I have been thinking about different things that have happened or are happening in our world today. By no means do I think I have all the answers or have the last word on anything. I just have my ramblings and my meanderings. But then again, isn't this what my blog is for? The random thoughts of a parish pastor.
First, I would like to weigh in on the death of Prince. I was never a big Prince fan. I didn't really think he was that great. I really didn't enjoy his music, his style or his lifestyle. My heart didn't break when he died. Wait, that isn't true. I have been waiting to hear from someone that Prince was a believer in Jesus Christ. I have longed to hear it said that Prince believed in Jesus Christ as his only Savior and the only way to heaven. I haven't heard that. And that breaks my heart. If indeed Prince died without faith in Jesus, then it is a tragedy. That means that he will not spend eternity with the Almighty in heaven.
You see, faith is more than just saying there is a Supreme Being, a great big something outside of us, or a God somewhere that we think might exist but we don't know who he is. Faith is more than just throwing the words "Thank God" out there whenever we think it is necessary. Faith is believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, true God and true man, who is the only Savior of the world. Faith believes in Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, as the Resurrection and the Life. The Holy Spirit works that faith. It breaks my heart when I hear of some famous person who dies and doesn't believe in Jesus. That truly is a tragedy and I pray that the Spirit would work faith in each person before they die. Then we can celebrate the eternal life given by Jesus Christ.
Second, there is this whole bathroom controversy. Should those who identify as the opposite gender than which they were born? Should those who are one gender be allowed into the bathroom of the other gender just because they say that they feel or want to act like the other gender? I am not commenting on the whole transgender issue. But I am commenting on the bathroom issue.
If the bathroom has more than one stall and is open to more than one person at a time, it should be limited to those of the same gender which they had at birth. I know that our society is trying to make the small number of transgender people feel comfortable or welcome in society and trying to not make them do something they don't want to do - go to the bathroom in the appropriate restroom based on their birth gender. We don't want to offend anyone, especially those of the transgender, lesbian, homosexual or any other sexually unusual people in our society.
But what about the majority of people who are not sexually unusual? What about those who do identify as the gender with which they were born? Do we not want to offend them? Or is it only if you are one of the minority are we afraid to offend? These actions offend a vast majority of people in our country and yet we don't worry about offending them? The number of transgender people who wish to use public bathrooms are minimal. The vast majority of people are not transgender and are offended and mortified to think that there is a male in a women's bathroom or a woman in a men's bathroom. Yes, it goes both ways. And it is offensive. Why are we not afraid to offend the masses in order to not offend a small number of people?
Another side to the issue is that there are many sick people in the world. It isn't just those who have been placed on the sexual predators list. There are many sick people who will take advantage of such a law in order to feed their sick feelings. A man may not actually attack a child or a woman in a bathroom, but in his sickness, he will go into the bathroom to feed his sick desires to be close to someone who is the opposite gender. Who can stop him? Why would you try to stop him? He should be offended that someone thinks his desires are sick. He should be supported in his feelings that he desires to be in the next stall to a little girl who is going to the bathroom. It is, after all, what he feels he needs to make his life complete. Who are we to stop him?
I have been around the sexually sick people. When I served at Big Muddy Correctional Center, I worked with those who were sexually dangerous people. Many of those men did not feel any remorse about their sexual crimes. They would do them again if given the chance. Opening the bathrooms up to them makes it possible for them to live their deviant behavior. Why would we take the chance with our daughters, wives or grandmothers? Why would we even think that this is acceptable? What happened to trying to keep the majority safe even if it meant that a minority would have to not be allowed to act in a certain way?
If the bathroom is a single stall, locked door, then it isn't an issue. Who cares who goes into it? Male, female or whatever the person identifies as can go into a single seat restroom. No one else in there at the same time. But multiple stalls restrooms should be kept for those of the same birth gender.
Third, this brings to the front the reality of sin. The whole sexual revolution in our country is nothing more than an sinful abuse of that which God has given to us. God has made the sexual relationship a beautiful gift for a man and woman who is in a marriage relationship. Outside of that relationship, any sexual relationship is sinful. That is the basic statement that must be made. Sin is still sin even if one thinks their choice of sexuality is acceptable. God still says that sexual sin is still sexual sin no matter what we think in our lives.
All right, I think I will stop at that point for today. That is enough ramblings for one day.
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