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).