The conversation around transgenderism can be both very emotional and divisive. That said in this article I want to give a well-thought-out and non-divisive Christian response to the topic of transgenderism. My objective isn’t to intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, although it may be unavoidable given the nature of this topic. I aim to respond intellectually and honestly.
Table of Contents
What is Transgenderism?
Before we start, we need to establish some definitions. The main term I will be using in this article is “transgender”. “Transgender” refers to having a gender that is different from the sex assigned at birth. It is often abbreviated as “trans”.
An example of a “transgender woman” is Caitlyn Jenner. Caitlyn was born as a man named William Bruce Jenner in October 1949. In July 2015, Bruce decided to transition and became Caitlyn, changing not just his name but also his gender. That is why you will see him referred to as a woman in articles or news stories.
The Debate.
The main debate surrounding this topic is language. You will notice that when people engage in this discussion, everyone is arguing about words and semantics. Specifically, they debate the definitions of sex versus gender and the cultural relevance of it. That said, in this article, I will be ignoring the language debate. I will be using the same language as in previous years. I believe that for Christians, the primary debate is not over words and semantics; instead, it is over truth.
That being said, anyone who responds to this article will inevitably engage in the language debate. They will argue that gender and sex are different and completely distinct while also saying that they are the same thing. Again, in this article, I am not worrying about the semantics of language. I am worried about the truth. The fact is that, for well over 100 years of modern English, we have used both sex and gender interchangeably. I am not going to change that for the sake of this article.
The Emotional Response.
There are two distinct ways I want to approach the topic of transgenderism. The first approach is the emotional response, which I believe is vitally important due to the extremely emotionally driven nature of this topic.
A very famous conservative pundit named Ben Shapiro frequently uses the phrase “Facts don’t care about your feelings.” While this phrase is factually accurate, the opposite is also true: “Feelings don’t care about facts.” No matter how factually accurate my argument is, it holds no significance for those emotionally invested in transgenderism.
I believe that the emotional argument is one of empathy. I could never imagine how it feels to feel as if I’m living in the wrong body. I fully believe that transgenderism is a delusion. The pity I feel for those who are suffering is immense. Imagine waking up every day and living what you know deep down is a lie.
It doesn’t end there. Not only are you living a lie, but everyone around you is also enforcing that very lie. Your parents, closest friends, and coworkers are all lying to your face about something so fundamental. Can you even trust them? If they will lie to you about who or what you are, what else will they lie to you about?
As Christians, we are instructed not to “bear false witness” as stated in Exodus 20:16, which means we must not lie. We are also called to “love our neighbors”, as mentioned in Matthew 22:37-40. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, it is emphasized that love does not dishonor others. Therefore, as Christians, we are called to love our neighbors, which entails being truthful to them.
Imagine living a lie. While it may be nice for a short while, reality always sets in. One day, you will go to bed and realize that you have a distorted view of who you truly are. You will wake up and come to realize that everyone around you is lying to you about who you are. Can you imagine the misery of living that kind of life? I, as a Christian, couldn’t wish for that suffering even upon my greatest enemy.
We all have some understanding of what is and isn’t true. I fear that people living in this situation—a life built on a foundation of falsehoods and lies—may one day wake up realizing that no one around them truly loves them enough to tell them the hard truth.
According to the Williams Institute, more than 40% of transgender adults in the United States have attempted suicide. The NIH reports that the attempted suicide rate in India for transgender individuals is about 31%, and even higher at 50% before they reach 20 years old. These statistics are truly horrifying. While there are many reasons why these attempted suicide rates are so high, I believe that living a lie can do that.
But who am I? I’m just a guy who likes Religion, Philosophy, and History. All that said, this is why I as a Christian cannot lie to “transgender” people. The response is simply out of love, empathy, and pity.
The Factual Response.
The factual response is closely connected to the emotional response. In fact, the two are intertwined. The facts are clear: if you have male anatomy, you are a man, not a woman. No matter how you feel, you cannot change reality. You are what you are, not what you want to be.
When trans people and their “allies” try to force me to call a man a woman, they are compelling me to lie. As a Christian, I serve one Master, one Lord, God Almighty. If He tells me to love my neighbor, who is anyone else to tell me otherwise? We live in a world where good and evil are always at odds. If the God of the universe tells me that lying is evil, then who is anyone else to tell me otherwise?
I don’t mind receiving anger and hate for speaking the truth. Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” I am no greater than my Master. He was persecuted by the world, by the forces of evil. Yet, He overcame them all.
