In the last two posts we explored the facts regarding transgender participation in athletics, and the values that are framing the issue in the public sphere. In this post we will explore how we as Christians should (and should not) lend our voices to the discussion. First of all lets consider what we should NOT do…
We Should Not Quote the Bible
At almost every public meeting and in almost every letter to the editor or public statement by Christians, someone says or writes, “the Bible says God created us male and female…” Yes, this is what the Bible says. It is also not convincing and irrelevant for most people who hear or read what you have to say. It probably leads them to dismiss out of hand anything you say that follows.
We no longer live in a nation where the majority of people are Christian. The Bible is no longer seen as authoritative by the people outside our faith tradition. Quoting the Bible to try and convince secular leaders or other parents that our viewpoint has merit is futile. And by the way, some Christians would remain unconvinced. Is Genesis 1:27 prescriptive for all or simply descriptive of the first humans created? Well meaning, Bible believing Christians may disagree. You probably aren’t even convincing the other Christians in the room of the truth in your words.
We Should Not Misgender the Student Involved
If you believe trans girls should not participate in girls sports, and you lead with, “boys don’t belong in girls sports,” you are just confusing the issue and shutting down communication. You will be seen as rude and insulting. You aren’t helping your cause, and are in fact undermining any chance of civil conversation and debate.
“But if I use the pronouns and gender they want I am being dishonest.” I hear that a lot and I disagree. Read this blog post for a more in depth discussion of that issue.
We Should Not Get the Facts Wrong
In the last Olympic Games there was outrage when many news outlets reported two transgender women were boxing against other women. I saw and heard the outrage from many Christians. Later it was revealed that neither athlete was transgender and in fact both were assigned female at birth. Despite the facts, many Christians stubbornly stuck to their narrative (and still do today).
What good does that do? Are people more or less likely to listen to what you have to say if you can’t be bothered to get the facts straight? In one recent letter a well-meaning Christian wrote, “sex is immutable from the moment of conception.” That is medically incorrect, and it called into question everything else the person wrote in the rest of the letter.
All truth is God’s truth. We owe it to Him to get the facts straight.
We Shouldn’t Be Selfish
We know that the power of sin in our lives means that our first love is ourselves. The Old Adam in me is always leading with, “how is this going to affect me and those closest to me.” Listed among the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5 is “selfish ambition.” It is so easy for us, even as followers of Jesus, to let selfishness creep into our motivations and the things we say and do around others, especially when it comes to emotional issues like transgender participation in sports.
Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” When Christians speak up on transgender issues, rarely do I see them considering the needs and struggles of the transgender community as more significant than their own. There is little if any compassion for the trans kid running in the track meet or trying to figure out which locker room they can safely use.
In one of the instances that sparked this series of blog posts, a crowd of about 30 adults stood on the sidelines and heckled a 16-year-old trans girl for hours. At one point their shouting was so loud it caused a false start in one of the races. Many of these adults who were there to “protest” profess to be Christians. There has to be a way to express concerns and even disagreements while also expressing care and compassion for all the students involved, including the transgender athlete.
So what should we do?
We Should Lead with Love, Grace, and Compassion
As Christians we believe we are all sinners in need of God’s love and grace. All of us “fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) We also believe that Jesus came to give his life for us all. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) John writes that when Jesus came he came bringing “grace upon grace.” (John 1:16) When we encounter the living God we do not find an angry judge but a loving Father. How can all those we encounter experience that same love and grace in us?
I cannot imagine the struggles and difficulties the family of a 16 year old trans athlete have faced. I do not understand the resilience and courage it has taken for that young trans girl to come to this moment. I do know that all people need love, and specifically the love of God in their life. I can bring that love, and it should be my first and foremost goal.
We Should Remember What We Value
In the last post I talked about the values of fairness and participation that all people, whether Christians or not, bring to the table when considering issues of trans people and youth athletics. We looked at how those values are often in conflict. But now I ask you to consider some other, distinctly Christian values:
We believe all people are created in the image of God and, as a result, each person has inherent value. We are therefore to treat everyone we encounter with dignity and respect. (Genesis 1:26)
We believe we are all God’s children, and his plan for our lives is perfect and supersedes any plan of our own that is outside his will for us. (Psalm 18:30)
We believe we live in a broken, fallen world where much in life falls short of Gods ultimate design and plan. (Romans 8:22-23)
We believe God is working in each of us, to bring about his will and “good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
These Christian values are never in conflict. We do not have to pit “grace and truth” against each other, but instead seek how God would work both through us. While the world around us may not understand or accept these values, they should guide all we do as we engage that world.
We Should Remember the Mission
Jesus clearly told us what we are to do. We are to “go and make disciples.” Our primary job is not to shape public policy, right the wrongs around us, or even to defend truth. Our job is to bring people to Jesus! Everything we do and say at a public meeting, in a post on social media, or that we express in our interactions with others should seek to do exactly that.
A Closing Thought
Over the years I have had a chance to have conversations with a number of trans people. When I ask about their encounters with Christians, they all have stories of judgement, pain, and fear. Every. Single. One. Most do not attend church because they are terrified about how they would be treated there.
The visibility that the transgender community is receiving these days in the world around us provides us with a unique opportunity to be a witness to the love and compassion of Jesus to all involved. Instead of jumping to a side in the political debate, we can rise above what is often very uncivil discourse to be a voice of reason, love, and care. I pray we will do so guided and empowered by God’s Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22