Transgender?

Okay, so I've looked and looked and looked and nowhere in the Bible do I find a text that says, "If you're gender-confused and feel like you're a man trapped in a woman's body, it's a sin to have surgery to make your body match how you feel." Nowhere. Clearly, then, God has no opinion, right?

These kinds of questions are difficult. I suspect, however, that there are far more of these than the other kind. You know, the kind where God says, "Thou shalt not ..." and we have a clear indication of what it is thou shalt not do. Much of life simply isn't addressed in Scripture. Is it wrong to run a red light? I can't find a single biblical reference to red lights. In fact, I can't find a reference to traffic management at all. Is it wrong for a Christian to drive a beer truck for a profession? (Seriously, I've actually had someone ask me that.) Again, not a single reference to Christians and beer trucks. There is no reference to abortion, no reference to gay marriage, no reference to Christians going to war, no reference to oh, so much of everyday life.

It would, however, be inaccurate of me to actually hold the position I've already offered -- that "much of life simply isn't addressed in Scripture." More accurately I would have to say that much of life isn't directly addressed. We are not, however, without guidance. Is it wrong to run a red light? The Bible doesn't say. But it does say that we should obey the authorities, and the authorities say it's wrong, so we have an answer. So while the Bible may not directly address questions, it clearly provides principles upon which we can answer them. So, are there principles in Scripture that would address our poor "gender-confused" fellow? I think there are.

In the very first chapter of Genesis we read, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen 1:27). God created male and female. It wasn't an accident, a mistake, a derivation, or random evolution. It was God's design. God had a purpose when He designed male and female. They aren't "nice to have", but intentional.

So, anything else? Is that all? No, of course not. There is more.

In Deuteronomy -- the retelling of the Law -- we read "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God" (Deut 22:5). I know the first response. "Oh, that old stuff. That was just for Israel." Okay, you go ahead with that. But it does say that "whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God", which seems to put it more in the category of "universal" rather than "ceremonial" or "Israel only". Or are we going with "Yeah, well, God hated it back then, but now He changed His mind"? No, if God found it abominable, it would seem to be ... still abominable. But if "woman" and "man" are variable sexes rather than defined sexes and "man's garment" or "woman's cloak" are simply faces of gender that might not match up with the variables "woman" or "man", why would God care? "Look, she feels like a man trapped in a woman's body. Let her wear what makes her feel comfortable! Don't go all judgmental and narrow-minded on us here, God." And apparently God disagrees. And it's not just here. Assuming that there are certainly women who can be trapped in a male body, why would God care at all if the woman trapped inside is effeminate ... you know, like a woman should be? And yet Paul lists "effeminate" as one of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9). Why is that?

The Bible does not provide, in its Ten Commandments, a commandment regarding the morality of changing gender from sex. Now, we can discuss the irrationality of such a concept, but I'm looking at biblical principles here, so what do we do? Yes, the Bible is explicitly silent, but certainly not implicitly. It offers principles. God made male and female for a purpose. Further, He abhors the mixing of sexes and genders. That would suggest that the concept of "transgender" qualifies as abhorrent to God and, as such, immoral. In the absence of text or principles, I would heartily recommend not passing a moral judgment on something. That falls in the category of faith, a personal conviction. This is not the case here. I think there is compelling biblical principles upon which to base this position. Nor are there compelling reasons to come to any other conclusion. I think I have my answer.

(As a side note, there is a real question about whether or not a person can change their sex. Is "sex" defined as the genitalia you wear? Apparently not, based on the "pregnant man" who classified herself as a man while retaining female genitalia. Science will tell you that sex is based on XX or XY chromosomes. Now that is something that cannot change. And a forensic pathologist identifies sex from bone structures. Again, something that doesn't change. At the bottom of the whole question apart from morality at all is the very real question, "Can you actually change your sex?" And if someone modifies their body to mimic the body of the opposite sex but is still, physically, the original sex and then engages in a sexual relationship with a person of that same sex, wouldn't it still be homosexual sex?)

(Additional side note. The question of "cross dressing", of transvestites, as referenced in Deut 22:5, is not actually, according to most scholars, a simple reference to "wearing the clothing of the opposite gender". When Bill put on a wig and dress and did a comedy skit at the church social, he wasn't violating this passage. According to the rabbis, the Jewish commentators, and even the modern commentators, this is not merely a reference to a woman who is more comfortable in jeans, but to people of either gender dressing to appear as the opposite gender. It's not some guy secretly wearing panties, but men who dress as women to pass themselves off as women and women who dress as men to pass themselves off as men. There is, then, a deeper intent. It is a transgender intent.)