If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t been unconscious the last week, you have heard more about Bruce Jenner’s “transformation” into “Caitlyn”. Interestingly, this isn’t a new thing. I remember a high profile athlete “becoming” a woman 40 years ago (if you remember Renee Richards, you are officially old). So why is everyone so caught up with this? What’s the difference?
The difference is, everyone seems to be celebrating.
As soon as Bruce Jenner announced he has taken the name “Caitlyn” (and posed as a female in Vanity Fair) commentators, talk show hosts, news reporters—even “church leaders”—have rushed to give their support or opinions. And they all share one common theme—every one of those I have read (or heard) now refers to this man as “she”.
Some have blogged that this is an opportunity to show Christian love. To support “her” and love “her”.
But there is a problem with that. “She” is a man. A man who has had some surgeries to disguise that fact, yes. A man who has said he doesn’t want to be a man, yes. A man who has declared he will now be a woman, yes. But in every case still in fact a man. Nothing Bruce Jenner does—or society says—will ever change that basic fact. The fact that he doesn’t like being a man doesn’t change that he is one. The fact that he chooses to see himself as female doesn’t mean he is one. The fact that society has now declared that gender is not an objective reality but a matter of personal preference and perception doesn’t change that. This is nothing new. Even men who have had “sex change surgery” has been going on for millennia. They are called eunuchs.
So, are we now to believe that in order to show “love” and “support” we have to ignore truth and reality? Is loving Bruce Jenner reduced to lying? The answer is “No”.
Love without truth is denial and enabling. Truth without love is rigidity and legalism. Christians who do either are not only planting at least one foot firmly in the world we say we are not part of, but by participating in what is essentially a lie they are sinning, not loving. The result will not be the benefit of the one we are “loving”, but to one degree or another their destruction. This denial is not love, it is if anything, apathy or even hate.
I believe it is time that we who belong to the Kingdom commit ourselves to two things:
- Love. Yes, we must love everyone—including Bruce (there is no “Caitlyn” folks) Jenner. How do we do that? I suspect that differs in every case. I don’t know Bruce Jenner and I have no contact with him, so I am very limited in my ability to love him. I can at least pray for him, and refrain from any gossip or derogatory remarks (and make sure no one else feels comfortable with such behavior in my presence). But more importantly I can commit to standing with and encouraging anyone I do know who struggles with gender identity. Not agreeing with them necessarily, but never allowing that disagreement to make me turn away from them (with the rare exception when church discipline mandates it—and this never applies to those who don’t own Jesus as Lord).
- Truth. Love never requires denial of truth. In fact, love requires truth. The truth of our sin and the curse is not easy or pleasant to hear—but without hearing it we can never change. Societal pressure toward “GroupSpeak” never changes truth—it only changes what we say (or possibly believe). Christians have to guard against this pressure to conform to the use of GroupSpeak—what society has decreed is acceptable and right and even “loving”. Our words should be chosen carefully and reflect reality and truth. If this is offensive it is not because we have offended. And eventually, those who hear may come back to us because they know we have chosen truth.
Bruce Jenner, though I don’t know you, I pray for you because by your own report you have been an extremely troubled man. I grieve for that. But neither that grief nor your feelings changes truth.
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