The bathroom bill has finally passed in Texas, so I’m sending out love to people who are transgender and to the friends and families who may be grieving right now.
MAGA Republicans should be ashamed for talking about small government when they usurp women’s constitutional rights over their own bodies, send national troops to override democratically elected city councils and, now, even tell people where they can and cannot pee. What kind of small government is that?
It is obvious that these politicians are no lovers of democracy but, as a Christian pastor, I want to make clear that these anti-trans clergy are no lovers of the Christian message either.
In John 8, Jesus admonished the religious fundamentalists of his day for judging people beings by their fleshly condition. In Galatians 5 Paul separates false ethical standards based on conditions of the flesh and what he called “fruits of the spirit.”
In other words, matters like race and gender are superficial and should have no bearing an ethics of love. An ethics of love should seek virtues of character, not conformity to rules based on human physical traits.
As a Christian and a Texan, I just want to apologize to the entire transgender community for our state leaders using you as a scapegoat. No Christian should be silent when the name of Christ is lifted as a cudgel against anyone. This is just a reminder that Jesus said nothing against people who are transgender, but MANY things condemning judgmental religious bullying.