I'm not a Christian though I was raised protestant.
I have however read the bible, albeit in Icelandic.

Today I came across something that reminded me of a passage in the bible, specifically Proverbs 6:16-19.

Quote16 There are six things the LORD hates,
       seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,
       a lying tongue,
       hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
       feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19 a false witness who pours out lies
       and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

I just wanted to bring it up and mention it here because amongst almost all of those that spread misinformation and hatred about Trans-folk (and actually, everyone who is in any way under the GLBT umbrella) is guilty of at least one of these things.
As such, I would offer this passage as a tool to debate with those that would use the bible as a foundation to argue that we should in some way or another be mistreated.
"a man who stirs up dissension among brothers" is something that comes to mind especially since reading this thread.

When you proclaim you are doing god's work, anything goes.  Don't you know that by now? 

Julie

Miniar,

Unfortunately, here in the U.S. it doesn't take a whole lot to call yourself a preacher, or a minister.

In too many cases, it is not Godly pursuit that draws some individuals to take the pulpit. Many bring their own hatred, confusion and bias into the religious relm.. often supported by entire organizations dedicated to espousing such beliefs over love and hope.

To be honest, I am an ordained minister myself. The paper doesn't mean much until you put your heart and soul into your every day life. Only then can you hope to ever be of help or consolation to others..

Some who preach in any religion, are too easy to use the words and the books as weapons against what they either despise or do not understand.

I know that in many other countrys there are strict governmental regulations on who can be or not be a minister. I like our openness.. In many of the other countrys I could not be a minister nor espouse my faith.

The price for freedom is that others get to exercise it too.. and even here, such people, once they have stirred up enough trouble,  can be prosecuted under law.. it just doesn't happen very often.

Shrimp

Miniar,

Thank your for this wonderful reminder from Proverbs.  One minister
founded the AFA (American Family Association), which campaigns
against gay rights.  [I previously wrote about different activities, and
wondered out loud whether he was a "real minister."  I just found out that I had confused this man with someone else.  My apologies to you and to this minister.]

But I recently received an email from a young lesbian minister that
made me think and forced me to "step out in faith," in a way I hadn't before.
The Rev. Don Wildmon (referred to above) entered the N. Mississippi Med.
Center around Aug. 15-16, was found to have a serious case of meningitis,
and had to be in intensive care for a few days.  The subject of the young
lesbian minister's email was "Loving our enemy."  She thought it would be
wonderful for openly gay people [as well as others who are LGBT, I presume],
to send him an honest and loving get-well note, saying we are gay [or LBT]
and that we wish him good health.  I did start writing such an email, and experienced an emotional hesitation about wishing him a return to good health. But in forcing myself to write it anyway,
I felt an opening up to God and to the Rev. Wildmon as a human being.  I do
not for 1 minute condone any of his hateful actions, but had a real feeling that this was what Jesus was talking about when he said "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

God bless,

Sandra

Sandra, I read the same letter and replied also. The greater lesson is that this lesbian minister is demonstrating true Christian love.

Gennee

I've always believed that hating people for what they believe is a waste of energy. If what they believe is hurtful and destructive, then I feel sad about that. If they practice what they preach, I think they need to be stopped, and sometimes, at any cost. I wouldn't hate them, as people, and I wouldn't wish them all sorts of nasty things...
I wouldn't care much if, after having tried all sorts of things to stop them, they would die a violent death, either. (I'm not that much of a hypocrite. )
Good people die every day. Why would we mourn the bad people? Hate is a very strong thing; it's destructive, and intense. Love, however, is it's direct opposite. While I agree that hating your enemy might not be the best thing, lóving your enemy would be just as strong.. I'm more of a middle-way kinda gal. Indifference with caring tendencies.

Ahh, time to pull out one of my favorite lyrics of all time.  From the Austin Lounge Lizards.

Jesus Loves Me (But He Can't Stand You)

I know you smoke, I know you drink that brew,
I just can't abide a sinner like you.
God can't either, that's why I know it's true,
That Jesus loves me but he can't stand you.

I'm going straight to heaven, boys, when I die,
'cause I've crossed every T and I've dotted every I
Why, my preacher tells me I'm god's kind of guy,
That's why Jesus loves me, but you're gonna fry.

God loves all his children, by gum,
That doesn't mean he won't incinerate some,
Can't you feel those hot flames licking you?

I'm raising my kids in a righteous way,
So don't be sending your kids to my house to play,
Yours will grow up stoned, left leaning and gay,
I know - Jesus told me on the phone today.

Jesus loves me, this I know
And he told me where you're gonna go,
There's room for your kind down below
Whoa, whoa, whoa

Jesus loves me, he loves me real good. I know he does. He called me up on the phone today and told me how much he loves me. He said, "Son, I love you." He speaks English pretty well, considering it's a second language for him. You can talk to him, too, you know. I've got a 900- number in Tulsa you can call him at, I do it all the time. He'll be glad to hear from you. I talk to him everyday.

Jesus love me, but he can't stand you.

I'll have to remember to cite that next time some "concerned" person throws a proof text at me.

As a bit of trivia - Rev. Wildmon was born and raised in the county where I've lived my whole life and his parents, if they are still alive, still live here.

Not a biblical quote, in fact I've no idea where this one comes from, but a friend of mine posted it a while back.
I think I "may" have posted it around here somewhere before, but I can't recall.

The quote goes something like this.

"If God hates the same things as you do then it is certain that you have created him."

Or so..