TG and questions about Christianity

[Shawn Sunshine]

"Although the term 'eunuch' is not a perfect fit for transgender people, it does, in context, refer to those who were outside of society's strictly male-female order"

I already quoted this, that is my point actually. Transgender folks don't fit in societies order. But Jesus and God do not look at the flesh, they look at my heart.

[Annah]

Listen, that book was really helpful for me, I was at a place where i could not accept myself. It doesn't matter if it can be proven or dis-proven that the Ethiopian eunuch was genderfluid of some sort. That was just one small note in a chapter. I read the entire book and it lifted a veil from my eyes. Also reading another book "what the bible really says about homosexuality" helped a massive amount. It took away the strength of the fundamental conservative arguments against homosexuality for me. I needed these books to find some inner peace, and I am so glad my pastor got them for me. (She is a lesbian pastor at a UCC Church)

Another place that really helped was the wouldjesusdiscriminate.org website . Those audio sermons were also helpful in getting me from a place of fear to a place of hope. I think we are getting off track here anyways, this thread was not started by me, i was trying my best to offer some comfort and peace.

I am sure the book was helpful to you and I am glad it was.

I am just saying you are putting yourself in a box when you believe when Jesus was talking about Eunuchs, he was talking about transgender people...so that means it is ok for you to be transgender.

God says it is ok for you to be transgender...not because God was talking about God loving Eunuchs. God loves you regardless of who you are because God so loved the world. God rewards us when we love our neighbor and when we feed the hungry and take care of the sick.

It goes far beyond Matthew 19 when it comes to God accepting you. God's love is unconditional. When I see transgenders trying to read into scripture to show where God loves a transgender person then it may mean they have doubts that God says its ok to be transgender or they are looking for affirmation. Sadly, this is because a right wing church had probably taught you this sort of thing is sinful and lead you to hell.

God just wants you to be you. There is no need to try to look for evidence that its ok to be transgender (believe me...I tried...transgender stories just isn't in the Scriptures). God looks into your soul and sees the compassion you have within you. It transcends far above than what clothes we wear or what gender we call ourselves.

All I am saying is be encourage and don't look into the bible for specifics but for stories of love and acceptance for all people.

[Shawn Sunshine]

Well Eunuchs were marginalized by people , just as transgenders are marginalized today. Jesus never marginalized a eunuch so it stands to reason he would not marginalize anyone for anything.

Ok so what of other faiths and religions, anything You have discovered Annah, that pertain to being genderfluid of any sort?

[SarahM777]

This may have been asked before but I am confused and lately I have become more spiritual and interested in God and the afterlife but it is hard to get information pertaining to TG people as that wasn't specifically mentioned in the bible.

I have heard from people that the ill and injured and deformed would be returned to wholeness in Heaven, and does that apply to us as well? Because if God made our souls and loves us each as his children and knows us as no other man can know us, then he sees the souls of his transgender children as his sons and daughters in spirit, right? So transgender women and men he sees as he would see any other man or woman and knows them as their true spiritual gender.

So assuming that, we will be made whole as a reflection of our souls in the kingdom to come, healed of all the ails and perils of our mortal bodies which would make us complete. As Jesus said worry not for your food and your body (in this life) they will be provided to you in the kingdom of heaven.

Does that mean we will be made whole and complete in the kingdom to come? It is said Jesus loves those whoare struggling and suffering in this world and they will be rewarded in the kingdom of heaven so that is my interpretation of it.

Is my interpretation correct? Would God see us as we truly are on the inside, and our spiritual or heavenly likeness to be a true reflection of our soul's qualities?

To get back to your question,we need to remember that when God first created the world,
everything was good and as He intended it. It's not that way at the moment,Paul writes in Romans that all of creation is subject to frustration,(along with our bodies). We are waiting for that time when they will be redeemed.

Romans 8

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Paul indicates that all of creation (along with us) is in bondage to decay and someday we will be set free from that decay.

John writes this in Revelation

Revelation 21

21 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

John indicates that all pain will be gone. Does he say it's limited to just the body? Or does it include mental,emotional,and spiritual pain? I don't see where he says it just in one area but it's in all areas of our lives. We will be as God always intended us to be in the beginning.

[Shawn Sunshine]

Someone once told me that because we live in am imperfect and fallen world, this is why we are the way we are. If it was a perfect world i would have been born with a female body.

[Annah]

for me, I don't buy in a birth sin...hard to believe in a transference of birth sin when I don't believe in a real Adam and Eve in a real Garden as the start of humanity.

However, I do believe that this world is not perfect. I believe it' not perfect because of our own misdoings and not that of a crafty snake who can speak a human language.

I believe, through our own greed, mistrust, anger, lust, etc etc, we created the world in which we live in. Similar to the phrase: "You made your own bed and now you have to sleep in it."

In regards of me having to change my gender, I do not see that as imperfection or as a curse. I find it as a blessing.

Not too many people on this earth can say they lived in a cultural society as a man and then as a woman....and not too many people on this earth can say they made love as a man and now they make love as a woman. And not too many people can say they raised their children as a father and now they are doing it as a mother.

I never regretted being a male. I knew I was not a male more than anything else I knew in this world but I never regretted it. I have three beautiful children, I have experienced a male life and now I am experiencing a female life. Not too many people can say that.

Yes...my life isn't perfect and me changing genders haven't been perfect either....but no one has really had a perfect life.