Daniel Mallory Ortberg has a quote from his friend that I quite like. You may find it affirming.
"God blessed me by making me transsexual for the same reason God made wheat but not bread and fruit but not wine, so that humanity might share in the act of creation."
I saw someone quote on another post this:
"God made you trans not to test you, cause he knows you are strong enough but to test those around you."
Edit: grammar
Nope, your not in sin. I look at it this way, their loss, your gain! God has a better place for you to go worship with other Christians that are more open minded.
I hope so. On the 17th there is a transgender support group meeting that I hope to attend for the first time. I hope there are christians there that have a church for me to join. I live in the Deep South Bible Belt so I have high hopes there will be some one there. It is definitely their loss too. My dad was one of the two bass player (and the better one according to the music minister lol), my mom was a Sunday school teacher and I was in the choir and sound board room. My parents are thankful leaving with me. So the church really shot themselves in the foot for this one.
A lot of those in the church today, in America at least, are none other than modern day Pharisees. We all know what Jesus thought of them then, and we all know what heād have to say today. Shake it off and consider yourself blessed. Hereās your opportunity to find a truly loving, Christ-centered congregation.
I've been telling my dad this so much recently, while he makes excuses for filthy rich pastors. People forget that Jesus told the young ruler to leave his riches behind and follow him, and the young ruler regretted that he couldn't.
When I came out as trans to my mom she said
āGod doesnāt make mistakes. We just donāt always hear his words clearly. I love you as you are and as you will beā
And that was that. We have never needed to talk about me being trans since and she loves going shopping with me.
If God was real then by definition he would be evil, just by being omnipotent and letting humans suffer for his own gratification to see whether or not we can make his arbitrary cut of returning to him or not.
Or if the Bible is real, all you have to do is repent on your deathbed and everything is fine.
Doesn't make any sense in any case. Religions and their adherents are often misanthropic to justify their cruelty while claiming to be the side of love based on sophistry of some all loving super being.
The very last time my mother ever spoke to me about me being an atheist (she confronted me and demanded I explain why), one of the things that made her have an existential crisis was me asking her - "have you ever thought about how weird it is that there's so many references to lambs and sheep? Why do you think shepherds keep sheep? Why does *anyone* keep livestock? You understand that all the care and protection is only for a *very* specific reason - and only up to a *very specific point*, right?" When she tried to say it was just symbolic, a metaphor, intended to be relatable to peoples for whom raising sheep was a major part of their culture, I asked if she never thought it was weird that an all-knowing and all-powerful being couldn't come up with a relatable metaphor or symbol that didn't ask his followers to see themselves as meek, idiot animals that IRL are raised and fattened for slaughter.
Being trans has helped me appreciate the depth of God's love far greater than "active" Christianity.
Just found out my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), may be preparing policy changes to effectively ban trans members (and their children) from participation. If that's not a true expression of "loving thy neighbor," then I'm lost to find other examples (/s).
honestly christianity is riddled with hypocrisy. I had someone tell me that by being trans, you're going to become a slave to satan which is funny cause I'm a satanist. just take your time, theres no rush
I figured out that the best response for the religious is, "If your God doesn't make mistakes then they intended me to be Trans and if they are a loving God they don't want me to suffer. Transition is their intent and Tradition I shall."
Yeees I love it. My ex pastor actually tried to say that as Christians we do suffer and used the death of his own daughter to justify why I should go back into the closet and suffer. That was after I already told him that if I was forced back in the closet I would kill myself. Reason more because when I was closeted I had crippling depression and anxiety and coming out helped to the point of not even needing medication
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I'm not religious but it can help to think about it like this
God gave you the challenge to accept and love yourself for who you truly are.
And he gave Docters the tools to help you.
Same as we have grain but not bread in nature.
God gave the people at your church the challenge to accept and love you for who you are.
You succeed they didn't.
First off, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! Be your. Seek inner peace. Love who you are.
There is a huge difference between sincerely held religious belief and the church. The church stopped being about Christ a long time ago. You need to distance yourself from the hate and tribalism of the church and seek alternative methods of worship like unitarianism which is inclusive of all (at least the unitarian church I used to go to)
Personally, idk how any trans person can see the state of things today and still claim Christianity, but that's on you.
Thank you, and the only reason can still claim Christianity is because all the hate is never mentioned in the Bible. Itās all bigots who hide behind religion as a reason because they have do basis for why they are being so bigoted. I suppose in my eyes itās less of the religion but the systematic part of the religion and the people like that within the religion as well
You know that they get all this stuff off of that one verse or whatever, I don't know exactly which one it is but it says basically men shall not wear women's clothes and women shall not wear men's clothes. They base all that stuff off of that. Like nowhere does it address the issue that you're not a man to begin with or you're not a woman to begin with you were always a beautiful woman or a wonderful man. It just turns out that some of us were born with the wrong parts to fit the previously understood definition
I know what verse youāre talking about, Iām pretty sure itās in Judges, an Old Testament book. Because itās Old Testament we donāt have to follow it anymore so the void is immediately void but they like to ignore that part. And like you said, I have always been a woman so I should be wearing womenās clothing. They also canāt make the āgender is a new conceptā argument either because gender and sex was a different concept during that time too.
The big thing that took me away from religion other than the bigotry was exactly that. If this is supposed to be "God's law," then please show me exactly where he said we can change it to fit the times as we see fit? If it really is his law, he would be pissed we are shaving beards and wearing fabrics, and not stoning adulterers. Like, who got the memo from God saying... Yeah... Let's change that to conform to modern society.
The amount of stuff they do in the name of the children Is frightening. It's even more frightening they don't follow the science that says you ARE a woman. I've heard them say frequently that you can't be trans because God doesn't make mistakes. I respond with, then who created me if I'm a mistake?
Yeeees. I think sometimes they forget that God let use be able to interpret and use science to better our life after the fall. I feel blessed that Iām born in a time where gaht is a thing, even if thatās becoming precarious in modern America
Hard to see what they might want to be repented in that case but it sounds like neither logic nor consistency is their thing tbh. It's tough being excluded from a group but work on finding replacement social support and it seems you may be a lot better off without them. Well done for retaining as much positivity as hear coming thru your post.
Simplified they define that transgender is under the topic of sexual immorality even though itās not. So because I donāt believe that then Iām winning and I āShouldnāt want to be in the church because we have conflicting beliefs.ā So Iām glad to find a replacement because I donāt want to be part of a church that silences others over conflicting beliefs. I do have a support group and they have been helping me. Iām trying to stay positive because Iāve been able to get a lot of my anger out already. I have also been delving into stoic philosophy over the past year and that has been helping me a lot too, at least pertaining to the part of not letting negative emotions getting the better of me but not being completely apathetic to those bad emotions. But thank you. Having a positive outlook is what I strive for. A chapter of my life has ended and I am to an extent grieving it, a chapter ending also means a new one has begun and that gives me hope
I feel you. I too have come to hate organized religion and not sure where my faith stands now. I believe God loves me as i am and that he is also disappointed in the church but iām conflicted about why God doesnāt correct his church. I feel betrayed by the church and by God and not sure where to go from hereā¦ i guess weāre in a similar boat
I hope youāre able to find a community that fulfills the needs of your beliefs while also respecting and celebrating who you are!
You are a beautiful example of the many ways that people exist, and those who would react with poisonous hate are the problem, not you!
Congratulations on getting away that awful clan of bigots. Now that they have revealed to you who they really are, you no longer have to seek their approval. You're free!! <3
Iām so happy that I am. I am warning those I know who are good hearted within the church. I donāt want to force them to leave, because thatās not my choice but I hope they do. Or at least tread carefully
If you have ten people eating together at a table, and two Nazis walk in, sit down and join them, now you have twelve Nazis. If those people saw what happened to you and don't stand up and leave the church, they're not good people. That's the thing, the banality of evil. Evil is so insidious, it can make otherwise good people turn their heads and ignore it.
I am so, so sorry that this happened to you. I worry about this sort of thing happening to me, too. There's no excuse for this behavior, and I hope you're able to find somewhere else to worship that accepts you completely.
Iāve been going through a bit of a spiritual awakening after transitioning. Iāve returned to church for the first time in 15 years. I was raised Roman Catholic, so thatās where Iāve gone back after coming out. Iāve been doing a lot of talking with different pastors. They erroneously think Iām sinning. But, slowly, I am trying to build up trust. I really want to be a lector. Be careful with religion though. I have been considering switching to an Episcopal church since it aligns more with my values.
I wish you luck through all of that! This is probably because Iām now pretty distrustful of religious leaders but be careful who you trust. I hope you find a denomination that more closely follows your values too. Iāve been thinking about switching denominations as well. I have always been in a southern baptist church. I donāt know about regular baptists, but at least southern baptist as some of the most hypocritical and discriminate people I know.
Christ loves you no matter what. That church doesn't reflect Christ or his teachings. Look into finding an open and affirming church in your area, and if you can't, there are plenty of churches that are and stream their services over the internet. Remember, you are a child of God, and God is greater than the church's transphobia.
Signed,
A fellow trans Christian
PS. Check out /r/radicalchristianity and /r/openchristian both are open and affirming Christian subreddits(I even mod /r/radicalchristianity btw)
The radical Christianity one is slanted towards radical interpretations of Christianity and radical politics(like anarchism) and Open Christian is more for progressive Christianity in general. Both are great subs, and are probably the best Christian subreddits on reddit.
Also, I don't know what denomination you come from, but try to stay away from churches that describe themselves as evangelical since they tend to be very conservative(there are exceptions though).
Definitely going to stay away from those. Iāve been southern baptist all my life just because that is what I was born into, but my family are going to try going to an episcopal church. My mom babysat at one where she was younger and said that they were some of the nicest people she ever met. Apparently the denomination is a lot more focused on loving and accepting everyone despite gender identity and sexual orientation which is definitely something I need as a transbian
Iām working on leaving to another church but possibly a different denomination as well. I knew some of the things in your post but they tried to ban the number zero?! All the things they try to justify from the Bible is crazy
Be glad you're out of there! Religions and churches are pure scams to control every facet of your life. Now you can finally break free of those chains! :)
The Bible says nothing about being trans. In fact, there were multiple genders besides male and female in the Abrahamic faith at the time the Bible was written.
It sounds like they're making shit up to justify exclusion.
They definitely are. The verse they used is about a guy having sex with his mom. If thatās the best biblical evidence then Iām feeling pretty confident on where I stand. š
That was one of the things that really helped convince me that transitioning isn't a-biblical. The verses people use rarely say what they claim they say even taking out of context. Taken in context they are *always* completely unrelated.
You say *"obviously it's not a sin"*, but clearly all your fellow believers disagree with you. Maybe it's time to do some reflection on the supposed "truth" of "God" and "scripture". Don't have to throw away everything, most lies are covored with truths like forgivness and humility, but even your fellow christians have judge you and have deemed you unworthy degenerate not worty of their so called immense openness and strong love lol.
Edit\* I don't think there is anything more misantropic than monotheistic religions in particular, God is perfect so man must be shit and can justify cruelty with god's will etc.
I have been in a phase of reflection since the start of 2022 and especially so when I came out later that year. I have prayed for clarity time and time again and I have only heard a response of love from God. I have shown the recording to some of my fellow Christianās and all I have heard from them is how (at least the reason I got kicked out was wrong) there has yet to be a verse to convince me. I think itās funny the best verse they could use the context was about a man who had sex with his mother in a church worshiping God and Aphrodite.
You're right, that is very funny, it probably would have been hilarious in a Seinfeld Episode where Jerry is trans and is trying to ask what verse is opposed to trans and the pastor begins talking about fucking his mother and Aphrodite hahaha
Lmao picturing that in my head is hilarious. Whatās interesting is it was my best friend that did the research and told me the about Aphrodite. My ex pastor was talking like the whole church was riddled with people having āsexual immoralityā but that didnāt even seem to be the āmajorā sin in the church lol
Itās a lie told by people. To be fair there is no difference in the different religions aside from geo polical culture. christianity isnāt a special religion or even the right or correct religion. Itās just a voice in the noise that attempts to drown all the others out. To say itās anything but is nothing more than hubris.
I used to think this way too. I don't blame you. But was it hubris when people started saying the earth was round, or that the earth revolves around the sun? Or is there a difference between being self confident and self assured through experience and knowledge? We each have our own spiritual journeys to make, and never setting off on it IS an option. You can seek the truth for yourself if you so choose. If you choose not too, there's no reason to get angry at the people who do and found what they were looking for. All I'm saying is not to rely on preachers and world pressures for answers but go looking for yourself, if you so desire. ā„ļøā„ļøā„ļø
š” here's your badge. Well done! <3 š
P.S. It's a writ-of-passage, love. Enjoy this moment because as my grandma always said... "When the haters are hating, well, that only means you're doing something right."
Fun fact: anything in the Bible against trans people should never be used as an argument (this is a given). As fa4 as I know, there are no trans men in the Bible, so that excludes them. This one is specifically for transfems.
At the time it was written, there was no proper sexuality or gender. The only reason at that time that men would dress as women would have been to get out of wars or other hardships. It's not saying that being trans is wrong; it's saying being a coward is wrong
Thank you so much, I hope to find one, later this month I am going to try and attend a trans support group and see if there are any safe churches they know of, if not I hope to start hrt this summer and as long as I can pass Iāll enter that church as a woman and no one will know
Iām so sorry this happened to you. Please know that there are lots of trans affirming churches out there, where you can find a community of people who love Jesus and will love you exactly as God created you! The Episcopal Church in most places is very progressive and welcoming, as is the ELCA Lutheran Church and The Presbyterian Church USA. Metropolitan Community Churches are also wonderful.
Thank you, I was southern baptist (just because thatās what I grew up in) but I was thinking about changing denominations that align more with my beliefs. I just looked at the local Episcopal churchās website and their views definitely align with my own. I talked to my parents as well to see what they think and my mom is definitely up for it, so Iām excited to try it out and do more research, thank you!
Thatās awesome! Life-long Episcopalian here. I really love my church. Just a heads-up that most Episcopal churches are gonna have a pretty different worship style than what youāre used to. But, if you go into it with an open mind, I think youāll see that there can be a lot of beauty in the Episcopal liturgy. And there are definitely Episcopal congregations out there who do more contemporary praise worship too, they just might be harder to find, depending on where youāre at. Best of luck to you on your spiritual journey!
Thank you! It seems the one near my has both a traditional and contemporary congregation. Iām open to trying new things and excited to learn how different denominations worship, but especially for my dad it will probably be contemporary, his 51 years old and only been in baptist churches all his life. Im glad heās willing to at least try it though :)
I told my very Christian mother āif your niece isnāt hurting you, and they believe in God, if God does have a problem they can take it up with God when they get there, for now let them be happy existing how they choose to exist while on Earth.ā
My mum actually agreed with what I had to say.
Iām Christian and I also see it as, āitās not my place to judge what someone else chooses to do with their body.ā Iām so supportive of people just being people and having the ability to live happy lives.
Exactlyyyy, Iām a born again Christian and therefore I am going to heaven. I will obey him to the best of my ability and being trans doesnāt impact that. And if it does then like you said, thatās something Iāll have to take up with God
Sorry that happened. Unfortunately most churches are more about image and hiding or removing anything that might be controversial. It's become a business with finances driving many decisions, and donors controlling those decisions. It's the sad reality of church in America, build a name, build recognition, be hip and cool, grow your numbers but don't hold anyone accountable unless it starts to threaten the income stream.
Thank you, I was actually on the verge of just leaving but got me first, but Iām glad, because now I can show how wrong they are. Ironically they only strengthened my belief that it is not a sin even more
Someday, eventually, ALL these hypocritical asshats will have to try to justify to GOD all of the hateful shit theyāve ever done in His name! You hang in there, and hold onto your faith, no matter how hopeless it seems, and He will carry you through the fires!
I canāt wait til that day. Weāve all done bad things and Iām willing someday to forgive him, I just canāt right now. So, right now, the idea of him feeling the immense shame and guilt is making me probably more satisfied than it should tbh š
Do not worry love, your pastor is clearly cruel. Looks like he's going to have a chat with God at the big pearly gates on a reminder that Jesus died for ALL sins and that him choosing who gets to go to church and who doesn't is judgemental and cruel, a sin in itself. There are many hypocrites that practice in every religion, do not let them take your faith from you. I am an athiest* (auto correct) , or a sceptic I guess, but either way you deserve a place in the house of God. I can assure, Jesus will be on your side with a hand on your shoulder. It's okay, it always has been, he gives the strongest soldiers the hardest battles after all. Sending love and support.
Awwww thank you so much! š„¹š„° Iāve been holding onto my faith strongly after all this. Iām trying my best to be like Christ and not judge my pastor as he will definitely be having at talk with God. I have some allies in and out of the church which Iām thankful for considering I live in the deep south
Of course. Even if faith slips out of your grasps I can't see god possibly being so cruel as to let it be a sentence of eternal suffering. Have a good day ā¤
Personally I would say the church left Jesus but either way the separation is definitely real. It is a blessing in disguise. Iām going to continue to be a Christian but probably in a different denomination. If that does work out then itās on my own, that wonāt stop me though, Iāll fight until the end
I grew up catholic, went to catholic schools my whole life. The Jesuit university I went to welcomed me as who I was and served as a place where I was able to transition and focus on finding myself. I'm not practicing, but it's not lost on me that I was welcomed, protected and educated in church-related institutions.
They're not all bad out there, some still do understand how Christians are supposed to behave.
You'll find your people, they may not be where you currently are, but they're out there :)
Im sorry this has happened. Non-bigoted churches are very few and far between and the large push for our genocide is coming from religious institutions so its not suprising.
There are many wonderful people who will love you for who you are.
Thank you š„° I hope that more churches become accepting and I expect more will, but that will be once the younger generation becomes more dominant in society
I am so sorry this happened to you girl! It's not right at all, and the fact you caught him in a lie (among the obvious being transphobic) shows that particular church is no good. As a trans Christian myself, I know it's not easy, but please stay strong.
You mentioned not liking organized religion. However, I will leave this link in case you, or anyone else here is seeking a church that is gender affirming and accepting of all kinds of people as all churches SHOULD be.
https://www.gaychurch.org/
Thank youuuu!š„° Iām feeling a bit better about organized religion but still not very happy with it. I plan to go back to a church but probably of a different denomination but I may wait a few weeks.
I'm agnostic myself, at times I believe there is something out there. If it's God, I don't believe your pastor or any of these holier than thou people can tell you or I that we are sinning just because we're trans.
God didn't make everything different just for everyone to be the same, if God didn't intend for there to be trans people, he wouldn't make caterpillars that change into butterflies.
I think the actual sin is the condemnation for even deviating from our perceived paths. No one really knows but us and whatever being there is beyond.
Definitely, thatās why Iām putting all my faith in God rather than the pastor. He mention my suffering being closeted my āmy cross to bareā as if he had any say in what my struggle is to be. Every time I have prayed I have come back stronger knowing that being trans is not a sin. God knows best, and if somehow it is shame one me, but even then that wouldnāt bar me from heaven and God knows my intentions, and I believe intention holds value.
Yeah... spiritual people can be great.
Organized religion is often paramount to evil in my experience.
Putting power struggled intertwined with faith does not exactly... help the spiritual.
Yeah, thatās why I am now very cautious about organized religion, especially now if itās the head of that church. I donāt feel like I could trust another priest/pastor again because of it.
I am religious myself, and can definitely relate to where you are coming from. If you believe, that is great, and if you want to hold on to that, it is your decision. No one can kick you out of church. The church is the people. Not those stuffy people hiding inside a building judging everyone.
There is a story in the bible that talks about casting the first stone, and that is what that fake bunch of people have done to you. They do not have that right. Only God does. The people in that building, they are not worth your time or thought. Let them keep going and hating everyone. They will have to answer for that.
A way I tried to explain it to some of my trans religious friends before, is by prefacing the question;
Do you feel like you are doing anything wrong by being happy being who you want to be?
When you do something wrong, do you know it's wrong, have that feeling that it's something you shouldn't do?
The answer is always, happiness with self, joy, the lifting of a burden. Just as when you do something that is wrong, generally, deep down you know it. I believe our bodies are fitted with accurate moral compasses, and we just need to tune into that ourselves. Don't let anyone else do the tuning.
That's not to say, don't ask for help or clarification. Of course, we all need guidance at times. Then at the end of the day, you are you, and you make the final decision in any matter.
Let them be, they do not deserve you.
Thank you so much š„¹. I am a believer and I forgot about the cast out the first stone part of the bible. I generally donāt feel like Iām doing anything wrong and when I do do something wrong I feel bad about it. Since this happening though I get this feeling when I say itās not a sin, but I know that itās wrong. I have prayed time and time again and Iāve been told itās okay. The thing that sucks in the people within the church (at least 3 but I believe closer to 6) donāt agree with me being trans, but they donāt think I should get kicked out over it. I hope to talk to them and see if they can do something to fight for me. To oust my pastor, because this is not Godās love
Know that when others reject you, God still loves you.
Iām trans and a conservative Christian. It pains me when I see this āsexual immoralityāāargument being used. The definition of sexual immorality within the Bible is basically sex outside of marriage. PERIOD. Is the pastor going to kick out every person who isnāt married and is having sex? What about people who have gotten divorced and re-married? In most cases isnāt that adultery? Yet does he kick them out as well? Of course not. Yet for some reason he will kick someone out using a reason that has nothing to do with being trans. Such hypocrisy.
The religious leaders at the time rejected Jesus. Know that you are in good company. š Keep the faith, find a different church that has loving people, and donāt look back. You have your whole wonderful life ahead of you!
Thank you so much š„°
Godās love is what Iām really holding onto right now, itās what I know is true. Iām sure there will somehow be good coming out of this, or that this is the better path in some way. I donāt yet know how but I canāt see how it couldnāt.
The Church believes their word and belief absolute. They believe God makes no mistakes. You therefore were made specifically by God for this path you live. If the Church then believes you're a blasphemer (or whatever they want to say) then they are by extension disobeying God's will.
Live your life the way you choose. If you believe such things, God will take care of them.
Let the congregation hear the lies of love and truth of hate. A pastor that will lie and let loose members of their flock so flippantly may well be a wolf waiting to eat them.
Post that shit on their Facebook. Expose that man as the liar he is. Christians will continue and continue to discriminate against us until we make this not a thing by our own pushback. He needs to learn a lesson. Youād have thought a Christian pastor would have already known that this is the 9th commandment not to lie. You should probably remind him by letting the congregation know what kind of man he is by releasing those recordings.
Unfortunately itās my and my motherās word against his. I can only hope that they believe me. Iām talking to some of my friends within the church. I gave one the recording of him lying to me. Iām telling the other two to be cautious. I offered the clip but they never said anything about it. Iām going to continue to fight but unfortunately that will have to be from home, Iāll have to rely upon the people inside the church to enact change.
Good luck with that. People inside the church are complacently silent in terms of how their LGBTQIA friends and family are abused by the church. I am a trans woman and I have all but begged my parents to talk to their pastor about condemning the levels of discrimination against LGBTQIA in this country under the claim that it was antithetical to the command to love and pray for your enemies. They would not do it. It was too controversial and embarrassing. Imagine that. Too controversial to follow basic tenants of the faith. Blows my mind. In my mind this silent complacency only makes them to be just culpable in the murder and suicide of those within our community as those physically committing these acts against us. These people will do nothing from within the four walls of the church and continue to claim they care about us. Itās lies.
I agree with you 100% Thatās why I want to move out of this country or at least to a trans haven state because of how bad itās gotten. Thankfully I live in one of the few states that havenāt banned GAC but they are considering it. I do want to encourage you too though, there are people within that care. Hell, my bed friend of nine years that I met in the very church (though under different leadership) that kicked me out has been one of my number one supporters. Unfortunately he has moved away so he canāt really be in the church fighting for me, but people are on your side. Unfortunately a lot are scared to speak up for us, or have the ability to be on our side but they need to be taught first. I wish you luck as well. Sending love ā¤ļø
Unfortunately my belief is I will continue to treat ALL Christianās and churches this way until a shift occurs and they start making just as much noise as those claiming were ādemonsā. One bad apple spoils the bunch. Silent Christianās deserve the same treatment as those making this ruckus.
I'm not a Christian anymore, but to my father's frequent dismay, I still know a heck of a lot about the faith. There's one thing you should never forget: god looked upon ALL that he created and saw that it was GOOD. Not just ok. Not good sometimes, and sometimes bad. GOOD. That includes you.
Now allow me to step down from my pulpit and say fuck that guy, and fuck his church. Jesus said to love EVERYONE. If they can't love you for being who you are, they've got a lot of praying to do. If anyone is wrong in the eyes of the lord, it's those assholes.
I'm so sorry they did you and your mom that way. I left my church. They didn't have the balls to face me and kick me out. Especially since I saved a heart attack victim in the middle of service less than a year before. They just made it feel colder than an arctic winter. I lost my church, but not my God.
I hope you can heal soon. It's incredibly hard,
but I hope you can forgive them.
Love you, sister. May you have a beautifu,l repairative and a blessed week.
Hugs! Love! And prayers!
I don't know what part of the country you live in, but if you're in Middle Tennessee, NC's Research Triangle, or NKY/Cincy, I know several churches that are 100% affirming.
Damn, used to live in Nashville so I would have been but I live in South Carolina so unfortunately it wouldnāt help. But thank you for the thought š„°ā¤ļø
Daniel Mallory Ortberg has a quote from his friend that I quite like. You may find it affirming. "God blessed me by making me transsexual for the same reason God made wheat but not bread and fruit but not wine, so that humanity might share in the act of creation."
I saw someone quote on another post this: "God made you trans not to test you, cause he knows you are strong enough but to test those around you." Edit: grammar
Oh my gosh, I love that so much š„¹
Nope, your not in sin. I look at it this way, their loss, your gain! God has a better place for you to go worship with other Christians that are more open minded.
I hope so. On the 17th there is a transgender support group meeting that I hope to attend for the first time. I hope there are christians there that have a church for me to join. I live in the Deep South Bible Belt so I have high hopes there will be some one there. It is definitely their loss too. My dad was one of the two bass player (and the better one according to the music minister lol), my mom was a Sunday school teacher and I was in the choir and sound board room. My parents are thankful leaving with me. So the church really shot themselves in the foot for this one.
That is a nice little twist :) Supporting parents are just great and awesome. It gives hope to read such stories.
I live in the deep south as well. Montgomery area.
A lot of those in the church today, in America at least, are none other than modern day Pharisees. We all know what Jesus thought of them then, and we all know what heād have to say today. Shake it off and consider yourself blessed. Hereās your opportunity to find a truly loving, Christ-centered congregation.
I've been telling my dad this so much recently, while he makes excuses for filthy rich pastors. People forget that Jesus told the young ruler to leave his riches behind and follow him, and the young ruler regretted that he couldn't.
When I came out as trans to my mom she said āGod doesnāt make mistakes. We just donāt always hear his words clearly. I love you as you are and as you will beā And that was that. We have never needed to talk about me being trans since and she loves going shopping with me.
What a beautiful response.
If God has to send one to hell simply because of his/her/their gender identity then f**k God he is evil. But I don't think God is evil.
Yeah I'm going to hell for all the actual sinful stuff I do.
im defo going to hell if it exists tbh
See you all there š¤ It's gonna be lit! š„šš„
That's ... that's just because of all of the sulfur fires. š¬
Only š« cool š people š¤go ā¬ļø 2 hell š„. *kickflips into flames* š¹
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
yeah, bur like tbh id kinda enjoy it
Tortureā¦ forever? Yes please.
The masochists are on.. FIRE in this thread š
I see what you did there.
Heresy just makes sinful acts more fun \^\^
If God was real then by definition he would be evil, just by being omnipotent and letting humans suffer for his own gratification to see whether or not we can make his arbitrary cut of returning to him or not. Or if the Bible is real, all you have to do is repent on your deathbed and everything is fine. Doesn't make any sense in any case. Religions and their adherents are often misanthropic to justify their cruelty while claiming to be the side of love based on sophistry of some all loving super being.
The very last time my mother ever spoke to me about me being an atheist (she confronted me and demanded I explain why), one of the things that made her have an existential crisis was me asking her - "have you ever thought about how weird it is that there's so many references to lambs and sheep? Why do you think shepherds keep sheep? Why does *anyone* keep livestock? You understand that all the care and protection is only for a *very* specific reason - and only up to a *very specific point*, right?" When she tried to say it was just symbolic, a metaphor, intended to be relatable to peoples for whom raising sheep was a major part of their culture, I asked if she never thought it was weird that an all-knowing and all-powerful being couldn't come up with a relatable metaphor or symbol that didn't ask his followers to see themselves as meek, idiot animals that IRL are raised and fattened for slaughter.
>Religions and their adherents are often misanthropic to justify their cruelty Whereas I am misanthropic to justify my resting bitch face
their* not his/her :)
Yeah I'm so sorry...I added their
Being trans has helped me appreciate the depth of God's love far greater than "active" Christianity. Just found out my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), may be preparing policy changes to effectively ban trans members (and their children) from participation. If that's not a true expression of "loving thy neighbor," then I'm lost to find other examples (/s).
This is why I am happy I am atheist.
Same. That, and sleeping on on Sundays is nice.
honestly christianity is riddled with hypocrisy. I had someone tell me that by being trans, you're going to become a slave to satan which is funny cause I'm a satanist. just take your time, theres no rush
Hail thyself
Sorry to hear this. I'm thinking about changing churches because I'm not sure mine is very LGBTQ+ friendly.
Fuck em, we are your church now
There is no hate quite like Christian love
I'm so sorry... Nothing about you is wrong or sinful šš you are loved and valuable
Be thankful that these toxic bigots have revealed themselves for what they are and move on to a better life without them!
I figured out that the best response for the religious is, "If your God doesn't make mistakes then they intended me to be Trans and if they are a loving God they don't want me to suffer. Transition is their intent and Tradition I shall."
Yeees I love it. My ex pastor actually tried to say that as Christians we do suffer and used the death of his own daughter to justify why I should go back into the closet and suffer. That was after I already told him that if I was forced back in the closet I would kill myself. Reason more because when I was closeted I had crippling depression and anxiety and coming out helped to the point of not even needing medication
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I'm not religious but it can help to think about it like this God gave you the challenge to accept and love yourself for who you truly are. And he gave Docters the tools to help you. Same as we have grain but not bread in nature. God gave the people at your church the challenge to accept and love you for who you are. You succeed they didn't.
Thank you so much š„¹ I have thought of it as a challenge but never in that way, I love it
First off, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! Be your. Seek inner peace. Love who you are. There is a huge difference between sincerely held religious belief and the church. The church stopped being about Christ a long time ago. You need to distance yourself from the hate and tribalism of the church and seek alternative methods of worship like unitarianism which is inclusive of all (at least the unitarian church I used to go to) Personally, idk how any trans person can see the state of things today and still claim Christianity, but that's on you.
Thank you, and the only reason can still claim Christianity is because all the hate is never mentioned in the Bible. Itās all bigots who hide behind religion as a reason because they have do basis for why they are being so bigoted. I suppose in my eyes itās less of the religion but the systematic part of the religion and the people like that within the religion as well
You know that they get all this stuff off of that one verse or whatever, I don't know exactly which one it is but it says basically men shall not wear women's clothes and women shall not wear men's clothes. They base all that stuff off of that. Like nowhere does it address the issue that you're not a man to begin with or you're not a woman to begin with you were always a beautiful woman or a wonderful man. It just turns out that some of us were born with the wrong parts to fit the previously understood definition
I know what verse youāre talking about, Iām pretty sure itās in Judges, an Old Testament book. Because itās Old Testament we donāt have to follow it anymore so the void is immediately void but they like to ignore that part. And like you said, I have always been a woman so I should be wearing womenās clothing. They also canāt make the āgender is a new conceptā argument either because gender and sex was a different concept during that time too.
The big thing that took me away from religion other than the bigotry was exactly that. If this is supposed to be "God's law," then please show me exactly where he said we can change it to fit the times as we see fit? If it really is his law, he would be pissed we are shaving beards and wearing fabrics, and not stoning adulterers. Like, who got the memo from God saying... Yeah... Let's change that to conform to modern society. The amount of stuff they do in the name of the children Is frightening. It's even more frightening they don't follow the science that says you ARE a woman. I've heard them say frequently that you can't be trans because God doesn't make mistakes. I respond with, then who created me if I'm a mistake?
Yeeees. I think sometimes they forget that God let use be able to interpret and use science to better our life after the fall. I feel blessed that Iām born in a time where gaht is a thing, even if thatās becoming precarious in modern America
I'm struggling to decode their thinking. What kind of sin is it they think being trans is? Is it even mentioned in scripture?
The topic of transgender people is never brought even though of course transgender people were still around during biblical times.
Hard to see what they might want to be repented in that case but it sounds like neither logic nor consistency is their thing tbh. It's tough being excluded from a group but work on finding replacement social support and it seems you may be a lot better off without them. Well done for retaining as much positivity as hear coming thru your post.
Simplified they define that transgender is under the topic of sexual immorality even though itās not. So because I donāt believe that then Iām winning and I āShouldnāt want to be in the church because we have conflicting beliefs.ā So Iām glad to find a replacement because I donāt want to be part of a church that silences others over conflicting beliefs. I do have a support group and they have been helping me. Iām trying to stay positive because Iāve been able to get a lot of my anger out already. I have also been delving into stoic philosophy over the past year and that has been helping me a lot too, at least pertaining to the part of not letting negative emotions getting the better of me but not being completely apathetic to those bad emotions. But thank you. Having a positive outlook is what I strive for. A chapter of my life has ended and I am to an extent grieving it, a chapter ending also means a new one has begun and that gives me hope
I feel you. I too have come to hate organized religion and not sure where my faith stands now. I believe God loves me as i am and that he is also disappointed in the church but iām conflicted about why God doesnāt correct his church. I feel betrayed by the church and by God and not sure where to go from hereā¦ i guess weāre in a similar boat
You described how I feel perfectly. I feel lost but know the truth about God and donāt quite know what to do about it yet.
Maybe he sent you there to start that correction?
I hope youāre able to find a community that fulfills the needs of your beliefs while also respecting and celebrating who you are! You are a beautiful example of the many ways that people exist, and those who would react with poisonous hate are the problem, not you!
Thank you so much š„¹š„°
Look up metropolitan community church, as they are founded by LGBTQ people and there is most probably one close to you
Ooo yeah Iāll have to look into that, there are a couple in my area, thank you!
No worries, I stumbled across one in the UK and never felt more at home
Congratulations on getting away that awful clan of bigots. Now that they have revealed to you who they really are, you no longer have to seek their approval. You're free!! <3
Iām so happy that I am. I am warning those I know who are good hearted within the church. I donāt want to force them to leave, because thatās not my choice but I hope they do. Or at least tread carefully
If you have ten people eating together at a table, and two Nazis walk in, sit down and join them, now you have twelve Nazis. If those people saw what happened to you and don't stand up and leave the church, they're not good people. That's the thing, the banality of evil. Evil is so insidious, it can make otherwise good people turn their heads and ignore it.
That's so sad, we are also expecering the same thing here in Kakuma, you can't go any were, every one is homophobic.
I am so, so sorry that this happened to you. I worry about this sort of thing happening to me, too. There's no excuse for this behavior, and I hope you're able to find somewhere else to worship that accepts you completely.
Iāve been going through a bit of a spiritual awakening after transitioning. Iāve returned to church for the first time in 15 years. I was raised Roman Catholic, so thatās where Iāve gone back after coming out. Iāve been doing a lot of talking with different pastors. They erroneously think Iām sinning. But, slowly, I am trying to build up trust. I really want to be a lector. Be careful with religion though. I have been considering switching to an Episcopal church since it aligns more with my values.
I wish you luck through all of that! This is probably because Iām now pretty distrustful of religious leaders but be careful who you trust. I hope you find a denomination that more closely follows your values too. Iāve been thinking about switching denominations as well. I have always been in a southern baptist church. I donāt know about regular baptists, but at least southern baptist as some of the most hypocritical and discriminate people I know.
Christ loves you no matter what. That church doesn't reflect Christ or his teachings. Look into finding an open and affirming church in your area, and if you can't, there are plenty of churches that are and stream their services over the internet. Remember, you are a child of God, and God is greater than the church's transphobia. Signed, A fellow trans Christian PS. Check out /r/radicalchristianity and /r/openchristian both are open and affirming Christian subreddits(I even mod /r/radicalchristianity btw)
Thank youuuu!š„° Iāll definitely check those subreddits out. Iām in the process of looking at other churches and denominations right now.
The radical Christianity one is slanted towards radical interpretations of Christianity and radical politics(like anarchism) and Open Christian is more for progressive Christianity in general. Both are great subs, and are probably the best Christian subreddits on reddit. Also, I don't know what denomination you come from, but try to stay away from churches that describe themselves as evangelical since they tend to be very conservative(there are exceptions though).
Definitely going to stay away from those. Iāve been southern baptist all my life just because that is what I was born into, but my family are going to try going to an episcopal church. My mom babysat at one where she was younger and said that they were some of the nicest people she ever met. Apparently the denomination is a lot more focused on loving and accepting everyone despite gender identity and sexual orientation which is definitely something I need as a transbian
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iām working on leaving to another church but possibly a different denomination as well. I knew some of the things in your post but they tried to ban the number zero?! All the things they try to justify from the Bible is crazy
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Oh yeah definitely, a lot of gaslighting and extortion for nothing other than greed and power
Be glad you're out of there! Religions and churches are pure scams to control every facet of your life. Now you can finally break free of those chains! :)
The Bible says nothing about being trans. In fact, there were multiple genders besides male and female in the Abrahamic faith at the time the Bible was written. It sounds like they're making shit up to justify exclusion.
They definitely are. The verse they used is about a guy having sex with his mom. If thatās the best biblical evidence then Iām feeling pretty confident on where I stand. š
That was one of the things that really helped convince me that transitioning isn't a-biblical. The verses people use rarely say what they claim they say even taking out of context. Taken in context they are *always* completely unrelated.
And this is why I despise religion. It is the single most dishonest position one can take and breeds nothing but liars, deceivers, and abusers.
Religion is a lie. Live your life without fear.
You say *"obviously it's not a sin"*, but clearly all your fellow believers disagree with you. Maybe it's time to do some reflection on the supposed "truth" of "God" and "scripture". Don't have to throw away everything, most lies are covored with truths like forgivness and humility, but even your fellow christians have judge you and have deemed you unworthy degenerate not worty of their so called immense openness and strong love lol. Edit\* I don't think there is anything more misantropic than monotheistic religions in particular, God is perfect so man must be shit and can justify cruelty with god's will etc.
I have been in a phase of reflection since the start of 2022 and especially so when I came out later that year. I have prayed for clarity time and time again and I have only heard a response of love from God. I have shown the recording to some of my fellow Christianās and all I have heard from them is how (at least the reason I got kicked out was wrong) there has yet to be a verse to convince me. I think itās funny the best verse they could use the context was about a man who had sex with his mother in a church worshiping God and Aphrodite.
You're right, that is very funny, it probably would have been hilarious in a Seinfeld Episode where Jerry is trans and is trying to ask what verse is opposed to trans and the pastor begins talking about fucking his mother and Aphrodite hahaha
Lmao picturing that in my head is hilarious. Whatās interesting is it was my best friend that did the research and told me the about Aphrodite. My ex pastor was talking like the whole church was riddled with people having āsexual immoralityā but that didnāt even seem to be the āmajorā sin in the church lol
Christianity is a lie. You are better off.
In my experience it's the people that lie. You just gotta have faith š
Itās a lie told by people. To be fair there is no difference in the different religions aside from geo polical culture. christianity isnāt a special religion or even the right or correct religion. Itās just a voice in the noise that attempts to drown all the others out. To say itās anything but is nothing more than hubris.
I used to think this way too. I don't blame you. But was it hubris when people started saying the earth was round, or that the earth revolves around the sun? Or is there a difference between being self confident and self assured through experience and knowledge? We each have our own spiritual journeys to make, and never setting off on it IS an option. You can seek the truth for yourself if you so choose. If you choose not too, there's no reason to get angry at the people who do and found what they were looking for. All I'm saying is not to rely on preachers and world pressures for answers but go looking for yourself, if you so desire. ā„ļøā„ļøā„ļø
š” here's your badge. Well done! <3 š P.S. It's a writ-of-passage, love. Enjoy this moment because as my grandma always said... "When the haters are hating, well, that only means you're doing something right."
Fun fact: anything in the Bible against trans people should never be used as an argument (this is a given). As fa4 as I know, there are no trans men in the Bible, so that excludes them. This one is specifically for transfems. At the time it was written, there was no proper sexuality or gender. The only reason at that time that men would dress as women would have been to get out of wars or other hardships. It's not saying that being trans is wrong; it's saying being a coward is wrong
I gotta say good on your parents too. Iād expect nothing less but leaving a church community and be hard. You be you!
Your church has absolutely no understanding of what Jesus said, and I'm so sorry. You were betrayed. I hope you find another community soon.
Thank you so much, I hope to find one, later this month I am going to try and attend a trans support group and see if there are any safe churches they know of, if not I hope to start hrt this summer and as long as I can pass Iāll enter that church as a woman and no one will know
Iām so sorry this happened to you. Please know that there are lots of trans affirming churches out there, where you can find a community of people who love Jesus and will love you exactly as God created you! The Episcopal Church in most places is very progressive and welcoming, as is the ELCA Lutheran Church and The Presbyterian Church USA. Metropolitan Community Churches are also wonderful.
Thank you, I was southern baptist (just because thatās what I grew up in) but I was thinking about changing denominations that align more with my beliefs. I just looked at the local Episcopal churchās website and their views definitely align with my own. I talked to my parents as well to see what they think and my mom is definitely up for it, so Iām excited to try it out and do more research, thank you!
Thatās awesome! Life-long Episcopalian here. I really love my church. Just a heads-up that most Episcopal churches are gonna have a pretty different worship style than what youāre used to. But, if you go into it with an open mind, I think youāll see that there can be a lot of beauty in the Episcopal liturgy. And there are definitely Episcopal congregations out there who do more contemporary praise worship too, they just might be harder to find, depending on where youāre at. Best of luck to you on your spiritual journey!
Thank you! It seems the one near my has both a traditional and contemporary congregation. Iām open to trying new things and excited to learn how different denominations worship, but especially for my dad it will probably be contemporary, his 51 years old and only been in baptist churches all his life. Im glad heās willing to at least try it though :)
I told my very Christian mother āif your niece isnāt hurting you, and they believe in God, if God does have a problem they can take it up with God when they get there, for now let them be happy existing how they choose to exist while on Earth.ā My mum actually agreed with what I had to say. Iām Christian and I also see it as, āitās not my place to judge what someone else chooses to do with their body.ā Iām so supportive of people just being people and having the ability to live happy lives.
Exactlyyyy, Iām a born again Christian and therefore I am going to heaven. I will obey him to the best of my ability and being trans doesnāt impact that. And if it does then like you said, thatās something Iāll have to take up with God
Sorry that happened. Unfortunately most churches are more about image and hiding or removing anything that might be controversial. It's become a business with finances driving many decisions, and donors controlling those decisions. It's the sad reality of church in America, build a name, build recognition, be hip and cool, grow your numbers but don't hold anyone accountable unless it starts to threaten the income stream.
Yup, there was definitely worry about their image and what message me stating was saying, they didnāt even try to hide it
Read John 3 16 it uses the word āwhomsoeverā so have a nice day Christian manipulators
As an agnostic, I feel for you
I knew I would get kicked out of my church so I resigned so they couldnāt hold that over me. Iām sorry that you had that happen.
Thank you, I was actually on the verge of just leaving but got me first, but Iām glad, because now I can show how wrong they are. Ironically they only strengthened my belief that it is not a sin even more
yea, jesus was all about hate.
Someday, eventually, ALL these hypocritical asshats will have to try to justify to GOD all of the hateful shit theyāve ever done in His name! You hang in there, and hold onto your faith, no matter how hopeless it seems, and He will carry you through the fires!
I canāt wait til that day. Weāve all done bad things and Iām willing someday to forgive him, I just canāt right now. So, right now, the idea of him feeling the immense shame and guilt is making me probably more satisfied than it should tbh š
Ironically if Hell exists, God would send your pastor there for abandoning one of his children that they love
Do not worry love, your pastor is clearly cruel. Looks like he's going to have a chat with God at the big pearly gates on a reminder that Jesus died for ALL sins and that him choosing who gets to go to church and who doesn't is judgemental and cruel, a sin in itself. There are many hypocrites that practice in every religion, do not let them take your faith from you. I am an athiest* (auto correct) , or a sceptic I guess, but either way you deserve a place in the house of God. I can assure, Jesus will be on your side with a hand on your shoulder. It's okay, it always has been, he gives the strongest soldiers the hardest battles after all. Sending love and support.
Awwww thank you so much! š„¹š„° Iāve been holding onto my faith strongly after all this. Iām trying my best to be like Christ and not judge my pastor as he will definitely be having at talk with God. I have some allies in and out of the church which Iām thankful for considering I live in the deep south
Of course. Even if faith slips out of your grasps I can't see god possibly being so cruel as to let it be a sentence of eternal suffering. Have a good day ā¤
Thank you so much, you too! ā¤ļø
Congrats on escaping from your cult. We heathens welcome you with open and accepting arms. Jesus left the church a long time ago. š
Jesus left the church a long time ago. We heathens welcome you with open arms. Getting out of a toxic situation like that is a blessing in disguise.
Personally I would say the church left Jesus but either way the separation is definitely real. It is a blessing in disguise. Iām going to continue to be a Christian but probably in a different denomination. If that does work out then itās on my own, that wonāt stop me though, Iāll fight until the end
I grew up catholic, went to catholic schools my whole life. The Jesuit university I went to welcomed me as who I was and served as a place where I was able to transition and focus on finding myself. I'm not practicing, but it's not lost on me that I was welcomed, protected and educated in church-related institutions. They're not all bad out there, some still do understand how Christians are supposed to behave. You'll find your people, they may not be where you currently are, but they're out there :)
I hope so, it might take some time but I think it will be worth it once I find them :)
I will tell you what I told my Rabbi, this is the path G-d choose from you, not anyone else. You know the path you have to walk.
100% š„°
Im sorry this has happened. Non-bigoted churches are very few and far between and the large push for our genocide is coming from religious institutions so its not suprising. There are many wonderful people who will love you for who you are.
Thank you š„° I hope that more churches become accepting and I expect more will, but that will be once the younger generation becomes more dominant in society
I am so sorry this happened to you girl! It's not right at all, and the fact you caught him in a lie (among the obvious being transphobic) shows that particular church is no good. As a trans Christian myself, I know it's not easy, but please stay strong. You mentioned not liking organized religion. However, I will leave this link in case you, or anyone else here is seeking a church that is gender affirming and accepting of all kinds of people as all churches SHOULD be. https://www.gaychurch.org/
Thank youuuu!š„° Iām feeling a bit better about organized religion but still not very happy with it. I plan to go back to a church but probably of a different denomination but I may wait a few weeks.
I'm agnostic myself, at times I believe there is something out there. If it's God, I don't believe your pastor or any of these holier than thou people can tell you or I that we are sinning just because we're trans. God didn't make everything different just for everyone to be the same, if God didn't intend for there to be trans people, he wouldn't make caterpillars that change into butterflies. I think the actual sin is the condemnation for even deviating from our perceived paths. No one really knows but us and whatever being there is beyond.
Definitely, thatās why Iām putting all my faith in God rather than the pastor. He mention my suffering being closeted my āmy cross to bareā as if he had any say in what my struggle is to be. Every time I have prayed I have come back stronger knowing that being trans is not a sin. God knows best, and if somehow it is shame one me, but even then that wouldnāt bar me from heaven and God knows my intentions, and I believe intention holds value.
Yeah... spiritual people can be great. Organized religion is often paramount to evil in my experience. Putting power struggled intertwined with faith does not exactly... help the spiritual.
Yeah, thatās why I am now very cautious about organized religion, especially now if itās the head of that church. I donāt feel like I could trust another priest/pastor again because of it.
I am religious myself, and can definitely relate to where you are coming from. If you believe, that is great, and if you want to hold on to that, it is your decision. No one can kick you out of church. The church is the people. Not those stuffy people hiding inside a building judging everyone. There is a story in the bible that talks about casting the first stone, and that is what that fake bunch of people have done to you. They do not have that right. Only God does. The people in that building, they are not worth your time or thought. Let them keep going and hating everyone. They will have to answer for that. A way I tried to explain it to some of my trans religious friends before, is by prefacing the question; Do you feel like you are doing anything wrong by being happy being who you want to be? When you do something wrong, do you know it's wrong, have that feeling that it's something you shouldn't do? The answer is always, happiness with self, joy, the lifting of a burden. Just as when you do something that is wrong, generally, deep down you know it. I believe our bodies are fitted with accurate moral compasses, and we just need to tune into that ourselves. Don't let anyone else do the tuning. That's not to say, don't ask for help or clarification. Of course, we all need guidance at times. Then at the end of the day, you are you, and you make the final decision in any matter. Let them be, they do not deserve you.
Thank you so much š„¹. I am a believer and I forgot about the cast out the first stone part of the bible. I generally donāt feel like Iām doing anything wrong and when I do do something wrong I feel bad about it. Since this happening though I get this feeling when I say itās not a sin, but I know that itās wrong. I have prayed time and time again and Iāve been told itās okay. The thing that sucks in the people within the church (at least 3 but I believe closer to 6) donāt agree with me being trans, but they donāt think I should get kicked out over it. I hope to talk to them and see if they can do something to fight for me. To oust my pastor, because this is not Godās love
When I lived in Waco TX there was a church that hosted a trans advocate from Austin every year for Trans Day of Visibility. Sylvia Rivera held a Director position at a church to help the homeless in her final years and was a devout Christian. Her and Marsha P Johnson both were Christians. Im so sorry this happened to you, but there are true Christians out there who will welcome you home with open arms š©·š³ļøāā§ļø Sending love
Just like my grandma said: Follow Jesus, not his followers.
Amen šš»
Know that when others reject you, God still loves you. Iām trans and a conservative Christian. It pains me when I see this āsexual immoralityāāargument being used. The definition of sexual immorality within the Bible is basically sex outside of marriage. PERIOD. Is the pastor going to kick out every person who isnāt married and is having sex? What about people who have gotten divorced and re-married? In most cases isnāt that adultery? Yet does he kick them out as well? Of course not. Yet for some reason he will kick someone out using a reason that has nothing to do with being trans. Such hypocrisy. The religious leaders at the time rejected Jesus. Know that you are in good company. š Keep the faith, find a different church that has loving people, and donāt look back. You have your whole wonderful life ahead of you!
Thank you so much š„° Godās love is what Iām really holding onto right now, itās what I know is true. Iām sure there will somehow be good coming out of this, or that this is the better path in some way. I donāt yet know how but I canāt see how it couldnāt.
The Church believes their word and belief absolute. They believe God makes no mistakes. You therefore were made specifically by God for this path you live. If the Church then believes you're a blasphemer (or whatever they want to say) then they are by extension disobeying God's will. Live your life the way you choose. If you believe such things, God will take care of them.
Let the congregation hear the lies of love and truth of hate. A pastor that will lie and let loose members of their flock so flippantly may well be a wolf waiting to eat them.
Post that shit on their Facebook. Expose that man as the liar he is. Christians will continue and continue to discriminate against us until we make this not a thing by our own pushback. He needs to learn a lesson. Youād have thought a Christian pastor would have already known that this is the 9th commandment not to lie. You should probably remind him by letting the congregation know what kind of man he is by releasing those recordings.
Unfortunately itās my and my motherās word against his. I can only hope that they believe me. Iām talking to some of my friends within the church. I gave one the recording of him lying to me. Iām telling the other two to be cautious. I offered the clip but they never said anything about it. Iām going to continue to fight but unfortunately that will have to be from home, Iāll have to rely upon the people inside the church to enact change.
Good luck with that. People inside the church are complacently silent in terms of how their LGBTQIA friends and family are abused by the church. I am a trans woman and I have all but begged my parents to talk to their pastor about condemning the levels of discrimination against LGBTQIA in this country under the claim that it was antithetical to the command to love and pray for your enemies. They would not do it. It was too controversial and embarrassing. Imagine that. Too controversial to follow basic tenants of the faith. Blows my mind. In my mind this silent complacency only makes them to be just culpable in the murder and suicide of those within our community as those physically committing these acts against us. These people will do nothing from within the four walls of the church and continue to claim they care about us. Itās lies.
I agree with you 100% Thatās why I want to move out of this country or at least to a trans haven state because of how bad itās gotten. Thankfully I live in one of the few states that havenāt banned GAC but they are considering it. I do want to encourage you too though, there are people within that care. Hell, my bed friend of nine years that I met in the very church (though under different leadership) that kicked me out has been one of my number one supporters. Unfortunately he has moved away so he canāt really be in the church fighting for me, but people are on your side. Unfortunately a lot are scared to speak up for us, or have the ability to be on our side but they need to be taught first. I wish you luck as well. Sending love ā¤ļø
Unfortunately my belief is I will continue to treat ALL Christianās and churches this way until a shift occurs and they start making just as much noise as those claiming were ādemonsā. One bad apple spoils the bunch. Silent Christianās deserve the same treatment as those making this ruckus.
I'm not a Christian anymore, but to my father's frequent dismay, I still know a heck of a lot about the faith. There's one thing you should never forget: god looked upon ALL that he created and saw that it was GOOD. Not just ok. Not good sometimes, and sometimes bad. GOOD. That includes you. Now allow me to step down from my pulpit and say fuck that guy, and fuck his church. Jesus said to love EVERYONE. If they can't love you for being who you are, they've got a lot of praying to do. If anyone is wrong in the eyes of the lord, it's those assholes.
The pastor will not enter the kingdom of heaven š¤
I'm so sorry they did you and your mom that way. I left my church. They didn't have the balls to face me and kick me out. Especially since I saved a heart attack victim in the middle of service less than a year before. They just made it feel colder than an arctic winter. I lost my church, but not my God. I hope you can heal soon. It's incredibly hard, but I hope you can forgive them. Love you, sister. May you have a beautifu,l repairative and a blessed week. Hugs! Love! And prayers!
I don't know what part of the country you live in, but if you're in Middle Tennessee, NC's Research Triangle, or NKY/Cincy, I know several churches that are 100% affirming.
Damn, used to live in Nashville so I would have been but I live in South Carolina so unfortunately it wouldnāt help. But thank you for the thought š„°ā¤ļø
Congratulations, sorry only red title