[Wanderer]

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I do *not* want to cite these verses in an effort to make the lives of transgendered individuals more difficult. I *do,* however, want to assemble, in an organized fashion, information dealing with the objections that some Bible-believing people have towards transfolk. Given that, I think that the most logical starting point is to get to know what those objections are, and what verses are used in discussing these objections. So...without further ado...

I. The central core of the argument against transfolk:
A. Verse used against gender-transgressing modes of dress: Deut 22:5
B. Verse used against sex-reassignment surgery: Deut 23:2 (This can be verse 1 in some translations. Check carefully.)

II. Broader arguments used against transfolk:
A. Humanity, created male and female: Gen 1:26
B. Creation of humanity in God's image/creation of gender: Gen 1:27
1. This gender is assigned at birth: Gen 1:27; 4:1; 1 Cor 11:12
C. Gender differences are required for human reproduction: Gen 1:28
D. "Gender distinctions evolved: Rom 1:20-22"
1. Gender distinctions are to be honored and maintained: Deut 22:5; Rom 13:11-14; 1 Cor 11:14
a. Failure to do so is self-centered: Rom 1:25,28; 1 Cor 6:13, 15-20; 2 Tim 3:2,4
b. Gender distinctions are defined by God: 1 Cor 11:3
c. God blessing these distinctions/giving identity and roles: Gen 2:18-22
E. Nature, teaching that gender transgression is sinful: Rom 1:26-27; see also 9:20-21
F. Transgendered behavior:
1. ...disregards God-given differences: Deut 22:5; 1 Cor 11:14-15
2. ...promotes homosexuality: Lev 18:2; 20:13
3. ...evidences lust, discontent, self-interest, lack of self-control: Rom 1:24
4. ...dishonors marriage and home: Gen 2:23-24; Eph 6:2; Heb 13:4
5. ...accomodates choices made in the heart: Prv 23:7; 3:1-8
a. Christ calls for change of heart: Ezek 18:31-32; Mk 1:14-15; Eph 4:17-24
G. If people are born transgendered:
1. ...then God is responsible: Eccl 11:5; James 1:13-15; see also Zech 12:1
2. ...this would remove personal responsibility: Eccl 7:29; James 1:16
H. God looks at the heart: 1 Sam. 16:7
I. God forms person and identity prior to birth: Jer 1:5
J. We are not born with the wrong gender: Ps 139:13-16
K. People can change their lives to conform to holy living: James 4:7-10; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 4:1-3

I trust that anybody here will see numerous problems with many of these citations, probably without even looking them up. For example, I simply have no clue what the site I visited meant by "Gender distinctions evolved." Seriously. I don't. I looked up the reference in Romans, and it doesn't seem to me to say word one about gender *anything.* I'll cover refutations in Part II.

Wanderer