9 Biblical-Worldview Responses unto Postmodern Transgender Confusion

 

9 Responses to Postmodern Trans-Ideology

by Pastor Terry Reese, Valley GBC; 10/27/23

 

1. The Bible presents a BINARY reality—Male & Female (Gen. 1:27, 2:18-25; Matt. 19:4-5)—that was pronounced “VERY GOOD” (Gen. 1:31) in the beginning. As Jesus emphasized, this is God’s original, perfect design for humanity (Matt. 19:4-5): namely, one man & one woman, with differing complimentary roles (Eph. 5:22-33), joined for life (Matt. 19:6), resulting in the biological procreation of a Holy Seed unto the Lord (Gen. 1:28, 9:1; Ps. 127:3). 

 

2. “Gender-identity-disorder” exists; suffering people DO have these strange feelings! These subjective feelings are really experienced—but they do NOT point to a final, objective reality (i.e., the idea that the “true self” is trapped in the “wrong body”). We can have deranged “feelings” that are not in correspondence with reality (cf., the derangement of Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 4).

 

3. The Biblical framework of the Fall and its effects explains this derangement! The Fall has produced many consequences and ill-effects—invading the psychological, emotional, physical, environmental, social, and spiritual realms. We come into this world as broken, spiritually-dead, fallen creatures (Ps. 51:5, Eph. 2:1-3, 1 Cor. 2:14, Rom. 8:7)—hence, our “internal wiring is off!”

 

4. Regardless of the direct cause(s) or source(s) of Gender Disorder, such confusion is displeasing to God. It is ALWAYS SIN—i.e., missing the mark of Divine perfection. It is NEVER to be accepted as normative, embraced as an identity, or normalized—let alone justified (Isa. 5:20)! That which naturally proceeds from a fallen heart—born in a state of depravity (Gen.5:3)—is designated as evil by Jesus (Matt.15:19)!

 

5. The physical body is NOT simply a “disposable container” into which the “real you” (i.e., the soul/spirit) is poured. We have been created as a unity of body & spirit. A pagan radical dualism (Acts 17:32, 26:24) that rejects the eternal holistic unity of body & soul that is found in the Bible must itself be rejected. The body is part of the “real person” that will one day be resurrected! Even unbelievers will one day experience bodily resurrection--unto condemnation and judicial wrath (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-14).  

 

6. The reality of nature must be affirmed & accepted: a person CANNOT change their sex!  Gender is NOT a subjective, man-made, fabricated “social construct.” It is based upon an objective biological reality (i.e., having 2 X chromosomes vs. having an X & a Y chromosome). Hormone therapy, surgery, and cosmetics CANNOT change this reality. We cannot even authentically change our hair or skin color (Matt. 5:36, Jer. 13:23)—let alone our SEXUAL IDENTITY!

Even those men who are eunuchs (Matt. 19:12)—whether through birth defects or through surgical castration—are still MEN! Thus, gender involves something more than either fertility-potential or surgery!

 

7. We cannot thrive or FLOURISH—i.e., live in a “large” way (Ps. 119:45)—outside of the Scripturally-revealed will of God! Just as alcoholics cannot flourish by feeding their destructive sin habits and impulses, persons suffering with gender identity disorders cannot flourish or find peace by feeding their sin natures and denying their authentic, Divinely-created gender identities. Any attempt to hold out false prospects of achieving personal happiness unto self-identified "trans" persons through such sinful means such as surgical self-mutilation is CRUEL; it does NOT constitute "loving one’s neighbor."

 

8. We are called as Christians to exhibit BOTH conviction and compassion in relating to those individuals struggling with transgender disorders. We are not loving either God or our neighbors (Matt. 22:37-40) when we LIE to people and encourage them to follow sinful paths (Matt. 18:6-7). As believers, we MUST speak the plain TRUTH to such persons in LOVE (Eph. 4:15). Above all, first and foremost, we must speak the TRUTH!!!—and yet, we must be mindful that a heart-attitude of graciousness is the climate in which Truth flourishes! Parents, in particular, are called to rise above the prevailing culture and love their children in a holy and Biblical manner—and NOT support them in their sinful patterns and delusions. Note these wonderful comments from Focus on the Family’s Position Statement:

There has been a growing trend of parents raising their children without designating them male or female. A similar trend encourages parents of children who might not fit into typical social expressions of masculinity or femininity to raise them as the opposite sex. Instead, we encourage parents to lovingly help their children to embrace their bodily sexual reality. Christian parents can raise daughters who grow up to accept and enjoy their femininity, knowing deep down that being a girl is a good gift from God. Likewise, Christian families can raise sons to grow up to be healthy men who embrace their masculinity and see it as a good gift from God.

 

9. There is the promise of victory and ultimate deliverance for the LGBTQ person who turns in repentance to Christ. Despite a global “progressive” movement that opposes (and even seeks to criminalize) Biblically counselling LGBTQ folks to cast-off their wicked and sinful lifestyles, the Word of God offers them the genuine hope and certain prospect of salvation and deliverance if they turn in faith to JESUS (1 Cor. 6:9-11)!

Transgender Ideology & the Corruption of the Postmodern, "Politically-Correct" Medical Establishment

 

Trans Ideology & the Corruption of Medicine

by Pastor Terry Reese, Valley GBC of Armagh, PA; 10/19/23

 

I highly recommend that the reader consult the informative interview that Tucker Carlson conducted with Chris Moritz on Twitter/X, which can also be viewed on YouTube at Tucker Carlson Takes On 'Trans, Inc' - YouTube

The Numbers: Overall there are 1.6 mill. “trans” people in the US (ages 13 & over)—a number that has doubled over a decade. Of these, 300,000 are youth (13-17)—a doubling in the past 5 years! Clinics now offering “treatment” for such children has expanded from 0 (15 yrs. ago) to 100!

 

Gender-reassignment “therapies” have become a big-business in the USA—particularly since the passage of Obamacare* in 2010, resulting in an explosion of such procedures. Quietly written in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was the requirement that insurances provide for necessary “gender affirming care.”

 

o   2010-16 saw a 50% increase in reassignment surgeries.

o   2016 saw an additional amendment to the ACA; gender identity could no longer be a basis for denial of coverage by private insurance companies. 2016-17 thus saw a 150% increase in expensive gender-reassignment surgeries!

o   The above measure was reversed by Trump (2020)—but sadly, reinstated by Biden in his first 100 days (2021).

 

The underlying progressive political agenda behind the promotion of such procedures is painfully evident in the widespread skirting of accepted medical and scientific standards with regard to gender-reassignment “therapies.” Note the following evidences:

 

o   There is no genetic basis (i.e., “trans-gene”) for this condition.

o   There have been NO peer-reviewed clinical studies on the long-term efficacy, consequences, or potentially debilitating effects of these procedures upon patients (pharmaceutical, surgical, etc.). Yet, we continue to pump-up patients—including developing children—with powerful drugs like testosterone, estrogen, and puberty blockers! Unprecedented!

o   The FDA has not approved a single pharma product used in gender-transition specifically for that purpose (some are approved for cancer therapy). These drugs are thus prescribed off-label (i.e., unauthorized)—yet, it’s being done!

o   The ONLY protocols currently being followed come from WPATH—a radical trans-advocacy group!

o   Meanwhile, the US medical establishment remains silent…

o   2013: the American Psychiatric Association ceased objectively classifying gender identity disorder as a mental illness.  

 

THE BOTTOM LINE: All this bears the marks of being agenda-driven by politically powerful postmodern progressives whose goal is to change the culture and annihilate Christianity.

 

Brainwashing/mass-marketing/propaganda. As with the homosexual community--which evolved from sodomy (a sinful act), to homosexuality (a clinical condition), to gay (a "legitimate" identity)--nomenclature has been successfully employed to reprogram our societal mindset with regard to the "Trans Community."

For most of the 20^th century, the abnormality that was formerly labelled transsexualism was viewed as psychiatric disorder—and was consequently treated as such by the psychiatric profession. A major shift occurred in 2013, however when the American Psychiatric Association amended its Diagnostic Statistic Manual of Mental Illness (DSM) and no longer classified what it had called gender identity disorder as an objective, psycho-sexual disorder—i.e., a mental illness. Henceforth, the favored terminology would be gender dysphoria—which speaks NOT of an abnormality or mental disorder, but rather, to the subjective feelings of discomfort that a “transgender” person (a normal condition) feels in reference to being “trapped” in the “wrong” body—as well as the feelings of stress that he/she faces in relating to a non-acceptant and prejudicial society.

 

*Note how public policy on LGBTQ issues was completely reshaped by a bisexual man—Barack Obama—who, as a 21-year old man, confessed in a 1982 letter (now in the custody of Emory University) to his then girlfriend, Alex McNear, that he regularly fantasized about having relations with other men, and that he was androgynous with regard to his own personal gender identity (cf., Rising Star, by David Garrow; 2017).

Postmodern Trans-Ideology: the Social Background

 

The Social Backdrop of Postmodern Gender Confusion

By Pastor Terry L. Reese (10/07/23)

 

A. Postmodernism: a relativistic way of perceiving reality; a skepticism towards our ability to perceive “Truth,” whether it be by means of traditional religious belief or through logical scientific inquiry. Reality is subjective, relative, and flexible.

B. Progressivism. MAN functions as his own savior, with the messianic ability to radically redeem and reconstruct human society, in accordance with natural “evolutionary” processes and human development.

C. Humanism: MAN—not God—is the measure of all things, creating his own standards and code of ethics; Man is “god.”

D. Radical individualism: “Life is all about MY personal happiness & autonomy—even God only exists to serve ME!”

 

E. Our de facto national “civil religion” in today’s America has been referred to as “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism:”

 

i. MORALISTIC (practical & pragmatic, promoting basic ethics):

Some sort of “God” exists who created the world and who watches over us. This “higher power” wants people to be good and nice to each other—as advocated all the world’s religions.

 

ii. THERAPEUTIC (you must always feel good about yourself):

The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about ourselves; it is NOT about bringing glory unto God or obeying Him, or being convicted of personal sin. “Good people” (i.e., just about everybody) will certainly all go to heaven.

 

iii. DEISM (God should have little to do with our daily lives):

We do NOT want or desire God to be particularly involved in our personal lives—EXCEPT when we need Him to resolve some sort of problem for us. God is kind of like a waiter or a genie—we only call on Him when we need something, and then dismiss Him.

 

As all of this relates to today’s Trans-Ideology: The secular attitude is that the human body is NOT something that belongs to God that is designed for His glory. Rather, it belongs to us as autonomous humans to do with whatever we want—or to redesign as we see fit, like a blank canvas. In severe contrast is the Biblical view: our bodies are given by God for His use and His glory (cf., Ps. 100:3, 1 Cor. 6:19).