Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Invisible Victims of Political Correctness
Oct 31st, 2019
CommentaryJOHN STONESTREET/BREAKPOINT.ORG
Categories: Contemporary Issues

In a strange sort of way, a recent Sky News story reminded me of Luke 11. That's where Jesus asks, if your child asked for a fish, would you give them a snake? Or if they asked for an egg, would you hand them a scorpion?

Here's the article's headline: "Hundreds of young trans people seeking help to return to original sex." The story featured a woman who, after publicly admitting regret over her so-called "surgical transition," was contacted by hundreds of people in her part of England who felt the same way.

One of those people, "Ruby," also struggled with eating disorders. One would think that the combination of gender dysphoria and eating disorders would suggest to medical professionals that Ruby was suffering from body image issues. But, as she told Sky News, the doctors never even suggested there might be a connection there worth exploring.

Instead, it was "Here's your hormones, here's your surgery, off you go." Or, to borrow Jesus' words, "Here's your scorpion, here's your snake."

This story is far from uncommon. Young people in emotional pain and distress are asking adults for help. But, because of our ideological blind spots, we give them serpents and scorpions instead of what they really need.

Just consider the name given to a new children's pediatric clinic at Akron Children's Hospital: "Center for Gender Affirming Medicine." Since the fundamental connection between gender and biological reality has already been severed by our ideological commitments, it's safe to assume that doctors there will "affirm," both in their diagnoses and with their prescribed treatments, whatever gender a child claims they are.

But what about the Rubys of the world? What about the hundreds of people in that one part of England who were given the wrong treatment for their psychological issues? They are victims of our bad ideas, and our blind spots. Too often, they are forced to be invisible victims, ignored because their very existence challenges the new sexual orthodoxy.

Many physicians today simply ignore that up to 80 percent of the children who suffer from gender dysphoria will eventually outgrow those feelings. Even worse, they fail to connect the dots between gender dysphoria and potentially serious mental illnesses that often accompany it--like depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Or, in Ruby's case, a severe eating disorder.

Multiple issues like this spark the "chicken and egg" questions. Does gender dysphoria cause depression and anxiety? Or is gender dysphoria a symptom of depression and anxiety? The truth is that no one knows with any certainty. But, the new gender ideology is leading many professionals to proceed with treatment as if gender dysphoria is no disorder at all.

So, the best "treatment" (the theory goes) is to affirm the young person's belief that they are transgender and initiate the transition process as soon as possible. This will supposedly reduce the inner conflict, and in turn help with their other disorders.

This neat and tidy theory has one big problem: There's no evidence it works. In fact, evidence points the other way. A 2011 study that followed 324 Swedish men who had undergone sexual reassignment surgery found that 10-15 years later, their suicide rate was 20 times higher than that of their peers.

An earlier study in Britain commissioned by the Guardian newspaper found that "There is no conclusive evidence that sex change operations improve the lives of transsexuals, with many people remaining severely distressed and even suicidal after the operation . . ."

Today, affirmation passes for "care," not because it actually is, but because it affirms gender ideology, even if it leads to life-altering surgery or hormonal treatments. If the patient later regrets it, or hurts themselves, or are miserable, we'll just blame it on "transphobia."

Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims. We need to ensure that the victims of bad gender ideology are no longer invisible. Their stories must be heard.

Let the Headlines Speak
Oct 31st, 2019
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines

God will Do Better for Those Who Trust Him Than They Could Do for Themselves
Oct 31st, 2019
Morning MeditationF. B. Meyer
Categories: Commentary;Inspirational;Book Study

Twice here in the context we meet the phrase -- "lifting up the eyes." But how great the contrast! Lot lifted up his eyes, at the dictate of worldly prudence, to spy out his own advantage. Abraham lifted up his eyes, not to discern what would best make for his material interests, but to behold what God had prepared for him. How much better it is to keep the eye steadfastly fastened on God till He says to us! -- "Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art -- northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever" (13:14-15).

God honors them that honor Him. He withholds "no good thing from them that walk uprightly." He "meets him that rejoices and works righteousness." If only we will go on doing what is right, giving up the best to our neighbor to avoid dispute, considering God's interests first, and our own last, expending ourselves for the coming and glory of the kingdom of heaven, we shall find that God will charge Himself with our interests. And He will do infinitely better for us than we could. Lot had to ask the men of Sodom if he might sojourn among them, and he had no hold on the land; but it was all given unasked to Abraham, including that verdant circle on which Lot had set his heart. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

It is difficult to read these glowing words, NORTHWARD, AND SOUTHWARD, AND EASTWARD, AND WESTWARD, without being reminded of "the length, and breadth, and depth, and height, of the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge." Much of the land of Canaan was hidden behind the ramparts of the hills; but enough was seen to ravish that faithful spirit. Similarly, we may not be able to comprehend the love of God in Christ, but the higher we climb the more we behold. The upper cliffs of the separated life command the fullest view of that measureless expanse.

In some parts of the Western Highlands, the traveller's eye is delighted by the clear and sunlit waters of a loch -- an arm of the sea, running far up into the hills. But as he climbs over the heathery slopes, and catches sight of the waters of the Atlantic, bathed in the light of the setting sun, he almost forgets the fair vision which had just arrested him. Thus do growing elevation and separation of character unfold ever richer conceptions of Christ's infinite love and character.

God's promises are ever on the ascending scale. One leads up to another, fuller and more blessed than itself. In Mesopotamia, God said, "I will show thee the land." At Bethel, "This is the land," Here, "I will give thee all the land, and children innumerable as the grains of sand." And we shall find even these eclipsed. It is thus that God allures us to saintliness. Not giving anything till we have dared to act -- that He may test us. Not giving everything at first - -- that He may not overwhelm us. And always keeping in hand an infinite reserve of blessing.  - F. B. Meyer

Drag Queen Story Hour Invades the Church
Oct 31st, 2019
CommentaryPNW STAFF
Categories: Warning

Drag Queen Story Hour is a phenomenon that has been making libraries a cultural battle ground as it spreads across the nation but the progressive left has found new allies for promoting such events - the church.

The Park Church, a Lutheran ministry in Greenpoint, Brooklyn held it's first Drag Queen Story hour this week with Drag Queen "The Rev. Yolanda" who is known for her "Church With A 2 Drink Minimum" slogan at various spiritual events.

Perhaps Park Church felt inspired by Cincinnati's Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church which recently greeted its visitors on Sunday with Drag Queen "Sparke Leigh", complete in purple dress, makeup, high heels and a glitter beard.

Following the song "God Welcomes All" by the church choir, Sparke Leigh walked up on stage and called the children up to sit at his feet.  Rather than reading from the Bible, he read the book Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag . 

The Ames United Church of Christ in Iowa held a drag event which assured parents that there would be "adult supervision" for the drag queen and king contest as the youngsters dressed in drag and paraded around, skirting the legal line of child sexual abuse.  With every step the church is working to recruit more teens and preteens into LGTB lifestyle.

In First Congregational United Church of Christ of Portland, under Minister Michael Ellick, an event was held called "Drag me to Church" which featured a cabaret group called "Caravan Of Glam" to perform, with the donations going to a local LGBTQ community center. 

The First Church Somerville UCC in Somerville, Massachusetts held a multi-day celebration of the transgender lifestyle that includes the pastor delivering a LGBTQ-focused sermon interspersed with so-called gospel music and followed by church members, both children and adults, cross dressing as they eat brunch.

Just what impact is such events having on our children in the church?  

They are confused as they see the church reconfirming the message of the world that you can identify as whatever you want to be and such choices should be celebrated and even promoted in the church.

The UK's mirror newspaper recently featured the story of a 7-year-old child who had recently 'transitioned' and the mother commented how important the Anglican church's transgender 'rebaptism' ceremony was in affirming this change by calling the child by their new name.

The Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow would be proud of such moments, as he previously urged people to pray that Prince George is gay in order to make the Church of England more inclusive.

Earlier this year, Anglican clergy urged the British government to ban so-called "conversion therapy" for those with gender dysphoria, and announced their intention to attempt to recruit transgender clerics. 

It should not surprise us that the youth are following the example of Church leadership.  

The congregation of St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoboken, New Jersey now refer to their pastor as Peter. 'Peter', formerly Rose Beeson, was the center of one of the first renaming ceremonies in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  

The ceremony, according to witnesses, was conducted in the same style as a christening or baptismal ceremony with the bishop blessing Beeson and pronouncing her newly-chosen name.

Methodist Deacon M. Barclay is now accepted by his church as a non-binary Deacon in Chicago, which means that she prefers the pronoun "they" rather than "she" and doesn't identify as either gender.

The list goes on and on as many churches abandon their first call to the Gospel and trade the Word of God for the message of progressive Leftism as they embrace and promote the prevalence of gender confusion.