Archive for the ‘gender identity’ Category

Transanity: Three Terrible Trans-Actions

Posted: October 11, 2018 by David Fiorazo in Church, creation, David's Blog, Education, gender identity, LGBT agenda, moral relativism, transgender
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Culture is shifting left, change is happening, and morality is declining at such a rapid pace in American culture, a culture in which moral relativism trumps truth and rebellion against God is at fever-pitch, it’s difficult to just report on one story in a particular category. So this week, let’s look briefly at three headlines and why they matter:

  1. California Passes Law Allowing 12-Year-Olds To Get Tax-Paid Transgender Treatments
  2. Male Rapist Identifying as “Female” Transfers to Women’s Jail – (What could go wrong?)
  3. Colorado Children’s Hospital Dumps Gender Designations to Satisfy Liberal Activists

How did we get here?

America has rejected God and absolute truth. People are simply doing what is right in their individual minds. But remember, just because a person sincerely believes something does not make it true, just, or right.

Let’s start with the children’s hospital. It’s bad enough some clueless and uninformed parents are now allowing their five-year old children to decide what gender they want to be, Children’s Hospital in Aurora, is removing gender markings off patient wristbands to satisfy the politically correct LGBTQ lobby.

Spokesperson, Dr. Natalie Nokoff has treated transgender patients for years and stated:

“We are seeing more and more patients who have diverse gender identities,”

I get it. More children are being encouraged to think they’re the opposite sex. But you don’t have to accommodate delusions and put kids’ health at risk just to satisfy the extremists. This is irresponsible.

Speaking of irresponsible and reckless, the next story is from England, where Stephen Wood, a man who identifies as a woman and goes by Karen White, is a convicted rapist and pedophile, most recently arrested for stabbing his neighbor.

Since he is transgender, they placed him in a jail for women even though he is a biological male and has had no chemical or surgical modifications. Wood used the opportunity to sexually assault four women in New Hall Prison. Apologizing for the mistake, a Prison spokesman reiterated that safety of all prisoners is a priority and they work to manage transgender prisoners with sensitivity.

Even after the incident, reporters and prison officials still used feminine pronouns – referring to Stephen as she or her. This is not only ideologically-driven and ignorant, it is a denial of science and truth, so unfortunately, we’re seeing tragic consequences of a society drifting further from a worldview based on the authority of God’s Word.

Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis explains:

“The Bible is clear that there are only two genders—male and female (Genesis 1:27). When you deny Scripture and blur the lines between the sexes, you create confusion and open the door (as in this case) for sexual predators.”

And the third story: you only need to be 12 years old in California to privately seek and consent to treatment for so-called ‘gender transitioning.’ Let’s put this in perspective.

You have to be 18 to vote in California, 16 obtain a driver’s license, 18 to buy a rifle, engage in consensual sex, or get married without parental consent, and 21 to buy a handgun, alcohol, or marijuana. But in the nation’s most progressive state, you only need to be 12 to get taxpayer-funded life-changing transgender treatments.

The new law describes it as “gender affirming health care, with consideration of their gender identity,” and includes Medi-Cal coverage for foster care youth up to 26 years of age. How do they prove these services are medically necessary?

According to Denise Shick at the Federalist, the law’s authors seem to mean well, wanting a safe and healthy home, free of abuse for those in foster care and for them to be treated with respect. Who would argue with that?

But are adolescents mature enough to make such drastic, adult decisions?

We know kids often emulate what Hollywood promotes as good, and according to the CDC, children in the age range of 12-14 are heavily influenced by their peer group and are more concerned about superficial things such as body image, looks, and clothes.

Teens and adolescants also experience more moodiness, develop eating problems, feel more sadness or depression, which can lead to poor grades at school, alcohol or drug use, unsafe sex, and other problems.

The article states:

Many studies have found that human brains take a long time to develop fully—as long as 25 years or more. That means that adolescents are at a distinct disadvantage in decision making. That’s why you see the immaturity issues…

Chronologically, adolescents are only about halfway to full brain development. Yet the new California allows—and almost compels—adolescents to make irreversible, potentially life-altering decisions!

One final point. According to the American College of Pediatricians,

“The vast majority of gender dysphoric children affirmed as the opposite sex go on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are permanently sterilized as a result,”

That means a wrong decision could render today’s kids incapable of having children of their own someday. How many pastors, Christian leaders and parents are speaking up about this destructive movement?

Will the adults in the room and across the country who are capable of making wise choices stand up for truth, common sense, and sanity against those who might mean well and against those who are driving this destructive agenda?

The Bible teaches that when mankind becomes futile in their thinking, their foolish hearts are darkened.

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:25); Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:25) and, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.” (1 Corinthians 3:19)

Godless liberalism is driving the nation. America is reaping the lies and deception that have been sown throughout our culture over the last seventy-five years. Now on steroids, the LGBTQ agenda is taking the ship down with it.

The God of Truth is our only hope to reconcile sinful man to Himself, and for true believers in America to reclaim spiritual influence and salvage a drowning society. We must get back to the basics of biblical living, speak the truth (about creation, gender, marriage, etc.), and expose the darkness in part by pointing others to the truth of Christ.

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Abnormal, Unnatural Trans Ideology Becoming the New Normal?

Posted: June 20, 2018 by David Fiorazo in David's Blog, Education, gender identity, Hollywood, Media, Redefining Truth, transgender
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Celebrated by most media, by Hollywood, the National Education Association, People Magazine, and a vast number of other publications, transgender TV star and teen role model, Jazz Jennings is preparing to undergo what is being called, “gender confirmation surgery” next week on June 26. Jazz is a seventeen year-old male – and surgeons are creating female parts for him.

This is the wacky world kids are growing up in today, and activists are pushing to make it the new normal. In fact, things are quite upside down. For instance, I do believe that too many kids are obsessed with video games, but the World Health Organization now says being transgender is no longer a mental disorder – but playing video games is! Wow.

So with full support from his parents, Jazz Jennings started using hormone blockers at age 11 so he never went through puberty. The blocker was an implant in his arm preventing testosterone in order to avoid further development of male characteristics such as facial hair and a deep voice.

They used to call it a sex change. Then, in blatant rebellion against God, the Creator it was sexual reassignment surgery. But the latest is being touted as “gender confirmation surgery.” The procedures are said to help transgender people have an outward appearance that matches how they feel inside.

To most of us, this is tragic and heartbreaking! Jazz said, “This is something I’ve wanted my entire life…” Jennings explained he’ll be undergoing a new experimental procedure where doctors will take tissue from his stomach to form the inside of a vagina.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), this surgery gives “transgender individuals the physical appearance and functional abilities of the gender they know themselves to be;”

For a male-to-female transition, that may include facial surgery, top surgery (for breasts) and/or bottom surgery, to reconstruct male genitalia to female genitalia. In 2016, 3,200 gender reassignment surgeries were performed in the US, an increase of 20% from the previous year.

I hope you’re not shocked we’re talking about this. Children as young as six years-old are now hearing about it at school. Just like homosexuality, gender identity and transgender individuals are being normalized. In a recent interview, Jazz proudly exclaimed, “I’m going to have a vagina!”

But wait a minute. Let’s set aside biology, chromosomes, DNA, science and of course, the Bible for a minute. They’re now blaming those who disagree with this twisted ideology for increasing suicide attempt rates.

Adults who undergo sex reassignment—even in Sweden, which is among the most LGBT-affirming countries—have a suicide rate nearly 20 times greater than that of the general population. Clearly, sex reassignment is not the solution to gender dysphoria.

The promoters of this agenda have people referring to males such as Jazz Jennings as “she.” Surgery is going to remove part of his male anatomy in order to construct a part of the female anatomy. If she is already a she, why would there need to be such a serious cosmetic procedure to make her into who she already insists she is?

Often left out of this discussion are parents. Some impose this dangerous ideology on their children while others allow their child to choose whatever he or she wants to be. These are life-changing, destructive decisions so what is the parent’s role in this? Professionals including the American College of Pediatricians have strongly warned that “transition-affirming protocol is child abuse.”

Its president, Michelle Cretella, M.D. stated:

I have witnessed an upending of the medical consensus on the nature of gender identity. What doctors once treated as a mental illness, the medical community now largely affirms and even promotes as normal.

A person’s sex is an objective biological fact determined genetically at conception in the womb by the allocation of X and Y chromosomes. This is permanent – throughout a person’s lifetime – and not a social construct.

Next, the Christian Medical and Dental Association states:

“Among those who identify as transgender, use cross-sex hormones, and undergo sex reassignment surgery, there is well-documented increased incidence of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and risky sexual behaviors.”

Confused? So are those who have forgotten what the Bible teaches about how God designed us, about marriage, procreation, and the distinctions between male and female.

Is there any hope? Always; but it depends on what you place your hope in!

Former transgender, Walt Heyer talks about his painful past including a lost childhood, failed marriage, a family ripped apart, and a ruined career not to mention health and physical issues due to cosmetic surgeries.

Take not that TV shows, magazines, and media fail to interview any of the scores of people who left the homosexual or transgender lifestyles. Truth is not good for LGBTQ business. Heyer said decades of gender confusion persisted even after his sex transition. We rarely hear about those suffering long-term consequences of transgenderism.

Fortunately, Walt Heyer found freedom and peace in Jesus.

“I turned to Christ and away from transgenderism. …I had to stop living in defiance of God and stop demanding that the church, God, and everyone else make accommodations for my delusions. Demanding that people use my preferred female pronoun name was childish.”

The transgender “T” in LGBTQ was custom built into the agenda decades ago, patiently waiting for the right time to be rolled out. That time is now; a time in which truth is being redefined.

We need to respond with compassion to those who are struggling with gender dysphoria and anyone immersed in sinful lifestyles, but know the facts, and be prepared to offer the hope of Jesus Christ to those who are lost.

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Can the Bible and Transgender both be True?

Posted: February 28, 2018 by David Fiorazo in Christianity in America, David's Blog, gender identity, LGBT agenda, moral relativism, Redefining Truth, transgender
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In the book of Deuteronomy, it says, “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD your God.” (Deut. 22:5) But we’re being told some people are born the wrong sex. Does God make mistakes? What’s the truth? 

Truth is under attack. In this fast-paced information age of mass communication, technological advancements, scientific discoveries, and breaking news, people seem less informed, less secure, more distracted, and more confused than ever before. Why? They have rejected the one true God.

Jesus prayed for His followers:

 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:17

Revelation 1:8 states,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

This covers present, past, and future. It’s interesting that according to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, the historical meaning of truth is:

“Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. …We rely on the truth of the scriptural prophecies; Veracity; purity from falsehood” (emphasis added).

Truth is the self-expression of God. Either His Word is right, or the world is right. Which is it?

Enemies of God have caused people to doubt the truth about creation, our origins and gender, life’s meaning, marriage, sin, eternity, judgment, and the deity of Jesus Christ.

But new research shows that even 40% of Christians are confused about truth and moral absolutes. It’s not surprising then, that Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2016 was “post-truth.”

Many in this generation have grown up putting stock in feelings over fact; emotion, experience, and style over substance. This has led to the acceptance of moral relativism, a philosophy that asserts there is no established, absolute moral law that applies to all people, for all time, and in all places.

Remember, it doesn’t matter what happens to be popular today; it matters whether Truth exists and, if that truth changes. Jesus said He is the truth, and He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

One of the buzzwords today is “identity.” As Christians, do we identify with Christ or with the world’s influences?

Let’s talk about children and education for a moment. What are most children taught regarding their true identity?

Think about the theory of evolution and the belief systems of atheism and humanism which are all generally endorsed in public schools. Creation and intelligent design are rarely offered as a viable alternative.

Why not present the views including God as well as the views denying God and let students decide? It is intolerant and irresponsible of educators to refuse to teach the truth; a worldview believed by millions.

Imagine if children were taught they are made in the image of a loving God who created them unique and special, with purpose for their lives rather than being taught evolution; that they are random, cosmic accidents that evolved from nothing or from animals; that there is no future hope beyond this short life.

This is why kids fall for one of the biggest lies and delusions today that says gender is not binary; it is “fluid,” and people are not necessarily born male.

Genesis 1:27 states:

 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

WHY do you think there is confusion today about what bathroom people are supposed to use in public? Why wasn’t this an issue 100 years ago? 1,000 years ago?

Has God changed or has America changed?

Here’s a letter I received from a concerned mother:

I’ve been struggling. After the very first day of school, my daughter comes home from her first-grade class and says, ‘There is a girl in my class who is going to be a boy! She is going to take medicine and have [surgery]!’ The kids are forced to call the girl by her ‘boy’ name and she uses the teacher’s bathroom.

Check out her response:

“Shocked, I needed to take a breath. I told her, ‘No matter how much medicine that little girl takes or if she has surgery, she will still be a girl. God does not make mistakes and we are exactly who we are supposed to be.’ I’m upset that my child has to be subjected to this. We are moving both our girls to private school next year; I never thought this could have happened in a small Wisconsin town. What six-year-old wants to be the opposite sex?”

Good question. It is dangerous for parents and teachers to let young children make such culture-conforming, body-altering, life-changing decisions. The suicide rate for transgender individuals is over 40 percent!

Truth has never been so assaulted, denied, hated, and redefined to the point it is today. But truth doesn’t care about trends, and Christians are called to love others and be compassionate as we discuss these issues and share the gospel that can set people free.

Malcolm Muggeridge stated:

“One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we’ve developed to a very high level is the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything.”

We can be seduced by the world or sanctified by the truth of Christ. So let’s not conform to this world, let’s be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2a). How do we renew our minds? Meditate on God’s word.

Rolling Out the ‘T’ – and it’s not Tolerance

Posted: November 3, 2017 by David Fiorazo in Christianity in America, David's Blog, gender identity, LGBT agenda, moral relativism, religious freedom
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Many people think the transgender movement has been more of a recent development in America, but it goes back to 1952 when the first alleged “sex change” was credited to a man named Christine Jorgensen. Remember, the “T” in LGBTQ has always been there, waiting in the wings as the groundwork was laid by moral relativists and same-sex marriage activists.

By 2015, the stage was set quite nicely for Bruce Jenner to catapult himself into a culture shaping icon by selling the public on his transition into Caitlyn. Transgender individuals had been quietly waiting for the right time culturally, politically, and socially, and the election of Barack Obama and his policies encouraged them, giving the green light to deny God’s truth, rebel against their Maker, and come out in full force.

Sadly, we now live in a society that largely thinks moral absolutes and truth are ‘so yesterday’ and unnecessary if they were ever relevant at all. But God never changes and He created the world including every all human being, either male or female, a fact which happens to be supported by biology, science, and most in the medical community.

Discuss this in public taking the side of truth however, and you will be attacked and accused of being hateful, intolerant, discriminatory or worse. They can’t refute the truth, but they sure can try to win via emotional appeals, swaying public opinion, and it that fails, by shouting down the opposition.

Ravi Zacharias put it this way:

 

“Truth cannot be sacrificed at the altar of pretended tolerance. Real tolerance is deference to all ideas, not indifference to the truth.”

The following is an excerpt from the new book, Redefining Truth.

Progressive pretenders fail to demonstrate the very tolerance they espouse. They declare diversity and insist they are inclusive. They tout tolerance and yet, they often refuse to put up with anyone who thinks differently from them. Rather than have a respectful debate, many of them prefer silencing us so they don’t have to hear the truth.

Leftists claim to be beacons of reason, tolerance, and love, but their actions often prove otherwise.

On May 22, 2017, Vice President Mike Pence was about to give the commencement speech at Notre Dame, but as Pence began speaking, about 150 people, half students and half faculty members, walked out of the speech. Planned in advance, both students and faculty filed out as Pence spoke. How disrespectful. He said,

“Far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe zones, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness – all of which amounts to nothing less than suppression of the freedom of speech.”

Pence apparently intended to first draw a contrast between Notre Dame and other colleges, but this rude act seemed to solidify today’s caustic trends at most Marxist universities. At least they allowed the vice president to finish.

…Christians in America have decisions to make in this divisive environment. How do we respond? Yes, it’s true we may be hated for doing or saying the right thing, but when the world hates you, Jesus referred to that as a badge of honor  (Matt. 5:11). If we try to address a few of the most controversial movements of our day with love, patience, and sanity, this still triggers people…

We’re witnessing the attempted assassination of truth during times in which delusions and emotions rule over sanity and reason. The (biblical) Christian worldview and godless liberalism are polar opposites and cannot coexist. Sound extreme?

Christian business owners in Iowa, Dick and Betty Odgaard , for example, were literally minding their own family business, but they now wish laws were on the books protecting Christians from being sued by fascists. After a two-year court battle in which a gay couple cried discrimination, the Odgaards had to pay an excessive fine and were forced to stop hosting weddings. After months of negative publicity, hate mail, death threats, and loss of income, the Gortz Haus Gallery went out of business.

…Those entities which are educating and shaping young minds, conditioning public opinion, and forcing change on a docile citizenry are now helping roll out the “T” portion of the LGBTQ agenda. Transgenderism takes it much further than same-sex marriage ever could by changing our language and redefining terms that describe human beings. Though it will not change eternal truth, removing God and erasing gender distinctions will eventually change what it means to be human.

It’s all about marketing, perception, influence, and of course, politics. While many of us have been busy with our own lives in the last few decades, the Left has been quietly plotting, lobbying, and changing laws to protect individuals who identify as transgender under claims of “civil rights” or nondiscrimination laws.

Sadly, we rarely hear of the downside or negative effects and consequences of this gender confusion and rebellion being promoted today. Here’s one sobering fact: 41 percent of the transgender population will attempt suicide. Please let this sink in. When man attempts to replace God the Creator and redefine truth, there will always be severe repercussions for individuals and nations − and eventually, judgment.

This movement has not had enough resistance from the people. Activists have absolutely no hesitation pressuring politicians and using the courts to change public restroom laws and practices of the whole country by imposing the LGBT agenda and its will on the entire population.

You might be wondering how so many people in the country could fall for the lies, exaggerations, accusations, and promotion of nihilism (traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and useless; there are no objective moral truths). First, it’s part of the LGBTQ mothership, and second, it’s called deception.

Rather than calling it insane, we’d be more effective in society if we know and communicate the facts, and remain undaunted as we lovingly speak the truth. I feel sorry for those who are struggling, because most people who fall into this thought process and lifestyle do so because, for whatever reason, they are unhappy with who they truly are and do not like the person they see in the mirror. They fail to see they have value in God’s eyes.

This will be the defining issue for the next generation and beyond, until the triumphant return of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega.

Be assured that truth exists, truth is everlasting, and truth can be known. Just because people deny and reject the truth of God does not change what is, what has been, and what will be. It only changes our culture, laws, and other temporary things.

What is more tragic is when their influence changes churches in America as well.

 

Read more from author, David Fiorazo here:

Taxpayers to Fund Trans Surgeries, Pelosi Progressives Relieved

Posted: July 20, 2017 by David Fiorazo in David's Blog, democrats, gender identity, LGBT agenda, liberalism
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Last week she was furious. How could the GOP take taxpayer money from the noble cause of gender identity politics and allow the people who worked for it to keep it? Only days ago, Nancy Pelosi went on record to say Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for voting to cut generous Department of Defense funding for transgender members of the military who want to have cosmetic surgeries. Also known as “gender reassignment” surgery, Pelosi went so far as to suggest that taking away taxpayer funding for these unnatural procedures “undermines our national security.” 

If you missed the story prior to this, the House Rules Committee passed an amendment last week stating, “Funds available to the Department of Defense may not be used to provide medical treatment… related to gender transition to a person entitled to medical care.” Finding a way to accuse those “immoral” Republicans of hating people, Pelosi declared the GOP was “fighting to rip away the health care of thousands of brave service members.”

As you know, the Obama administration allowed transgenders to openly serve in the U.S. military and the current policy entitles them to receive any medical help deemed necessary – including surgery and hormone therapy. The national cost for “medical services” for transgender military members is estimated to be as high as $8.4 million annually. It was claimed by supporters of the amendment that the financial bill for transgenders could exceed $3 billion over the next decade if no action is taken.

Democrats were livid that this provision placating a special interest group was being threatened. But it ended there.

It turns out that 24 liberal Republicans decided to vote with Democrats and ensure our tax dollars will fund these “sex change” operations. Pelosi politics prevailed and the common-sense amendment was narrowly rejected. If just three Republicans would have voted with the majority (214-209), the decision would have flipped in favor of the people and family-friendly policy. Maybe next time. How did support for this irrational ideology grow so quickly?

Whatever happens in Europe doesn’t stay in Europe including the rapid decay of biblical morality. Abortion, same sex marriage, transgenderism, moral relativism – you name it. Now get this: under the guise of “equality,” National Health Service doctors in the UK think taxpayers should also fund “womb transplant procedures” so transgender men can be pregnant. You read that right: the godless promoters of cultural insanity are now working with fertility doctors so that men could theoretically have a baby.

As part of these womb transplants for men, one Liverpool doctor explains this could also help gay and straight men who ‘wanted to experience the joys of carrying a child.’ One Stanford professor even says we could soon see more pregnancies created in a laboratory. What does this all mean? God is being completely removed from the equation.

Man has succeeded at perverting something so beautiful and intimate as God creating human life, and a biological man and woman procreating under the covenant of natural marriage. When we, in our depravity and desire to be our own gods, rebel and try to “reassign” what He designed, what could go wrong? Confusion about our humanity and bathroom etiquette as well as what sex people should be. When we allow our feelings and emotions to rule over truth, are we then much different from animals?

We are seeing the consequences of this moral relativistic poison in the American public school system as too many kids think they are purposeless acts of nature possibly having evolved from apes – or from nothing rather than being uniquely designed by a loving Creator who gives our lives meaning. Some of the chaos gender ideology has wrought includes hedonism, depression, and too many teen and transgender suicides.

God help us. 

We do not have much time left and the lukewarm church had better get serious. If we are not already a stench in God’s nostrils and unsalvageable as a nation, we sure must be close. How much longer will He withhold judgment? Many seasoned Christians believe we are living in Romans 1 and drawing near to some of the most intense parts of prophecy in the book of Revelation. 

The good news is truth will prevail. The damage however, that’s being done to the very moral underpinnings of our nation has become irreparable. There is no turning back and tragically, many souls have been lost for eternity. I understand this is all happening fast, but if we remain on the sidelines and out of these conversations and public policy debates, expect the transgender train to plow full steam ahead leaving death and destruction in its wake.

If you and I love the truth, then we will speak up and work to defend and protect the truth of God and His Word. Take this personally. These attacks on the very truths of creation, marriage, family, and gender are attacks on the person and deity of Jesus Christ, aiming to minimize and redefine human beings made in His image. 

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*Photo: Illinois Family Institute