If I feel deep inside that I think I am a bird, would that make me a bird?
If I had surgery to add some wings, a beak and grow some feathers on my body, would that make me a bird?
If I started eating nothing but seeds and berries and nested in the wild, would that make me a bird?
No matter how I feel or my train of thought, surgical modifications or the habitual/lifestyle changes I make, we all know I would never truly be a bird…wouldn’t we?
I had added this little bit to my social feed to address the identity confusion in our society today and had one person respond in a way that personifies how our current generation views truth. I truly thanked her for her response because it gave me the opportunity to engage her in a way I’m sure many have not been able to. I’d like to share the general response along with a bit more background as to the reasons behind what I wrote.
Being compared to animals
She had asked if the post was targeted specifically to transgenders and proceeded to say that if it was, that it was offensive to compare them to animals (although PETA might think otherwise). The post was meant to cover a range of scenarios and choices regarding the identity confusion our society is allowing themselves to indulge in. However, it is true that the transgender lifestyle touches on all the examples in the post. I had mentioned that there are those within the community who have compared their scenario to certain fish and crustaceans that can change sex without offense to such a comparison. But keeping with the same point about animals, it is true that at the end of the day, we aren’t like the animals since God has created us uniquely in His image (PETA is probably ready with their pitch forks at this point). Yet we don’t live up to our full potential because of our selfishness and pride.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
(Gensis 24-26 ESV)
What’s logic got to do with it?
She said that one could not view the lifestyle in a logical manner. Although not greatly elaborated, the “just cause” argument comes to mind when someone says something along these lines. But, disregarding actual facts is what allows our society to cherry pick what is true and false. The reason why the post ends in a question is to bring to light the issue of society appeasing people by changing or disregarding truth. Would you affirm my lie and let me live it or would you tell me the truth and engage me in ways to help me? Very simple concept with very big repercussions. To put this topic in a parental analogy, there were times in my life where the moral or scientific truths that my parents told me did not align with how I felt deep inside or with my urges/desires (and we all know how reliable our feelings and desires are…). However, those times taught me that sometimes the truth hurts, not everything I feel or desire is right, and despite how unapproachable my parents may have looked at the time, they loved me enough to tell me the truth. But our society has spread the misconception that one must accept and embrace every aspect of a person in order to love them which would make everyone in this world unloving.
How about people who say they don’t need help? Just remember that people who have issues don’t necessarily think or admit they need help. An alcoholic can easily say they don’t have a drinking issue despite facts saying otherwise. It’s when the facts are allowed to be discarded that the person is freed to continue with their lifestyle.
Choosing a life filled with social difficulties
She said that people wouldn’t willingly choose a lifestyle they know would have them hated and judged by society. However, if one’s desire is strong enough, people will go through many things to live it out even at the expense of not being liked. Christians around the world live this life on a daily basis. They are ridiculed, judged, hated, persecuted, hunted and killed by the world for the truth they know in Christ. On top of the world already hating God, there are wolves in sheep’s clothing hidden within those who claim to be Christians who discredit and defame the name of Christ and other followers which adds fuel to the already hateful flame that people hold for Christ.
We live in a time where the world allows you to define your very being by the social constructs you’ve created/defined in your mind while disregarding fundamental truths. Our society has done one big boob job on itself and are yelling to the world that its natural, all the while those who know the truth are being told to shut their mouths because stating the truth is hateful, intolerant and unloving. But for Christians, if we love those around us, we cannot be discouraged in speaking the truth in love despite it not being popular or hurting the pride and desires of others. We are to love as God loves us, not love the way that the world has defined love to be.
