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How to deal with a religiously extreme family member?

Started by ScarletRed, February 12, 2016, 03:48:13 PM

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ScarletRed

Ok so little by little I have been changing my appearance to be more feminine I recently got my ears pierced and my brother and my niece got upset with me. I haven't actually told my brother that I'm transgender yet because he is a Christian fanatic. I'm still a Christian myself and after much prayer and a lot of pain I finally believe God loves me no matter what, but how can I convince my brother of that? Is it even possible? Does anyone know of some Bible verses that I can backup my position with as a transgender?

Thanks
Scarlet Red


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suzifrommd

Quote from: ScarletRed on February 12, 2016, 03:48:13 PM
Ok so little by little I have been changing my appearance to be more feminine I recently got my ears pierced and my brother and my niece got upset with me. I haven't actually told my brother that I'm transgender yet because he is a Christian fanatic. I'm still a Christian myself and after much prayer and a lot of pain I finally believe God loves me no matter what, but how can I convince my brother of that? Is it even possible? Does anyone know of some Bible verses that I can backup my position with as a transgender?

Thanks
Scarlet Red


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The ones I know refer to "eunuchs", the term for a male bodied person who has had his testicles removed.

From Isaiah 56:4-5:

Quote4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

I especially liked the phrase about being given a name "better than of sons and daughters". I interpret that as support for changing our names to one that matches our gender identity.

From Matthew 19:12, from the mouth of Jesus Himself:

QuoteFor there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.

Hope this helps.
Have you read my short story The Eve of Triumph?
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stephaniec

Jesus is my Lord, but I don't know any specific verses to help you. You are a child of God as it is with your brother , but be prepared for your brother to never understand you. He may or may not come around , but don't let others determine your life. The most important message that Christ brought to earth was unconditional love of  the Father for his children.
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ScarletRed

Thanks suzi this does help.[emoji68]


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Tamika Olivia

"Judge not lest ye be judged" or "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"

They're cliche for a reason.
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XKimX

Unfortunately, Old Testament texts would support having you stoned to death and sent into hell with the Sodomites.

You can reconcile the conflicts within yourself, and it appears as if you have done it successfully.

Your brother does not know how you feel, nor can he.  In his experience, you are voluntarily making a really stupid choice in life.  In your mind, it is not at all stupid; it is compelling, not voluntary.  He may remain unconvinced,  which is not all out of normal.  In this particular regard, I suspect his "Christianity" is not the source of his feelings and beliefs, but serves only as a vehicle to express them.  He is afraid of any non-conformity.

Appealing to his reason, you might wish to point out that you are not making this choice for rational reasons; would any normal rational man want to give up all the advantages of living in a male dominant world?  Obviously not (to his way of thinking).  So therefore you must be being compelled by some outside force to act as you are doing.  It may be the will of God that you live as you feel, or something else, but whatever it is, it feels so compelling that you have to do it.

If this does not lead to a brotherly reconciliation, or at least a loving readjustment, challenge him to find a New Testament verse that would justify his attitude of shunning you -- Unless you were raised as Mennonites in which case he will have it handy.

From what I have seen with other similar circumstances, your de facto expulsion from the family does not last forever.  It can be years, but reconciliation almost always happens.

Just in the little community where I live for the moment, one neighbor just reconciled with a brother he had not seen in 40 years, and who lives a continent away.  Another reconciled with his son after 10 years, said son having spent that time in prison for drug dealing.  And another mother coming out of a deep depression when her son was sent upstate under a life sentence for murder; she went to visit him for the first time since the trial and his expulsion from the family circle.

For families, fear often gets in the way of resolution.  Never be afraid to make the first motion towards and eventual reconciliation -- the other person may just be waiting for that to happen.

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