Will I ever be accepted as a T/S Woman by the church?

[suregirl]

Having struggled with this issue for years I am at my wits end and so want to reject my faith-but the thing is I do believe that God made me as I am... a T/S woman-and I do believe in God,why then cant the church accept me as I am and not try to change me?-I have tried many churches(same old story)and I even went back to living in the Male role in order to be accepted and baptised even though I was so close to G.R.S at the time and am now starting the whole process again-thing is I cannot turn away from God-aarghh its to painfull writing this -Has anyone had a similiar experience?-i would love to know-or just any thoughts?

[lisagurl]

If you believe you are in agreement with God , why should it matter if the dogma of man made church accepts you?

[buttercup]

I agree with lisagurl.  I am not from the US so I can't recommend any churches, but you keep the faith and that's important.   Being turned away or told to change is not going to do you any good.  You will need to find a church that is accepting, and until then, just keep believing in yourself and don't change for anyone.  Where this is a will, there is a way.

buttercup   

[Steph]

Having struggled with this issue for years I am at my wits end and so want to reject my faith-but the thing is I do believe that God made me as I am... a T/S woman-and I do believe in God,why then cant the church accept me as I am and not try to change me?-I have tried many churches(same old story)and I even went back to living in the Male role in order to be accepted and baptised even though I was so close to G.R.S at the time and am now starting the whole process again-thing is I cannot turn away from God-aarghh its to painfull writing this -Has anyone had a similiar experience?-i would love to know-or just any thoughts?

I am a non-believer if you will, but if I may... you have to remember that God is not the church, and the church is not God.  It's your beliefs and your faith in God that is important not the churches.  Many religious folks tell me that God doesn't make mistakes, if this is true then there is nothing wrong with you and you will be accepted by him.

Steph

[Ayana]

  I have and am struggling with the same thing that you are. I haven't come to any conclusions but I wanted you to know that there are a lot of us out there that are having difficulty reconciling our percieved "problem" with our beliefs. I suppose in the end it will depend on the church as to whether or not you will be accepted, and for me that is not a question of being accepted by God but accepted by a body of fellow believers. I feel like I am alone in my struggle and I could really use my pastor's guidance but I know what his response will be. I wish that I could help you, but the only guidance that I can offer is that narrowmindedness is a fault of humans, one that is not shared by God. We have his love, as individuals regardless of our social stature, regardless of whether or not we fit into an individual church body. Don't let human failures cause you to lose your faith in Him, He is bigger than that. If He were not, then He would not be worthy of our praise. That's the best I've come up with, hope it helps .

[Hazumu]

Uh, please forgive my lack of knowledge.  But when you refer to 'the church', which church are you referring to?

There are churches that accept us.  Metropolitan Community Church is one.  Our own David W. Shelton is a pastor at a church that welcomes you, whatever Sesame-street letter you may be.

So, you must be referring to a specific church or denomination.

It would greatly help to know to what you are referring...

Karen

[Kaeren]

Suregirl ,

I have for a very long time struggled with the question "Where do we come from ?" And I think I found the solution. I wouldn't say God makes no mistakes. It depends of course how you define God. Is God everything or does he have a partner, the devil. Because obviously, many things go the wrong way. But the things that go wrong, that is the devil ! What is right for one is wrong for another. Both think they are right and they probably are but both are also wrong.

I like more the idea of a "force". THE force.  The universe is both sides, the bright side and the dark side.  And there is no exception here for the churches. Some will accept you, others will not. Is one right and the other wrong ?  Maybe they are both right, and maybe they are both wrong ?  Obviously you are here. You shouldn't see yourself as a mistake.  Life itself can be seen as not perfect because every moment changes into another.  This is what life is.

If they don't want you then that is their choice. It's not because you are not wanted by them that you are a bad person. Others will want you. Christ said that the one without mistakes should throw the first stone. And he defended the woman that committed adultery which the high priests wanted to punish.  History always repeats itself.

Some say that the church is nearly dead.  I don't know whether that is right or not ? In my country many people believe but they don't go to church. There have been scandals about paedophilia. I know people who have been abused by priests sexually. I grew up among priests myself but I have had no negative experience myself. No matter what every end is a new beginning. And if the church is about ot end, then it will only be to be reborn better than ever.

Kaeren.

[Suzy]

Suregirl,

You will certainly find that churches vary from denomination to denomination, but now increasingly, from church to church, from pastor to pastor.  I would suggest that you just pick up the phone and call the pastors.  You can talk anonymously and they will not bite!  The key does not lie in anything but finding supportive clergy.  They will be able to tell you, and most will give you their honest assessment of whether or not you would be fully accepted.  If I can be of any help, please feel free to pm me.

Blessings,
Kristi

[bethzerosix]

i have been christian most of my life. i too have always felt that God made me the way i am(t/s). i felt very close to God my whole life but ran into difficulty with a few choice verses and the prevailing attitudes of "the church". something that really helped me is www.gendertree.com . also, christ always hung out with the outcasts and despised the "religious right". i have actually found more pro t/s  verses then con.

p.s. if you believe in christ, dont give up your faith. keep searching and he will get you home.

[Annie Social]

I have to throw in a plug for Unity Church. It's not only accepting: it hosted the Transgender day of remembrance here, and my partner (also trans) and I have taught Sunday School there. You can find a local church worldwide by going to www.unity.org and clicking "find a church" in the upper right.

Also, we are friends with some trans people who attend the Unitarian Universalist Church, and are well-supported there.

[Wing Walker]

I would attend and become part of any church I so desired.  The fact that I was born transsexual is no one's business.  I do lean toward any church that had a service for Transgender Remembrance Day.  I would go to that service even is I wasn't a member.

The Creator made no junk.  The procreation process is full of what might be perceived as mistakes.  Some are horrible manifestations and should not happen to any human, like the child who was born with eight limbs.  I cannot call that a mistake of the Creator any more than I can conclude that Renee Zellweger must be something special in the eyes of the same Creator because she is far prettier than I will ever be. 

I see it differently and I give thanks every morning for the fact that I was born transsexual, that I have lived two lives in the same lifetime, in the same body, and to now live the rest of my life here as the woman I was born to be.

I certainly would not let that prevent me from believing and worshipping as my heart guides me.

The church that would not accept me would tell me in public as to why.

Then again, as the late Groucho Marx said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."  He might have been right.

Wing Walker