Identity

Yesterday there was an old episode of Oprah on. Apparently now that she is off the air she is still on the air in reruns. The show was about the big model from Brazil. Part way through the show there was a naked picture of her on screen. TV blacked out the parts which are typically not shown on TV, but Oprah said that the studio audience got to see it all. There were shocked looks on all the audience. After the break we heard why; the Brazilian model is a man. So her top is female but her bottom is male.

It was interesting as Oprah kept saying that transgendered people are fine, but the model said that she had a gender identity disorder. In Oprah's ("non-judgmental") world it is not okay to say "I am not okay." I thought it was a little sad. The model shared that her mother is a devout Catholic and traditional in her beliefs. Her mom still loves her, but...

In our local paper last Sunday (I am a little behind on reading!) there was an article on college. The debate was about the cost vs. benefits of a college degree. The article really pushed Associate Degrees and Junior Colleges. One paragraph grabbed my attention, it said college educated people are more open and less dogmatic. I thought that was interesting. Anyone wonder what the definition of 'dogmatic' might be?

Probably, people who are troubled by transgenderism are considered dogmatic. Probably people who claim that Jesus is the only way (i.e. that He is God incarnate and the Savior of the world) are also dogmatic. People who think their beliefs are true are dogmatic (especially religious and moral beliefs). Unless, of course, they believe what the "Open Minded People" think.

I bet the word dogmatic is never applied to materialistic evolutionists. That is called science. People who deny any objective morality are never called dogmatic, even though they have no basis for their claims other than how they 'feel.' The paradox of our world, dogmatic secularism is not dogmatic, but traditional beliefs are.

I did research on birth size. There is a correlation between how big (especially long) you are at birth and how big you will be as an adult. Baby is very long (over 22") and may well be a pretty tall man. There  are alot of other things which he will be. Physical traits, personality, inclinations, and a host of other composite parts of who he is are given at birth and developed over time. Parents have an influence, but based on two other kids the influence is tempered and transformed. So much of who we are is not chosen at all. It is given. Some of it is major (like feeling you are a woman in a man's body). Others is not so (like blue or brown eyes). We do well to be loving and accepting of people. We should be compassionate that others deal with things not always of their own choosing. We also do well to have limits and boundaries. The world is a wild place. Being in relationship with God entails discipline. We have to listen to His will and obey. In the "Oprah world" that is considered dogmatic. One can certainly push it too far. But one can also not push it far enough. That is the excitement and horror of being a parent. I met a young woman with her "first" at Baby-R-Us today. She voiced her fear about doing it right. I am less fearful than she is, but I still taste the fear. Parenting is the hardest thing and the most important thing I have ever done. Yet, remembering the issue of Grace and God's part in all this I also have some peace. It is why Faith and Hope are needed as well as Love.