The Southern Baptists Have Done It Again

Yep... they've made another statement that is both as mean spirited as it could be and also as naive regarding the real world as it could be.  This one is regarding transgendered folk.  Now, I know that transgendered folk are the forgotten part of LGBT affirmations.  We've had years of positive gay or lesbian models on television and as we've turned on the TV, we've invited them into our homes.  Many of us have family members who are gay or lesbian and more have friends or acquaintances who are.  Many fewer of us know (or at least know we know) transgendered people.  For those of us who are secure in our gender identity, it seems strange that one's body and gender identity might not quite match.  The idea of ambiguous genitalia seems even more odd...  So we don't talk or think about transgendered folk.  When we do, we often conflate them with drag queens performing in Las Vegas and don't identify at all with the very real pain that comes when one doesn't feel right in their own body.  Even less do we understand those who define themselves as something other than the binary condition we call male or female and instead see themselves as something else altogether.

Well, the Southern Baptists released a statement that shows again their ignorance both of science and psychology and worse, their complete lack of compassion or desire to understand the pain of others or the unique experiences that those who are different can bring to the table.  They have in effect said, "You are what you are when you're born and that is either male or female.  There isn't anything else.  And if you ave problems with that, you are basically revolting against God and sinning.  So pray, get converted, come to terms with who you are (and we can see your parts and tell you who that is), or know that you are consigned not only to hell but also to social rejection (and we will work to insure that rejection continues)."

Of course, we know that people are not all born male or female.  There are many that have a variety  or genetic or biologic issues that make them something else, sometimes known as intersex or third gender folk.   We know that there are infants born with ambiguous genitalia and either a physician or their family decides, "You will be a girl..." or "You will be a boy..."  We could go on here but the message is clear... gender is not so simple as the binary division implies.  And of course, there are social and cultural meanings attached beyond the biological as to what it means to be male or female and that complicates things even further.

All I can say to the Southern Baptists is "Shame!  Shame on you for moving so far away from the model of compassion and welcome demonstrated by Jesus.  Shame on you for deciding to hurt a community of people whom you do not understand but clearly fear.  Shame!" 

To my friends in the church who define themselves as allies to LGBT folk.  "Stand up.  Speak for transgendered folk.  Welcome them.  And if you feel that you do not understand them... so what.  They aren't responsible to make you understand and your lack of understanding does not remove your responsibility to live grace towards them."

To  transgendered folk... I am so sorry that once again some, claiming to speak for God, are rejecting you, refusing to see your pain or the unique view and experience of the world that you bring to the table.  I will always welcome you and you are always welcome at Cambridge Drive Community Church where you will experience the grace and love of the God who creates the world in all of its amazing and wondrous diversity.

Here is the text of the SBC statement.

On Transgender Identity

WHEREAS, about 700,000 Americans perceive their gender identity to be at variance with the physical reality of their biological birth sex; and
WHEREAS, the American Psychiatric Association removed this condition (aka, “gender identity disorder”) from its list of disorders in 2013, substituting “gender identity disorder” with “gender dysphoria”; and
WHEREAS, the American Psychiatric Association includes among its treatment options for gender dysphoria cross-sex hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery, and social and legal transition to the desired gender; and
WHEREAS, news reports indicate that parents are allowing their children to undergo these “therapies”; and
WHEREAS, many LGBT activists have sought to normalize the transgender experience and to define gender according to one’s self-perception apart from biological anatomy; and
WHEREAS, the separation of one’s gender identity from the physical reality of their biological birth sex poses the harmful effect of engendering an understanding of sexuality and personhood that is fluid; and
WHEREAS, some public school systems are encouraging parents and teachers to affirm the feelings of children whose self-perception of their own gender is at variance with their biological sex; and
WHEREAS, some public school systems are allowing access to bathrooms and locker rooms according to a child’s self-perception of gender and not according to their biological sex; and
WHEREAS, the state of New Jersey prohibits licensed counselors from any attempt to change a child’s “gender expression”; and
WHEREAS, the United States Senate passed last year legislation titled the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would radically alter the idea of protected classes in American law, granting sexual orientation and gender identity the same employment protections as sex and race; and
WHEREAS, ENDA would make it illegal for certain businesses and organizations to fire or to refuse to hire or promote an employee because of his or her gender identity that is at variance with biological sex; and
WHEREAS, Although recent formulations of ENDA contain a religious exemption, they do not contain an exemption for rights of conscience or religious freedom to protect businesses with a religious character (such as religious bookstores, publishers, and parachurch ministries) and other businesses with religious owners or managers; and
WHEREAS, Such legislation jeopardizes our First Amendment freedoms by establishing in law the principle that disapproval of transgender behavior is a form of bigotry, equivalent to racism; and
WHEREAS, these cultural currents run counter to the biblical teaching that “Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation” (BF&M 2000, “III. Man”); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, June 10-12, 2014, recognize that all persons are created in God’s image and are made to glorify Him (Gen. 1:27; Isa. 43:7); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we recognize that the Fall of man into sin and God’s subsequent curse have introduced brokenness and futility into God’s good creation (Gen. 3:1-24; Rom. 8:20); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we extend love and compassion to those whose experience of this brokenness includes a perceived conflict between their biological sex and their gender identity (Rom. 8:22-23); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm God’s good design that gender identity should be determined by biological sex and not by one’s self-perception—a perception which is often influenced by fallen human nature in ways contrary to God’s design (Eph. 4:17-18); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm God’s original design to create two distinct and complementary sexes, male and female (Gen. 1:27; Matt. 19:4; Mk. 10:6); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm that male and female designate the fundamental distinction that God has embedded in the very biology of the human race; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm distinctions in masculine and feminine roles as ordained by God as part of the created order, and that those distinctions should find an echo in every human heart (Gen 2:18, 21-24; 1 Cor 11:7-9; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim 2:12-14); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we invite all transgender persons to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the gospel (1 Tim. 1:15-16); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we love our transgender neighbors, seek their good always, welcome them into our congregations as they repent and believe in Christ, and spur them on to love and good deeds in the name of Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-20; Gal. 5:14; Heb. 10:24); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we regard our transgender neighbors as image-bearers of almighty God and therefore that we condemn acts of abuse or bullying committed against them; and be if further
RESOLVED, That we condemn efforts to alter one’s bodily identity (e.g., cross-sex hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery) to bring it into line with one’s perceived gender identity; and be if further
RESOLVED, That we continue to oppose steadfastly all efforts by any court or state legislature to validate transgender identity as morally praiseworthy (Isa. 5:20); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to pray for and support legislative and legal efforts to oppose the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and other legislation like it that would give gender identity the same legal protections as sex and race; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call upon all judges and public officials to resist and oppose the efforts to treat gender identity as a protected class; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we oppose all efforts by media and entertainment outlets and public schools to mainstream transgender identity in the eyes of our children; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call on Southern Baptist churches to commit to guard our religious liberty to teach and preach the Bible’s message about sex and gender; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we will to teach and model for our own children the Bible’s message about manhood and womanhood; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That our love for the gospel and urgency for the Great Commission must include declaring the whole counsel of God, including what God’s word teaches about God’s design for us as male and female persons created in His image and for His glory (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 20:27; Rom. 11:36).