Rocks And Stones...

In the aftermath of Jessie Chung's million-dollar wedding, some bloggers basically supported the marriage by saying something to this effect:

"what the couple wants to do is their own business. why people want to kaypo and say this wrong that wrong"

"Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

But name-calling is often used to hurt people who disagree with the 'morality' (or lack thereof) of sex change operation or homosexual marriages. Automatically, people who have a different point of view are labelled as intolerant, bigot, pharisee, judgmental, homophobes, mean-spirited, busybodies etc etc.

At such a time as this, I think Christians ought to be as courageous as we are to be compassionate.

We have to decide upfront that we are not going to win any popularity contest if we want to be faithful to biblical ethics.

The sooner we settle this in our hearts, the easier it's gonna be.
Who are you gonna please, man??

Perhaps there are better ways to engage the marketplace of ideas, and the shifting paradigm in our culture today.. But here is the best I know how to respond in a way that disarm these unfair 'labels' at the onset. (ciplak a bit from Greg Koukl).

If it helps other Msian bloggers to make a stand in the public square, I'd be deeply satisfied. (unedited version is here)

"Friends,

First, let me say that I bear no umbrage against transsexuals or homosexuals. My friends who struggle with homosexuality and know me for a long time understand this. I certainly feel anger and sadness when transsexuals are treated with less dignity and respect that they should get for being human made in God's image.

That said, I do think that homosexuality is immoral just as heterosexual adultery is immoral.

I’m not embarrassed to say that, although nowadays if you say that in the public forum, you are immediately called a name.

I don’t call people names. I don’t use bad, derogatory terms to describe people who I disagree with. But people who disagree with the morality of homosexuality are often immediately called self-righteous, busy-bodies (kaypo) or intolerant.

This is a convenient way to avoid healthy debate by name-calling, but it's intellectually unfair or disrespectful.

Suppose you have a friend who takes a weird delight in mutilating herself or commit suicide, would you shrug and say,

“Well, that’s between you and God… do as you please, if you find happiness doing that! It's none of my business”??

Well, the answer is no.

If we would love that person and if we are genuine friends to her, we’d say

“My dear friend, you need help! That's a wrong way to happiness.. I’d walk with you to recovery… Don’t harm youself like tat…”

Because we love her and we want the best for her…

IF (and that's a big IF) sex change or transgender marriage is harmful to both Jessie and Joshua, we should not approve or condone either of those decisions.

At least that's how I see it."