Turning Order into Chaos Why Gender Matters

God Created Gender Genesis 1:27; 2:18, 22 Transgender “of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth” (Merriam-Webster) 0.3% U.S. adults are transgender

God Created Gender Genesis 1:27; 2:18, 22 Transgender A popular image of transgender people is that of a “woman trapped in a man’s body” and vice versa, but this isn’t entirely accurate. A more accurate way to put it is that transgender people are people who are born into a body not associated with their gender, or were assigned a sex that does not match their gender. gender.wikia.com/wiki/Transgender

Vocabulary Gender identity “It was not until 1955 that John Money, Ph.D. first used the term “gender” to discuss sexual roles, adding in 1966 the term “gender identity” while conducting his gender research at Johns Hopkins. In 1974, Dr. N.W. Fisk provided our now familiar diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria.

Vocabulary Gender identity “Previously, one’s sexual role was considered one of two discrete, non-overlapping congenital attributes — male or female…” What is Gender and Who is Transgendered? Carl W. Bushong, PhD, LMFT www.transgendercare.com

Vocabulary Dysphoria “…a sudden and transient state of mind, such as feelings of sadness, sorrow and anguish. It is a psychological condition accompanied by depression, melancholy and pessimism. “Dysphoria is generally characterized as an unpleasant or uncomfortable emotion such as sadness (depressed mood), anxiety, irritability or restlessness.” www.dysphoria.info

Vocabulary Gender reassignment (surgery) “To say this type of surgery cures psychiatric disturbance is incorrect. We now have objective evidence that there is no real difference in the transsexual’s adjustments to life in terms of job, educational attainment, marital adjustment and social stability.” He later told The New York Times: “My personal feeling is that the surgery is not a proper treatment for a psychiatric disorder, and it’s clear to me these patients have severe psychological problems that don’t go away following surgery.” -Dr. Jon Meyer, Chairman of the Hopkins Gender Clinic "Sex Change" Surgery: What Bruce Jenner, Diane Sawyer, and You Should Know

Vocabulary Intersex Congenital ambiguous sex/gender identity (1 in 4500 births) We are discussing choices, not congenital physical ambiguities

Shall We Be Silent? Psychological and emotional problems Do not necessarily remove moral accountability The transgender subculture is becoming mainstream Fueled and supported by medical and psychological communities, government and media, Colossians 2:8 Facebook over 50 “gender options”

Facebook Gender Options · Gender Questioning · Gender Variant · Genderqueer · Intersex · Male to Female · MTF · Neither · Neutrois · Non-binary · Other · Pangender · Trans · Trans* · Trans Female · Trans* Female · Trans Male · Trans* Male · Trans Man · Trans* Man · Trans Person · Trans* Person · Trans Woman · Trans* Woman · Transfeminine · Transgender · Transgender Female · Transgender Male · Transgender Man · Transgender Person · Transgender Woman · Transmasculine · Transsexual · Transsexual Female · Transsexual Male · Transsexual Man · Transsexual Person · Transsexual Woman · Two-Spirit · Agender · Androgyne · Androgynous · Bigender · Cis · Cisgender · Cis Female · Cis Male · Cis Man · Cis Woman · Cisgender Female · Cisgender Male · Cisgender Man · Cisgender Woman · Female to Male · FTM · Gender Fluid · Gender Nonconforming

Shall We Be Silent? Bruce Jenner, 1976 Caitlyn Jenner, 2015

Sympathy and Praise “Very courageous” (President Obama) Human rights issue (LGBT Pride Month) We are charged with being ignorant, insensitive haters and bigots for our faith and for speaking out against this sin

Ignorant “Hate Speech”? “I’m a transgendered Christian who happened upon your site while searching for transgender and the bible. I consider the sermon you have posted – Bible Question Box: What about being Transgender? (June 2005) to be uninformed hate speech and your best course of action is to remove the sermon on the grounds that it has no basis in scripture and is merely your own biased eisegesis. Do not respond to this email.” (Anonymous, 11/4/11)

Ignorant “Hate Speech”? Ironic that those who do not want to be judged for being transgender will judge you for holding an opposing view, Matthew 7:1-2; John 7:24 God knows and judges our hearts Like Jesus, we desire their repentance and salvation, Luke 19:10; Romans 10:1

What is the Issue? We look to Genesis to understand issue God created humanity in His own image as two sexes, male and female, Genesis 1:27-28 Creation and division of male and female is an essential truth with purposes, roles and consequences for each, Genesis 2:18, 23-24; Matthew 19:4-5 Transgender agenda supplants truth with lies (Romans 1:25) Gender is fluid, changeable, infinitesimal

Why is Transgenderism Sin? Because God created gender – People do not control it, Genesis 1:27; Jeremiah 13:23 Required for reproduction, Genesis 1:28 Identify and role definition, Genesis 2:18-22 Nature teaches transgenderism is sinful, Romans 1:26-27 (9:20-21)

Effects of Transgenderism Minimizes and disregards God-given gender (and their differences), Deut. 22:5; 1 Cor. 11:14-15 Makes provisions for and promotes the sin of homosexuality, Leviticus 18:22; Romans 13:14 Displays discontent, lack of self-control, self-defined living and lustful choices, Phil. 4:11; Rom. 1:24-25 Dishonors marriage and the home as ordained by God, Genesis 2:23-24; Hebrews 13:4 (Eph. 6:2)

Defending Transgender “People are born that way.” Actually, No – Chromosomes exist in your DNA and do not change Female: XX Male: XY God is not the author of confusion, Ecclesiastes 11:5 (1 Cor. 14:33) Removes personal accountability, Ecclesiastes 7:29; James 1:16

Defending Transgender “God looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7) He is really a she on the inside God sees one’s character, motives and will God forms the person and knows his/her identity before birth, Jeremiah 1:5

Defending Transgender “We are just accommodating what we already are on the inside.” No, transgender accommodates choices made on the inside (heart), Proverbs 23:7; 3:1-8 Since God made you a particular sex, shouldn’t you stay with that, no matter how you feel on the inside?” Yes! Christ calls us to change the inside (heart), Ephesians 4:17-24; Ezekiel 18:31-32 (Repentance)

Summary BIBLE TRANSGENDER Gender created and assigned at birth Gen. 1:27; 1 Cor. 11:12 Gender distinctions evolved Romans 1:20-22 Gender identity is set from birth (cf. Gen. 4:1, “male”) Gender is self-defined (Feelings, emotions, desires, impulses, etc.)

Summary BIBLE TRANSGENDER God knows gender before birth: We are not born with wrong gender (rare cases of “intersex”) (Psalm 139:13-16) “God made me this way… I can’t help it!” (Illus. Dr. described a woman had been born with a ‘bad birth defect’ = she had a female body!) Gender differences to be honored and maintained (Deut. 22:5; 1 Cor. 11:14) Gender distinction self-defined; Honors self (Rom. 1:25, 28; 2 Tim. 3:2, 4)

Summary BIBLE TRANSGENDER Gender roles defined by God; are to be honored (1 Cor. 11:3) Gender roles defined by the individual/society (Humanism and hedonism) People can change their hearts to conform their lives to holy living (1 Pet. 4:1-3; 1:13-16) There is no sin; people should satisfy themselves (1 Cor. 6:13, 15-20)

Summary Temptations (tendencies) to sin are not insurmountable (1 Cor. 10:13) We choose our character and conduct We choose the person we will be, and God holds us accountable, James 4:7-10 We must uphold the honor and distinction of male and female Not destroy it by the longings, lewdness and lusts of sin, Romans 13:11-14