Another View

[Gennee]

Over the past several weeks, I have been surveying the landscape of two sides of LGBT. There are those who do not want us to be equal with the rest of society. There are those who support and affirm what we are doing.

I'm looking at this from a Christian point of view. The bible says that we are to love those who hate us. What has disturbed me the is the vitriole spewed and intense hatred by some who claim that they are saved and love all people. I was a Christian long before I discovered that I am transgender. Every one is entitled to their own opinion, but when a group or a class of people are denied the same basic rights as everybody else then I have a problem with that.

One of the reasons that I love Soulforce was that you are going out and visiting Christian college campuses. I attend a Christian college and no one knows that I am transgender. I'm sure there are other transgender people here as well. You are reaching out to LGBT people on these campuses who are kept or pushed to the margins. Imagine being in the shadows for four years. I encourage you to keep doing what you are doing.

I am doing two studies regarding transgender and the gender variant. One of those studies is about transgender and crossdressing in the bible. It was quite prevalent in some of the other cultures. I want to find out what bible REALLY says about it rather than what is spewed out today.

Another study that I am doing is from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Paul reached out to all people in order to win some to Christ. There are people groups that have not heard the gospel or are underepresented. I do believe in my heart that there were LGBT people who were saved under Paul's ministry. I won't go into the details here because this post is long. I will touch upon it again in the future.

I don't know why we are put here in such a critical time as this for LGBT people, but I do believe that God is doing a work here.

Gennee

[iowan woman]

Gennee,


Note that Andy, in his 1000 thread posting, writes about a feminine description of G-D from the Bible.

Andy also wrote, in the thread Anger, about the Bible being pulled together for political reasons. I refer you to his posts because i don't know a lot; he is a minister and he just made comment on the issue of gender as it relates to G-D. I do know that over the last decades scholars have been excavating and translating ancient texts that were pushed aside. Bible or no, those books portion history, they provide another view of the early work of the church, which was largly feminine.


The people who are spewing hatred are not behaving within the bounds of their religion. Forgive them, they know not what they do, but Gennee, we don't have to hang out with them as long as they feel this way. They're often mean. I pray that one by one they will see their ugliness reflected and be willing to change their ways.


I think LGBT folks are souls whose call it is to show us our eternal nature. Thank you for your posts, for you willingness to be a teacher.

iowanwoman

[antiochian]

I honestly knew nothing about the T part of GLBT(Q) before I met one of my best friends, a transsexual (she actually dislikes that term, as well as transgender, and gets furious if called a transvestite!--she said a transvestite is generally a straight guy who wears women's lengerie during sexual activities for thrills, has nothing to do with gender identity...).

I'm not a Bible scholar, I hardly read the book at all... but I wonder about the Ethiopian eunuch, for one. I forget the passage where that person appears or in what context.

Secondly, I just had the notion that at least one of the Roman Catholic Church's saints may have been transgendered!! Did Joan of Arc not run around in a knight's armor? Is she not depicted in armor with a very boyish appearance? Food for thought.

[Alecto]

Originally Posted by antiochian

I honestly knew nothing about the T part of GLBT(Q) before I met one of my best friends, a transsexual (she actually dislikes that term, as well as transgender, and gets furious if called a transvestite!--she said a transvestite is generally a straight guy who wears women's lengerie during sexual activities for thrills, has nothing to do with gender identity...).

I'm not a Bible scholar, I hardly read the book at all... but I wonder about the Ethiopian eunuch, for one. I forget the passage where that person appears or in what context.

Secondly, I just had the notion that at least one of the Roman Catholic Church's saints may have been transgendered!! Did Joan of Arc not run around in a knight's armor? Is she not depicted in armor with a very boyish appearance? Food for thought.

That doesn't even get into the rumors of a female Pope...
(Though, yes, that was well after "Biblical times")

[Gennee]

Originally Posted by Alecto

That doesn't even get into the rumors of a female Pope...
(Though, yes, that was well after "Biblical times")

I read recently that there was a female pope. I'll have to remember where I read it.

Gennee

[Gennee]

Originally Posted by antiochian

I honestly knew nothing about the T part of GLBT(Q) before I met one of my best friends, a transsexual (she actually dislikes that term, as well as transgender, and gets furious if called a transvestite!--she said a transvestite is generally a straight guy who wears women's lengerie during sexual activities for thrills, has nothing to do with gender identity...).

I'm not a Bible scholar, I hardly read the book at all... but I wonder about the Ethiopian eunuch, for one. I forget the passage where that person appears or in what context.

Secondly, I just had the notion that at least one of the Roman Catholic Church's saints may have been transgendered!! Did Joan of Arc not run around in a knight's armor? Is she not depicted in armor with a very boyish appearance? Food for thought.

Joan of Arc stated that she felt more comfortable in mens clothing. It was one of the reasons that she was burned at the stake. She defied convention of what a women was suppose to be.

Gennee

[Gennee]

Originally Posted by iowan woman

Gennee,


Note that Andy, in his 1000 thread posting, writes about a feminine description of G-D from the Bible.

Andy also wrote, in the thread Anger, about the Bible being pulled together for political reasons. I refer you to his posts because i don't know a lot; he is a minister and he just made comment on the issue of gender as it relates to G-D. I do know that over the last decades scholars have been excavating and translating ancient texts that were pushed aside. Bible or no, those books portion history, they provide another view of the early work of the church, which was largly feminine.


The people who are spewing hatred are not behaving within the bounds of their religion. Forgive them, they know not what they do, but Gennee, we don't have to hang out with them as long as they feel this way. They're often mean. I pray that one by one they will see their ugliness reflected and be willing to change their ways.


I think LGBT folks are souls whose call it is to show us our eternal nature. Thank you for your posts, for you willingness to be a teacher.

iowanwoman

Fortunately, I haven't experienced this venom but know of people who have. I just pray for them and God will open their eyes and hearts.

Gennee