing left in front of my nose. This conjoined sign is made in one fluid gesture so as to create a single flowing sign.

The second sign for God is part of the "Royal" sign group. I define a sign group as a group of related words/signs the use the same hand movement but with different handforms or shapes. I have used, from this sign group, the word Lord to refer to God. The sign uses the "L" handshape and traces a sash (like Miss America wears) from my left shoulder to my right hip. If you are left-handed, the movement would be from the right shoulder to the left hip. Note: that this sign can also be used for "Lord of the manor" and as such some do not use it when referring the Lord in heaven.

The third one I use, and I find kids relate to best, plays off of the concept that God is our Father in heaven. I sign the word father - right hand on my forehand fingers spread - and then lift the father sign up or "heavenward". I have also seen this sign done with both hands - left hand doing the original "father" sign touching the forehead and the right hand in the same handform placed fingers spread on the outstreched pinkie of the left hand as though there is a chain of father signs. Then both hands are lifted up or "heavenward".