...since it's been a while. Nothing new going on in my life...except Dave is flying to India this week. I guess that's a big deal. I try not to make it a big deal than I won't be so much in a tizzy over him being gone, half way around the world (!), for 3 weeks!!! I'm experiencing a mixture of elation (for him, great opportunity), jealousy (he'll be touring around the area - Patna, North Bihar - we lived for a few months back in 1990), and sadness (it's hard being a single parent!). So if you think of us please pray - for Dave's trip (he'll be traveling with other folks from Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship) that he would be blessed and have the privilege of blessing. Please pray our family maintains "family" while he's away.
The other thing I wanted to discuss was this "guy" who is pregnant. I posted it a bit ago with Aidan's comment. He's been on Oprah (didn't see it but heard about it a bit on the Laura Ingraham radio program) and it seems "his" pregnancy is making the media rounds. What baffles me is for all intents and purposes he is not a he but a she. I'm willing to discuss this but he/she has a uterus therefore he/she is a she. It doesn't matter in my book if he/she had parts removed and was injecting her/himself with testerone. He is still a she! I mostly feel for the child. You've probably heard that already in light of this story. But I can't help but wonder about the emotional stability of this man/woman. I am trying to extend grace. But my mind just can't wrap itself around this. Please, discuss this with me!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Well....I watched him on Opra's last week. If you did not know anything about him/them/family....he looks like a guy with a pot for a stomach. It is weird. And as for thinking about the child (it's a girl) my question is will growing up in the family with a mother and a father (the parents are going to continue in their present rolls) be any worse/confusing to the child than a child growing up in a gay or lesbian family home? No this is not normal but as we are seeing in the world "things are manipulated" and wah la!
How are we to respond as Christians? That's the question. I think these types of things are only going to become more common. I'm not being cynical just trying to be realistic. We don't have to condone or like what's happening but we do need to remember they are human beings and in need of God's redemption just like everyone else.
it's so confusing. I talked about it with brent after I read your post. I think it's really scary and sad that this will likely start happening more and more. I really try to think through issues and not be closed minded but how can a child grow up in this type of environment and have a clear and healthy understanding of gender roles. Furthermore, is the person carrying the baby continuing to take testosterone while pregnant? If so it seems more likely that the child will be open to considering a sex change for herself when she's older (1. Her parents have done it. 2. She would possibly have a higher level of testosterone in her system than a typical girl therefore causing uncharacteristic male traits)
It is my understanding from the interview that he quit taking the testosterone a couple of years ago knowing he wanted to conceive. Also from the interview he was pregnant last year with a tubal pregnancy and ended up having to have surgery which lessened his chances of conceiving.
He blamed part of his gender role problems on the fact that his mother died (committed suicide) when he/she was 12yrs old. His father who is Asian was always working and never around/distant physically and emotionally. He kept saying he did not have a positive female role model.
I just pity the kid when she goes to school. "Oh, you're the first child of a transgender person! You freak!!"
There are things that are distressing about this but the little girl will grow up with one father-figure, one mother-figure, which is more than a lot of us get, right? As long as they stay together. Just a point on the other side.
Hey, best wishes to Dave on his trip to India. What an opportunity! Hope it goes well.
WEIRD! I'm just glad we're six months behind on Oprah so we don't have to see this kinda stuff. Not like we watch Oprah regularly or something...
Oh, blessings to you and the fam while Uncle Dave is gone! India, huh? I guess he's not stopping over to see us ;o)
I have been wondering if men have more of a problem generally than women with the subject at hand. I'm not talking about approving or disapproving just accepting the fact that these types of situations are going to become more prevalent. Any thoughts?
Probably some clarity is in order, to try and get at some (some) of the moral issues Oprah has mucked up- I believe it was on her show that she or perhaps, the gal in question said, "Its a miracle."
A woman is having a baby. Said woman is posing as a man (granted, she has gone a long way- in identifying herself as such). Said woman is in a relationship with another woman. These seem to be the facts.
There have been no medical breakthroughs here. A man is not pregnant. Wearing guy clothes, taking hormone injections to grow a beard, no more make her a man, than me putting the letters PhD behind my name makes me a Doctor. I don't have the goods, and neither does she. The only thing that makes this slightly more off normal than two lesbians raising a child, is the gender confusion of the gal on top of the sexual confusion already exhibited.
I'm going to disagree with you Marti, this is not more than a lot of kids get- its very different than a lot get, granted, but it is not more. It is far less. I don't think it should be encouraged or dressed up as something that it isn't.
But, the church needs to be body of christ in this- a wounded community, receiving their healing from their wounded head and king.
Now, the genie is out of the bottle, and one cannot unring the bell, so here's what I *think* that might look like.
I suspect the proper Christian community response to be one of compassion and love to this couple and their child, clearly presenting and living the gospel, while promoting healthy same sex and opposite sex boundaries, within the community of faith. Showing hospitality, not judging, but not shying away from what scripture says. In other words, not being more holy than the Holy Spirit, but not living contrary to the Holy Spirit also.
I suspect, suspect- that when the other areas of life- of which sexual and gender brokenness are symptomatic- begin to be bound up and dressed by a the body of Christ, transformation of desires happens- and symptoms dissipate and desires begin to become whole as well. I suspect, this would mean the 'family' would break up as obedience to Christ becomes more of a central focus. Painful, yes... but if in the context of a faithful community, redemption is possible, for all.
Now, I'm not sure if this could ever happen in any church I've ever been a part of. Our prayers for God to break into the lives of these three folks are probably a next step, once we've begun working through our own confusion, and the buttons this brave new world push in us.
And I can't speak for men in general, but this one in particular, certainly does have trouble with this stuff. Its messed up in so many ways, as Aidan said. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, apparently.
oops..
in my third paragraph, I should have said 'brokenness' instead of 'confusion.' Roles are confused because brokenness is present- the brokenness is the result of being born into world in rebellion, going with the confusion is joining the rebellion. Neither can be helped- but one we're a victim of, and the other we're culpable in.
Pharisees attempt to address the confusion, without touching the underlying cause, and end up making far more of a mess of things than if they'd just left things alone in the first place. People end up thinking that by following the rules means ones soul is ok, whole and living.
Jesus addresses us at a soul level-- deep calling unto deep, waterfalls and waves crashing over us (Ps 42)- who we are, actually. Not the face we put up, and have been tricked, by our own hearts, into believing- but through the confusion, defenses, walls and moats we erect to protect ourselves- he addresses the real us.
I suspect none are much different than the gal I've discussed, perhaps in degrees, but not in kind. All need our souls touched by Christ's nail scarred hands. H/T Larry Norman.
Post a Comment