Cross-dressers

Those who wear the cross sometimes crucify people. That is overt hypocrisy. Theoretically, they are claiming faith in the Jewish Messiah, who died for the sins of the whole world. But they do not seem to want to offer that compassion to others.

 ⁵“A woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination unto  יהוה  your Elohim.”  

It is in our portion this week that a man should not wear women’s clothing, nor should a woman dress as a man. This is called an ‘abomination’, which means it is very, very displeasing to God. It is an aberration. This is a touchy subject for many in the world today, as so many people are blurring lines of gender, calling gender ‘fluid’ and not absolute. I happen to agree that it is utter lunacy to say that there are more than two genders. But, it is obvious that since antiquity the behaviors of people of both genders have overlapped. It is obvious that some people are genuinely born with a tendency toward the other gender in presenting themselves to the world.

I do not think there is one answer as to why. Some people think that it is purely a genetic anomaly. Some people think it is purely a socio-psychological phenomenon. Some people think it is just a mental decision to go against the norms of society, a form of rebellion. And a few think that it is only a spiritual power that is twisting the mind of the one who projects a blur of gender lines. I do not think any one of those answers is utterly wrong, nor do I think any single answer stands out as the predominant factor.

What I do know is that there are men who are more feminine in demeanor, and women who are more masculine in demeanor. And that this is not in and of itself a condemnation of the person. However, how one grows into himself or herself, and decides to behave, is manageable by that person, and should align with The Word of God, if he or she confesses trust in the Creator, and in the redemptive power of His Son.

Honestly, I think all of the supposed answers that I’ve already listed to this very public dilemma play a part into the ‘why’ that a person veers off of the general path of gender definition and into the opposite roles of gender concerning sexuality or sexual behavior. I have known masculine women who are yet very heterosexual in their lives, and feminine men who are yet heterosexual. They live a very godly life, have a wife or husband of the opposite gender, and raise children. It is those whose sexuality mirror their demeanors, their personalities, and end up claiming to be other than what they are biologically that make this topic so controversial today.

It used to be that it was accepted as the norm that men marry women and vise versa. But, since the 21st century began, and the Supreme Court capitulated and decided that a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman, and now we have gender fluidity, and the science has gone out the window. I remember warning people after that verdict that it was a slippery slope, and that we’d soon be arguing the merits of beastiality and pedophilia for want of making them ‘normal’ as well. And here we are.

Sin is rapacious. It never consumes enough. Men can indeed be effeminate, and still be saved. But, a man cannot be a man’s wife. A woman cannot be a woman’s husband. This is an aberration; it is not normal. In 6,000 years of human history, in and outside the confines of the Jewish and Christian scriptures, the norm has been that men marry women. That has not been a purely religious norm. And it should not be demanded of society that those of us who do not see it as normal must pretend to see it as normal. I simply cannot. How is it that now the minority, the aberration, has gained control of society? Why is it that so many remain silent, and afraid to speak about the aberration as it is?

I have great compassion and understanding for those who find themselves in the position of believing they are not normal, and feeling that they must go against the grain, because their mind, heart, body, emotion all seem to go against their will. Their will is influenced by what the ‘normal’ people around them say they must ‘do’, until such time that they are abused out of the circles of ‘normal’ people, and their will caves to their passions. That is a difficult place to be, especially when the ‘normal’ people are religious, close kin, and condemn them to hell, as if they sit in the Seat of the Righteous Judge. I cannot resolve the issue for any one individual. But, I can say that our society had better rethink our approach to the public discussion.

Shutting up the ‘right’, because they do not believe we should give in to people’s aberrations is not the answer. Condemning people in the Name of God is not the answer. Abusing people who appear different, whose demeanor when they are young is off-center just a tad for reasons beyond their control, is not the answer, and is in fact probably the major factor that drives people to change their will concerning the matter, and capitulate, and get angry at the rest of society when they adopt the behavior congruent to their feelings about themselves. They tried for years to be normal, but were driven out of the presence of the normal. They find solace in the voice of what was a fringe of society, and they run into the arms of perversion for comfort. And that fringe is growing daily as a result. Don’t think for a moment that we will not answer for that in the judgment: ” ²It would be better for him that a donkey’s millstone were hanged on his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. “

We have to have a compassionate conversation with the young who do not ‘fit the mold’. We have to guide them into truth, not pelt them with stones of judgment. We have to state the simple fact that God does not like it when men behave as women, or when women behave as men. He does not expect all of us to be exactly alike; and he does not hate ‘soft’ men or ‘masculine’ women. But, there are behaviors He does not accept. Changing sexuality, denying the biology of the human body, these things cross a line. And believers must find a better way to express it, with compassion.

Dumping the behavior into the faces of children in all forms of media/entertainment is not just wrong, it is abominable. Altering their bodies to fit a momentary lapse in behavior as a six-year-old, or a pre-teen, when they have not even been given the opportunity to vote or to drink or drive because of the understanding that they have not the capacity to handle such things as yet is, again, hypocrisy. We need to go back to the table. People need to be more bold about saying what the norms of society are without the fear of reprisal. Courage and Compassion need to the mantra of those who claim to be people of faith.

⁹Do you not know that the wicked shall not inherit The Kingdom of God? Be not misled, neither the harlots, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the perverted, nor men who lie with males, ¹⁰nor extortionists, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor defrauders shall inherit The Kingdom of God.  ¹¹And some of these evils were to be found in some of you [the congregation], but you have been cleansed, and have been consecrated, and made righteous in the name of Our Master Yeshua The Messiah, and through The Spirit of God.

If people have slipped off or been forced off into any behavior, God is able to cleanse them and bring them back. But they will not come back if they never hear His Voice of Compassion.

Dress appropriately.