OceanSide church of Christ

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A DISCUSSION OF TRANSGENDERISM

Is There A Treatment?

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Transgenderism exists when a person feels himself/herself to be a member of the opposite sex.  A man feels that he is a female.  Or, a female feels that she is a male.  This is not just a “passing fancy.”  This is not just someone going along with the crowd.  This is a state of mind that wars within the individual.  Evidences of this mental condition can display themselves very early in the individual’s life, as early as three or four years of age.  Everyone admits that this is a disorder.  The mind does not conform to nature.  The feelings do not harmonize with biology.  The longings oppose the simple teachings found in the pages of the Bible.  The question is:  “Is there a treatment for this disorder?”

            Treatments in the past involved bringing the mind into harmony with one’s body.  If a person were born a man, he was counseled and instructed to be a man.  All therapy was designed to reduce the feelings the individual had to be a woman.  The same was true if a person were born a woman.  All therapy was designed to reduce or eliminate the feelings the individual had to be a man.  Unfortunately, this did not work very well for most transgender persons.  Yes, they would fight their desires, but this only led to anxiety and depression.  Suicides were very common within this group of people.

            In time, treatment changed.  Instead of bringing the mind into harmony with the body, the opposite approach was taken.  The individual’s body was redesigned to bring it into harmony with the person’s feelings.  Therapy would begin with two things:  drugs that caused the body to begin to  fashion itself into the opposite sex and cross-dressing.  The man’s body would lose much of its hair.  He would also start to develop breasts.  The woman’s body would gain hair.  Oftentimes, her voice would get much lower, and her muscle mass would increase.  These and many other physical changes combined with cross-dressing enabled the person to become like the person they felt they were inside.  The man who felt like a woman now looked like a woman.  The woman who felt like a man now looked like a man.  If these things seemed to be successful, after one or two years, some therapists would recommend a sex change operation.  This was a major decision.  Natural sex organs would have to be removed and replaced with organs resembling the sex the individual desired to be.  These changes in treatment helped to lessen some of the other mental conditions transgender people faced such as anxiety and depression.  The reality, however, is that even these treatments were not full-proof.  Many transgender individuals still struggled with mental issues.  Some of them still struggled with their sexual identity.  Even though they had changed their body type, they still sexually desired those of the opposite sex from which they were born.  In other words, they now had to contend with the issues of homosexuality and lesbianism. 

            There is another form of treatment that exists, but it is not promoted by very many individuals.  This treatment involves the individual finding their identity in Christ.  These individuals accept that the war between their feelings and their bodies is a spiritual battle.  They do not oppose science.  They certainly do not want to oppose the teachings of the Word of God.  These individuals, therefore, are willing to fight sin and temptation while on earth in order to gain their heavenly reward.  Their fight becomes much like the struggle that a drug addict would face.  The desires are lessened, but they never go away.  The individual learns to overcome the desires.  He has individuals help him when the desires grow strong.  The person uses his life for a spiritual purpose.  The person accepts that this will be a battle he will face until he dies.  His sacrifice, however, does not cause him to grow bitter.  He fights because he loves the Lord Jesus Christ.  Being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ is more important to him than being a transgender individual. 

            Those who choose the third option are must like the apostle Paul.  Paul, too, willingly gave up the things that were gain to him for Jesus Christ.  It is difficult for us to understand the pride and honor the Jews had in their heritage.  According to Philippians 3:4-5, Paul had much about which to boast as a Jew.  Here is how he describes what he had.  “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.  If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:  circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”  Paul was a model Jew.  He took advantage of all of his opportunities and blessings in the Jewish religion. 

            Then, he was called to become a Christian.  Regardless of how much he loved and appreciated Judaism, he could not remain therein and be pleasing to the Christ.  He describes his decision with these words:  “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:  for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:7-8).  Paul made a conscious decision to give everything up.  It would not be easy, and it would cost him dearly.  Having made up his mind, he never looked back.  He wrote:  “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). 

            Yes, Paul understood the importance of how he was supposed to live his life here.  This world was not his home.  “For our conversation is in heaven…” (Phil. 3:20).  Whatever it took to reach that heavenly abode, Paul was willing to do it.  When he came to the close of his life, these were his words:  “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…” (II Tim. 4:6-8a).  This is the decision that some transgender persons have made for their lives as well.  They sacrifice their feelings and desires in order to have a crown of righteousness given to them on the last day.  And, Paul affirmed they would receive it.  Listen to all of II Timothy 4:8.  “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 

            Some will argue that finding one’s identity in Christ does not solve the problem of transgender people.  We have never said that it solves the problem.  Others will argue that by presenting this option, we make is sound far too simple a matter.  This is not what is intended.  Christianity never affirmed that its practice is easy, but it is an option.  There have been numerous people who have chosen to allow their conversation to become as the gospel of Christ (Phil. 1:27).  Their lives were not ruined because of this choise.  In fact, they found purpose in life that many transgender people never seem to find.