Virginia Catholic Bishop: 'No One' Is Transgender

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Martin Q. Blank
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2:26p, 8/30/21
A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Ideology

https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/bishop/public-messages/2021/a-catechesis-on-the-human-person-and-gender-ideology/

For those struggling

Finally, a word to those struggling with gender dysphoria.

Every one of us has a struggle that is unique. But none of us should feel alone or abandoned in his or her struggles. Like many others, you may feel alienated from your body, as though you are supposed to have a different one. Please know that, although you may struggle with your body or self-image, God's unrelenting love for you means that He loves you in the totality of your body as well. Our basic obligation to respect and care for the body comes from the fact that your body is part of the person-you-whom God loves.

Be on guard against simplistic solutions that promise relief from your struggles by the change of name, pronouns, or even the appearance of your body. There are many who have walked that path before you only to regret it. The difficult but more promising path to joy and peace is to work with a trusted counselor, therapist, priest, and/or friend to come to an awareness of the goodness of your body and of your identity as male or female.

More than anything else, the Church desires to bring you the love of Jesus Christ Himself. That love is inseparable from the truth of who you are as one created in God's image, reborn as a child of God, and destined for His glory. Christ suffered for our sake, not to exempt us from all suffering but to be with us in the midst of those struggles. The Church is here to assist and accompany you on this journey, so that you will know the beauty of the body and soul that God gave you and come to enjoy "the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Rom 8:21).
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RAB91
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5:11p, 8/30/21
Good stuff....
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Dilettante
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In reply to RAB91 • 5:21p, 8/30/21
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to Dilettante • 6:02p, 8/30/21
AG
Yeah, it's clear he has no understanding of gender dysphoria or what it means to be transgender. I knew it was a matter of time before this nonsense showed up here.

I mean, he recommends a therapist. Should someone tell him that virtually any licensed therapist who specializes in this would have zero issue with my course. And a friend? Really? This guy is speaking on something he doesn't understand.

My faith and relationship with God has grown so much deeper and richer since transitioning. Fortunately that matters more to me than what posters with zero credibility have to say on something of which they know nothing.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to Dilettante • 6:14p, 8/30/21
AG
I mean, he even describes transitioning as a "simplistic solution". Dude has never met a trans person in his life. Anyone who claims we chose the simple solution is a damn fool.

No, the simple solution would have led to my death. They don't care that the decision to transition was literally a decision to save my life. 30+ years of absolute hell and I had reached my end. I even asked my wife to be there with me when it happened so I didn't die alone. I knew it was an inevitability. But yeah, taking the path towards health knowing it would result in loss of family, lifelong friends, employment discrimination, social ostracism, etc is apparently "simple". In reality, I truly believe that some on this board, and on this thread, would prefer I had taken my life. I believe there are those who hate to see a trans person of devout faith who loves and serves God daily. To them, I go against their narrative, whereas had I taken my life, they could use me to bludgeon other trans people.
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ViceroyEschaton
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In reply to PacifistAg • 6:36p, 8/30/21
First of all, I feel for your misery and the difficulty of the situation. The bishop says as much.

That said, it is a simplistic solution. To say, "We aren't actually going to figure out how to help your mental illness and we'll block attempts to study it, but hey, we'll validate your dysmorphia instead" is simplistic.

Name me another illness where instead of helping the patient feel comfortable in their own?body, we tell them theyre totally right and encourage their aberration.
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Joe Boudain
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6:39p, 8/30/21
A voice cries out in the wilderness
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jrico2727
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6:40p, 8/30/21
AG
Sad that a Bishop has to say a Man is a Man and a Woman is a Woman. It's even sadder to see him being mocked for trying to reach out to those who have been disillusioned by this time and society we live in. God Bless him for being a true Shepard and speaking the truth to the world that celebrates lies.
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Joe Boudain
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In reply to Dilettante • 6:40p, 8/30/21
Dilettante said:
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.


You could have just said "release barabbas" and left it at that.
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Joe Boudain
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In reply to PacifistAg • 6:45p, 8/30/21
You're trying to hold God hostage by creating a false dichotomy.

"Its okay if I do 'x' because otherwise I'll be forced to do 'y' " has no place in Christianity. That's the definition of the end justifying the means.

I do think that's taking the easy way out, because it involves doing what you want to do, rather than what is right.
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RAB91
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In reply to Dilettante • 6:47p, 8/30/21
Dilettante said:
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.
By good stuff I mean any time the church leaders take a stand and push back on the moral decay in our society.... be it abortion, euthanasia, LGBTQ....., etc.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to Joe Boudain • 6:48p, 8/30/21
AG
It's adorable that someone who espouses the evil that we need to be more like the Taliban would think I care what they think about any matter of Christian thought.

I'll let the trolls and those who have zero understanding about what it means to be transgender have their little party here. Have a great time. I'll be off to go read Scripture and spend some time in prayer with my Savior.
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Dilettante
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In reply to RAB91 • 8:47p, 8/30/21
Dilettante said:
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.
RAB91 said:
By good stuff I mean any time the church leaders take a stand and push back on the moral decay in our society.... be it abortion, euthanasia, LGBTQ....., etc.
I think we're describing the same thing. I said Christians with these kinds of beliefs were being pushed out of society. I didn't say who was doing the pushing.
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File5
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In reply to PacifistAg • 9:49p, 8/30/21
AG
PacifistAg said:
I mean, he even describes transitioning as a "simplistic solution". Dude has never met a trans person in his life. Anyone who claims we chose the simple solution is a damn fool.

No, the simple solution would have led to my death. They don't care that the decision to transition was literally a decision to save my life. 30+ years of absolute hell and I had reached my end. I even asked my wife to be there with me when it happened so I didn't die alone. I knew it was an inevitability. But yeah, taking the path towards health knowing it would result in loss of family, lifelong friends, employment discrimination, social ostracism, etc is apparently "simple". In reality, I truly believe that some on this board, and on this thread, would prefer I had taken my life. I believe there are those who hate to see a trans person of devout faith who loves and serves God daily. To them, I go against their narrative, whereas had I taken my life, they could use me to bludgeon other trans people.


A board full of people willing to exchange ideas and bare the depths of their soul, and you honestly think some of these (Christians no less!) wish you had killed yourself as a political point? Yeah, they're the unreasonable ones.
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Dilettante
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In reply to PacifistAg • 9:53p, 8/30/21
The notion that the choice was between transitioning and suicide seems like it moves responsibility off of you.

You could have done the 3rd option, which was not transitioning and not committing suicide. I won't claim to have had your experiences, but suicide seems like it's a choice, not a consequence. You might say that the choice was between transitioning and a life worse than death, but choosing death over a crappy life isn't mandatory.
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File5
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In reply to Dilettante • 9:57p, 8/30/21
AG
Dilettante said:
Dilettante said:
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.
RAB91 said:
By good stuff I mean any time the church leaders take a stand and push back on the moral decay in our society.... be it abortion, euthanasia, LGBTQ....., etc.
I think we're describing the same thing. I said Christians with these kinds of beliefs were being pushed out of society. I didn't say who was doing the pushing.


Not sure I follow this, sorry. Can you expound? Are you saying that even though the points are good, people are rejecting it and religion altogether? What would be your strategy if so? If I'm off base just ignore the hypothetical
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PacifistAg
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In reply to Dilettante • 10:23p, 8/30/21
AG
Dilettante said:
The notion that the choice was between transitioning and suicide seems like it moves responsibility off of you.

You could have done the 3rd option, which was not transitioning and not committing suicide. I won't claim to have had your experiences, but suicide seems like it's a choice, not a consequence. You might say that the choice was between transitioning and a life worse than death, but choosing death over a crappy life isn't mandatory.

Not at all. When I say it was between suicide or transition, that's just speaking about the reality of the situation. Y'all don't understand just how painful gender dysphoria is. I saw therapists. I talked to pastors. I prayed. I begged God. I cried. For 30+ years, I tried everything to not be this. But it reached the point that I couldn't take the pain any longer. The reality is that if I didn't transition, I would have taken my life. To not transition was simply too painful. Again, this is something that people just don't understand. The pain. The depression. I couldn't take it anymore. It's like people who simply can't take physical pain anymore.

But I transitioned and haven't had any suicidal thoughts since. The crushing depression is gone. But we knew the inevitable end, so much so that it was my wife who encouraged me to start hormones. Yes, in theory, I could have continued without transition and not die by suicide, but the reality of it was that it was a life or death decision. It's one of the best decisions I ever made. It's cleared this dense fog in my mind. I am "right" now, and so much more mentally, and spiritually, healthy today than at any point in my life.

But, again, you can't comprehend what gender dysphoria is like. And that's a good thing because it's torture. But all I ask is for people to understand that they can't understand, and let that drive them towards empathy. This wasn't the simplistic choice, especially with a family and career. Especially in a state that is overtly hostile towards people like me. I truly believe God would rather I be alive, and He knows how close I was to death. He knows how much hatred I had for myself. I truly believe He'd rather me be like I am today. I'm closer with Him. It's amazing how much deeper your faith can be when you're not absolutely consumed with severe depression and self-hatred. I stopped fighting to be someone I'm not. I'm a transgender woman. I was born a transgender woman.

All I ask for, as I said, is to understand that you can't understand just how torturous dysphoria is, and show empathy because of that. I don't doubt that you do, and I think your questions are in good faith. I don't think you're like the Taliban-loving bigots who would throw me in prison and destroy my family.
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Sapper Redux
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In reply to ViceroyEschaton • 11:18p, 8/30/21
ViceroyEschaton said:
First of all, I feel for your misery and the difficulty of the situation. The bishop says as much.

That said, it is a simplistic solution. To say, "We aren't actually going to figure out how to help your mental illness and we'll block attempts to study it, but hey, we'll validate your dysmorphia instead" is simplistic.

Name me another illness where instead of helping the patient feel comfortable in their own?body, we tell them theyre totally right and encourage their aberration.


Assuming this mind-body dualism, where they are separate and one is right and one is wrong, is incredibly simplistic. Modern medical treatment for transgender people is far more complex than you or the bishop can admit.
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Joe Boudain
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In reply to Sapper Redux • 11:21p, 8/30/21
Sapper Redux said:
ViceroyEschaton said:
First of all, I feel for your misery and the difficulty of the situation. The bishop says as much.

That said, it is a simplistic solution. To say, "We aren't actually going to figure out how to help your mental illness and we'll block attempts to study it, but hey, we'll validate your dysmorphia instead" is simplistic.

Name me another illness where instead of helping the patient feel comfortable in their own?body, we tell them theyre totally right and encourage their aberration.


Assuming this mind-body dualism, where they are separate and one is right and one is wrong, is incredibly simplistic. Modern medical treatment for transgender people is far more complex than you or the bishop can admit.


That's odd, since the person in question is stating their sex is at odds with their gender, and is taking hormones to try and rectify the situation. How can one not be right and one not be wrong either way?
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Sapper Redux
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In reply to jrico2727 • 11:22p, 8/30/21
jrico2727 said:
Sad that a Bishop has to say a Man is a Man and a Woman is a Woman. It's even sadder to see him being mocked for trying to reach out to those who have been disillusioned by this time and society we live in. God Bless him for being a true Shepard and speaking the truth to the world that celebrates lies.


Why is the assumption from Christians when dealing with difficult issues always that its a problem caused by society and not an actual physiological phenomenon?
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Sapper Redux
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In reply to Joe Boudain • 11:25p, 8/30/21
Joe Boudain said:
Sapper Redux said:
ViceroyEschaton said:
First of all, I feel for your misery and the difficulty of the situation. The bishop says as much.

That said, it is a simplistic solution. To say, "We aren't actually going to figure out how to help your mental illness and we'll block attempts to study it, but hey, we'll validate your dysmorphia instead" is simplistic.

Name me another illness where instead of helping the patient feel comfortable in their own?body, we tell them theyre totally right and encourage their aberration.


Assuming this mind-body dualism, where they are separate and one is right and one is wrong, is incredibly simplistic. Modern medical treatment for transgender people is far more complex than you or the bishop can admit.


That's odd, since the person in question is stating their sex is at odds with their gender, and is taking hormones to try and rectify the situation. How can one not be right and one not be wrong either way?


Gender dysmorphia is a complicated matter that gives lie to the idea of a dualism where the body and mind are separate. Taking hormones influences the brain as much as it influences the body. Pacifist already said that was a step taken after years of dealing with the problem. Hormones and surgery are the last steps in a long process, not the first. And the idea is to help make the entire person whole rather than have a person in constant conflict.
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Joe Boudain
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In reply to Sapper Redux • 11:33p, 8/30/21
Sapper Redux said:
Joe Boudain said:
Sapper Redux said:
ViceroyEschaton said:
First of all, I feel for your misery and the difficulty of the situation. The bishop says as much.

That said, it is a simplistic solution. To say, "We aren't actually going to figure out how to help your mental illness and we'll block attempts to study it, but hey, we'll validate your dysmorphia instead" is simplistic.

Name me another illness where instead of helping the patient feel comfortable in their own?body, we tell them theyre totally right and encourage their aberration.


Assuming this mind-body dualism, where they are separate and one is right and one is wrong, is incredibly simplistic. Modern medical treatment for transgender people is far more complex than you or the bishop can admit.


That's odd, since the person in question is stating their sex is at odds with their gender, and is taking hormones to try and rectify the situation. How can one not be right and one not be wrong either way?


Gender dysmorphia is a complicated matter that gives lie to the idea of a dualism where the body and mind are separate. Taking hormones influences the brain as much as it influences the body. Pacifist already said that was a step taken after years of dealing with the problem. Hormones and surgery are the last steps in a long process, not the first. And the idea is to help make the entire person whole rather than have a person in constant conflict.


It is made into a complicated issue to try and obfuscate an obvious truth, that some things can't be changed. Regardless of where hormones therapy or surgery is in the process it shows the claim that its all merely a "mind" issue is a lie, as the body is artificially forced into behaving and appearing as the opposite sex does naturally.

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Star Wars Memes Only
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In reply to ViceroyEschaton • 12:07a, 8/31/21
ViceroyEschaton said:
Name me another illness . . . .

This begs the question.
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to Dilettante • 1:42a, 8/31/21
Dilettante said:
If by good stuff you mean the type of nonsense that's causing Christianity to be pushed out of modern society, then I agree.
Of course, Christianity is being pushed out of modern society. The world hates Jesus, those that follow him, and the truth.

A man who says he's a woman is still a man, no matter what society says.
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to PacifistAg • 1:46a, 8/31/21
PacifistAg said:

But I transitioned and haven't had any suicidal thoughts since.
Do you believe in Jesus?
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to PacifistAg • 1:53a, 8/31/21
PacifistAg said:
It's adorable that someone who espouses the evil that we need to be more like the Taliban would think I care what they think about any matter of Christian thought.

I'll let the trolls and those who have zero understanding about what it means to be transgender have their little party here. Have a great time. I'll be off to go read Scripture and spend some time in prayer with my Savior.

There isn't a soul in this thread or on this forum or on this world that is righteous, not one. We ALL need to be saved by Jesus from the dark forces of this world and the sin that abides within all of us.
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to PacifistAg • 1:59a, 8/31/21
PacifistAg said:
Should someone tell him that virtually any licensed therapist who specializes in this would have zero issue with my course.
Is such a therapist following the word of God or are they following their own word?

Satan has deceived people into believing that they can rebel against God's word, as Satan did, and do whatever they like. Those who strive to follow God will strive to follow God by doing HIS will and not our own. Of course, that's easier said than done, but we need to try.

Most of all, I believe, we are to remember this:

Matthew 22:36-40 English Standard Version

36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

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craigernaught
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2:49a, 8/31/21
AG
I'll never understand why strangers' genitalia is such an important issue to some people.

Truly baffling.

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PacifistAg
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In reply to M1Buckeye • 4:54a, 8/31/21
AG
M1Buckeye said:
PacifistAg said:

But I transitioned and haven't had any suicidal thoughts since.
Do you believe in Jesus?

Yep. Love Him dearly. Serve Him daily.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to M1Buckeye • 5:02a, 8/31/21
AG
M1Buckeye said:
PacifistAg said:
It's adorable that someone who espouses the evil that we need to be more like the Taliban would think I care what they think about any matter of Christian thought.

I'll let the trolls and those who have zero understanding about what it means to be transgender have their little party here. Have a great time. I'll be off to go read Scripture and spend some time in prayer with my Savior.

There isn't a soul in this thread or on this forum or on this world that is righteous, not one. We ALL need to be saved by Jesus from the dark forces of this world and the sin that abides within all of us.

Me: I transitioned and am no longer contemplating suicide daily.

You: Do you even believe in Jesus?

Me: There's a bigot on here who wants to emulate the Taliban, throw me in prison, and destroy my family.

You: Look, we're all sinners okay.

Weird that being a trans woman prompts questions of my salvation even though I've talked about my faith multiple times on this thread, but "dude thinks we should be like the Taliban" just gets the "but none of us are perfect" treatment.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to craigernaught • 5:05a, 8/31/21
AG
craigernaught said:
I'll never understand why strangers' genitalia is such an important issue to some people.

Truly baffling.


It really is baffling. Yet strangely the same ones obsessed over stranger's genitalia aren't willing to take the time to learn about the subject they love commenting on. It's very American of them.
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to PacifistAg • 5:27a, 8/31/21
PacifistAg said:
M1Buckeye said:
PacifistAg said:
It's adorable that someone who espouses the evil that we need to be more like the Taliban would think I care what they think about any matter of Christian thought.

I'll let the trolls and those who have zero understanding about what it means to be transgender have their little party here. Have a great time. I'll be off to go read Scripture and spend some time in prayer with my Savior.

There isn't a soul in this thread or on this forum or on this world that is righteous, not one. We ALL need to be saved by Jesus from the dark forces of this world and the sin that abides within all of us.


Me: There's a bigot on here who wants to emulate the Taliban, throw me in prison, and destroy my family.

You: Look, we're all sinners okay.

I was referring to the people who are condemning you. I am saying that neither they nor you nor me are without sin and that nobody should be condemning another. Anyone advocating anything pro-Taliban should be put on "ignore". They're not worth reading, let alone, responding to.
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M1Buckeye
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In reply to PacifistAg • 5:29a, 8/31/21
PacifistAg said:
craigernaught said:
I'll never understand why strangers' genitalia is such an important issue to some people.

Truly baffling.


...the same ones obsessed over stranger's genitalia...

The topic of the thread is the Bishop's message to transgender people. Nobody in this thread is interested in another's "genitalia". Let's try to be honest with one another.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to M1Buckeye • 5:38a, 8/31/21
AG
Oh I disagree completely. Especially given I've seen all the arguments made by those on this thread in the past that centered on genitalia.
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PacifistAg
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In reply to M1Buckeye • 6:08a, 8/31/21
AG
M1Buckeye said:
PacifistAg said:
Should someone tell him that virtually any licensed therapist who specializes in this would have zero issue with my course.
Is such a therapist following the word of God or are they following their own word?

Satan has deceived people into believing that they can rebel against God's word, as Satan did, and do whatever they like. Those who strive to follow God will strive to follow God by doing HIS will and not our own. Of course, that's easier said than done, but we need to try.

Most of all, I believe, we are to remember this:

Matthew 22:36-40 English Standard Version

36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."


1) The bishop is the one who suggested therapy. I merely pointed out that virtually any licensed therapist, and every major psychological/psychiatric association affirms transition as a valid path for those struggling with gender dysphoria. Not to mention virtually every major medical association.

2) I'm not rebelling against God's word. The Scriptures don't really cover trans-related issues. Sure there are eunuchs, but they're not condemned for being eunuchs. But the Bible doesn't address every possible situation like this, and that's okay.

Just like vaccines, God has given us the ability to develop ways to help avoid, or alleviate, pain/illness. I'm grateful to Him that I live in a time where I can do that and not have to live a short, tortured life. Like I said prior to you questioning my faith, it's helped me draw closer with my Lord.
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