Zack Ford writing for thinkprogress.org recently wrote an article titled “New book concocts a religious excuse to demonize trans people.” This is coming from a writer who was in hearty agreement with a man being voted woman of the year in 2015. So who is doing the concocting?
Ford’s article demonizes Andrew T. Walker and the book he wrote entitled “God and the Transgender Debate.” Walker is the Director of Policy Studies for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. I have not read Walker’s book, but if Ford’s article correctly quotes it then I would have to agree with Walker’s conclusions.
Ford’s angst is understandable; he correctly recognizes that “all of Walker’s main arguments mirror arguments against homosexuality” and he is very vocal about being both gay and an atheist. So he would see a book about the sin of transgenderism based on the teaching of the Bible a double threat.
He accuses Walker of writing that “gay/trans identities are subjective and not ‘empirically verifiable.’” That is true there are no gay or trans genetic markers, ergo the behavior is not inherited or predictable and can be reversed.
Ford says Walker claims, “It is not a sin to be gay/trans, but acting on it is.” Certainly there is a difference between being tempted to transgress, and actually giving in to temptation and sinning.
“People who are gay/trans can be saved through faith in Christ.” Acting on gay or transgender feelings are no greater than any other sin, but as I have also said they are no less grave. Like all sins they are damnable, but their remedy can be found in Christ.
Ford also declares Walker affirms, “Someone can embrace a transgender identity or find their identity in Christ, but not both.” One cannot claim to love God and love their sin that God has revealed is evil. As Walker said by rejecting what the Scriptures say about gender and same-sex, “They are rejecting Jesus.”
It is this kind of inconsistency between what one says and what he does that prompted Christ to ask, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46. One cannot legitimately claim to be a Christian and willfully ignore the biblical teachings on gender and sex.
The Scriptures command, “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God,” Deuteronomy 22:5. This is sinful because it disguises one’s true gender deceiving others regarding the same breaking the ninth commandment to not bear false witness, and it attracts others of the same sex to encourage homosexual sin.
Some would argue this is merely a prohibition against cross-dressing. But if God thinks it is wrong for a man to dress like a woman, do you think it is any less sinful for him to want to be one?
So who is doing the concocting?
Good article. Thank you!!
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Great article Gary.