Cutting LGB ties: The orientation separation
With the increase in attention to the transgender movement, there have been growing conversations among the political right about whether someone can stand for the acceptance of homosexual rights while standing against the transgender movement. Organizations like Gays Against Groomers and activists like Dave Rubin argue that conservatives can stand for gay marriage and the L, G and B while standing against transgenderism, particularly when it comes to children. However, the truth of the matter is that the elements of the LGBT movement cannot be separated and treated differently, especially not for Christians.
For starters, Christians recognize that God created humans as male or female in Genesis 2, with both being made specially unique, complementary and in his image. The Bible says that the proper expression of marriage is between one man and one woman in a monogamous relationship, as stated by Christ in Matthew 19:4-6. The Bible explicitly condemns same-sex relationships in multiple Old and New Testament passages, including Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-28 and 1 Timothy 1:8-10.
Additionally, the Bible condemns cross-dressing in Deuteronomy 22:5 and draws several distinctions between men and women. For Christians, all aspects of the LBGT movement are contrary to Scripture and must be recognized as such.
Additionally, the history of the gay rights movement makes it nearly impossible to draw distinctions between the elements of the LGBT movement. According to PBS, the Library of Congress, the American Psychological Association and many other sources, transgender individuals have played key roles in the movement for LGBT acceptance. Transgender people were present at the Stonewall riots in 1969 and played key roles in the original gay liberation movements of the 1970s. To try and separate transgender people from the broader LGBT movement would be to ignore the movement’s own history.
No matter how you look at it, the LGB cannot be separated from the T. All elements of the movement are deeply entwined and cannot be removed from one another. Conservatives and Christians must not fall to the temptation of separating the elements to maintain a strategic political alliance. So what should we do?
First, we must recognize that all people, not just those in the LGBT movement, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All are in need of salvation and must hear the gospel, repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life. Outside of Christ, there is no salvation, no hope and no future.
Second, Christians must be willing to stand up and proclaim the biblical truths that marriage is only between one man and one woman and that God created us as male or female. These truths are unpopular in broader culture and risk costing Christians political allies, even in the conservative movement, but this does not change the fact that we are called to stand up for the truth of God’s word. As Mark 8:36 says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
The LGBT movement is rooted in a sinful worldview, and we must be quick to point this out and defend the truth. We must also be careful not to place unrighteous judgment on LGBT individuals and remember that they, too, are humans created in the image of God, worthy of our love and respect. We must also remember that love does not mean acceptance of behavior, and we must be willing to call others to repent of their sinful lifestyles just as we must call those who are caught in drunkenness, adultery, lust or any other sinful behavior to repent as well.
God’s word makes no distinctions. All have sinned and all must turn to Christ for salvation. Through the gospel, we can be made new.
Hughes is an opinion writer for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X