28 Aug LGBTQIA+ ~ A Christian attempt at understanding and possibly engaging!

The author recommends a 3-pronged approach for those attempting to engage with this complex cultural milieu. The 3 key Christian impediments that come up before us as we approach this sexuality-gender revolution, are –
(i) the knowledge gap,
(ii) the understanding gap
(iii) the wisdom gap (This article deals in a cursory way with remedying the understanding gap & the wisdom gap)
The other 2 parts of this 3-part article can be accessed at:
https://blog.saftapologetics.com/the-christian-response-to-homosexuality-part-1/
https://blog.saftapologetics.com/the-christian-response-to-homosexuality-part-3/

A. Understanding is key!
Goethe famously said, “everyone hears only what he understands!” This couldn’t be truer as we attempt to respond to the issue of homosexuality and gender identity. Understanding is always in rare supply. The Bible has a lot to teach us on the virtue of understanding. If we are to help someone from this community, the primary thing to work towards is to try and understand the issue at hand: “The simple (read, foolish) takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in airing his opinion” (Prov 18:2).

B. What are we missing?

1.Understanding Oversimplification
The issue of same-sex attraction (SSA) and ‘gender-expression’ is a very complex one on several levels. The bio-psycho-social interactions and interplay that result in SSA and Gender Identity issues are established but seldom taken seriously. The two narratives that keep popping up in conversations are – “I’m born this way” (biology) and “It’s my life” (autonomy). Now, that is profoundly simplistic and detrimental for those within the LGBTQIA+ space, as they refuse to see the complexity of the issue and refrain from moving from a faulty diagnosis to remedy, if I may use that medical analogy.
Those that attempt to engage with them are given very little – biology and self-expression, to work around, and provide remedy (not that they are asking). So, oversimplifying this complex issue at hand needs to be understood as a major barrier preventing any inroads for giving help and/or a perceived need for receiving help.

2. Understanding Insecurity
For those that are keenly watching this space, there is a palpable global shift from SSA to Gender Identity/Expression issues (Transgenderism). We need to understand this shift if we are to engage with those from the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.
Unsettled questions of identity can be the most devastating for anyone. The question of “who am I?” is one of the big four that philosophers down the centuries have tried to attempt at cracking. Am I Charles? Am I a Physical Therapist/Apologist? Am I a South Indian? Yes, I’m ALL of that – yet I am NOT any of that! I’m more. Not a mere name, with a lineage and a career, social standing or ethnicity. I’m more! So, who am I?
A false grounding of our identity and an undue emphasis or affiliation to our so-called identity markers can do us more damage in the long run. Sadly, here we see that the all-encompassing idea of identity is forced into a small facet called sexuality and an attempt at meaning, purpose and significance seems to be rooted in that ‘fluid’ framework!
Clearly all this is leading one into a bubble of insecurity. Understanding their identity challenges and where generally identity challenges stem from is crucial to engage with people straddling this spectrum.

3. Understanding Rejection
All of us made in God’s image, carry the wonderful capability and desire for relationality. We desire to be loved and we thrive maximally when we have the opportunity to express our love too. This is because our Maker is essentially love. The unique tri-unity in the personhood of God makes this relationality within the Godhead a reality!
The people in the LGBTQIA+ community sense a heightened level of alienation and rejection. This is clearly hard to process amidst their ongoing quest for identity and that, in the wrong places (esp. sexuality). All this leaves them seeking for affirmation, acceptance and belonging. This has resulted in the movement that we see today – a championing-of-sorts for ‘rights’ and ‘safe spaces’ where they could be protected from suffering further hurt or rejection. Historically, there have been and there continues to be incidents of abuse, oppression, violence and ostracizing that have accentuated alienation and that have in recent years found release through – pushbacks, propaganda, protests and defiance. That should not come as a surprise to any of us. Therefore, understanding this caveat of this cultural revolution is crucial to engage with the LGBTQIA+ community.

4. Understanding Fallenness
Another crucial piece in this discourse that we (both the LGBT community and the non-LGBT) so often tend to ignore is that we all are part of this fallen world! We are all fallen people. We all are sexually broken! We are all on the same large broken boat, perhaps on different decks. So, all of us primarily need the Saviour! This understanding is crucial in sensibly and sensitively navigating through and engaging with the LGBTQIA+ community, with truth and grace. Seeing ourselves along with them as needy recipients of grace and mercy. Needy for true identity. Needy for true restoration!
Else, we risk being perceived as Christian hypocrites poised securely on our moral high horses, screaming down at those that don’t seem to realize their need for the Saviour and chasing them away from Him as far away as our hypocrisy could possibly drive them. Scary, isn’t it?! To think of how our ultra-zealous ‘spirituality’ could be terribly misperceived by needy others.

5. Understanding Role-modelling
The LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t see in Christians many deep thinking, understanding, sensitive and sensible role models that they would trust to get introduced to Christ Jesus!
In the words of Christopher Yuan, a former gay and now a transformed teaching faculty at the Moody Bible Institute, “most see Christians as anti-homosexual, not anti-homosexuality.” This is a comment that we need to take seriously if we desire to be winsome witnesses to Christ’s transforming power in their lives! Most see us as Bible-bashing bigots and would do anything to dismiss us and stay as far away from us as possible.

6. Understanding Christ, the approachable!
There are several titles of Jesus that we are familiar with. One character trait of Jesus – God, is His approachability. the Samaritan woman of ill-repute at the well, the adulteress caught in the very act, the abominable who anointed His feet with her tears – were not running away from the “Holy of Holies” but were drawn to Him and His words. Words of life. Words of grace, proportioned with truth. The mysterious marriage of truth and grace that’s captivating, comforting and convicting all at once! We all struggle with this, and we often get it wrong!

C. Desire Discernment!
We are either too gracious or comforting to the extent that it borders on condoning the LGBTQIA+ lifestyle. Or we are too truthful and clobber people leaving them bruised and battered beyond ‘redemption’!

Jesus was a champion at marrying truth and grace and so should we be! As we dig deeper into His approach a startling pattern that we’ve perhaps missed seems to emerge. We see that He was One Who never pulled back a punch when He had to deal with the puffed-up ones who claimed that they knew God but had no signs of it. However, when He dealt with ones that didn’t have access to or knowledge of truth – the poor in spirit, those feeling ‘inadequate’ about themselves, He always extended grace and then seasoned it with truth, in time after triggering transformation.

We, as His disciples need to understand and discern to be effective ambassadors of Truth personified, Jesus Christ – the identity-giver, the redeemer, the restorer, the transformer, the One who makes all things new!

May God give us the understanding and discernment we need as we are presented with opportunities to engage with those from the LGBTQIA+ community.

Charles and Priscilla with their daughter Mishaelle and parents from both sides make their home in Vellore. They are co-founders of “think Christ apologetics” (www.thinkChrist.org), Charlie’s Spine Klinic (Google and Practo listed) and Priscilla’s Montessori Matters (a Montessori Training and Consultancy services) – tentmaking efforts to fund their ministry among – thinkers, seekers and skeptics.