Transgenderism & BRI

[Gregory Matthews]

The following is an article that many will not want to read.  I post it for the probably few who may find it of interest:

http://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/t/the-inherent-fallacy-of-the-bris-statement-on-transgenderism/13352

[CoAspen]

Reading all sources, articles, replies, etc about this issue and statement, it would seem that all scientific evidence is side stepped, medical professionals excluded, the people being 'talked' about, where not consulted. If that is incorrect, can someone point to the data, peoples, etc that were consulted? is this another decision made by a group of men only or were women also envolved.I am also concerned by the statement that since God only created male and female, therefore we will decide how your lives are to be lived even in the face of the genetic or otherwise, changes brought on by sin.  

Much fear I see in the GC on many issues. 

[debbym]

 Our strongest aversions rise from ways we are different in our DNA.  Remember the circus sideshows?  The tallest man, the shortest man, the bearded woman, the Siamese twins. you can google links to the most famous freaks... people paid to ogle and ooze with human aversions.  Some have autism, some schizophrenia, some are straight white and eminently successful, and they may be most unusual and repulsive.

I don't see that the human race is progressing.  Fear of sin, and fear of those who are different and then confusing these two areas is ongoing.

Jesus doesn't have a problem with loving every kind of individual exactly the same.  He has carried the sins of every person, every shortcoming, every mistake, every infirmity, every sorrow.  They are His children.  Even the straight white right wing religious perfectionist... he loves just the same as the homeless drug addicts and the trans queen.

Speaking of this article, interesting to note about the author... "The author has spent extensive portions of their life in various church service and leadership positions, including pastoral roles, local and overseas mission work, evangelical work, chaplaincy, worship ministry, Biblical Education, and counseling. The author is also a transgender individual on the biologically intersex spectrum, and therefore speaks out of both personal experience and general knowledge of the wider LGBTQ+ community."

[Gregory Matthews]

Those who follow the changing nuances of English grammar may find the following quote that Debbkym cited from the article:

" The author has spent extensive portions of their life. . . . "

As was done in that quote, the word "their" is being more and more used in the singular sense in situations where the person does not want to use words such as "his" or "her" that  indicates gender.

 

[Circumspectus]

Concerning the article:

http://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/t/the-inherent-fallacy-of-the-bris-statement-on-transgenderism/13352

My observations:

First, in reply to the statement that "This admitted lack of knowledge on “such issues” should have been enough for the BRI to abstain from giving a public response, until they could demonstrate that they had at least an adequate understanding of both the wealth of scholarly work concerning trans and intersex bodies, and gender dysphoria," is shortsighted.  Scholarly work doesn't necessarily imply veracity. Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto" which I believe would readily be considered a scholarly work has proven in practice to be a failure since its publication. Moreover, there is  no end to "scholarly work." So is one not to have any opinion until everything that has been written on a particular subject has been read? I think not.

Next, it seems that the statement that  "A trans individual’s dysphoric struggle and societal transition is one of the most difficult and personal experiences that a human being could ever be asked to experience," is based on the premise that somehow other human beings life challenges aren't comparable. This I believe to be false as throughout history we see examples of individual struggles that meet the not only this level of intensity but even surpass it. How about those that chose to stick to their principals during the Holocaust and lost their lives as a result. This statement is rather prejudiced. 

Finally,  the authors true issue with h BRI, "What I find the most confusing about the church’s statement is how the church has, in effect, declared transitioned bodies inherently sinful, this is the crux of their issue and should have been the starting point of their argument. Everything previous to this statement was an emotional argument that was employed in lieu of sound logic. Then, continuing on with the same emotional pandering, "To then follow this with a generic call to love everyone is an empty gesture because it has already set these transitioned bodies outside of the sphere of “accepted” engagement with the church," is again to set aside basic logic. The premise being that you can't love people because you deem their behavior acceptable.  Well, I am her to tell you as a parent this is patently absurd.