On my way to church this morning, I was listening to one of my playlists and “I Was Born this Way”, by Lady Gaga started to play. Some of the lyrics hit me in a different way than I remember previously.
My mama told me when I was young, “We are all born superstars”
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on in the glass of her boudoir
“There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are”, she said, “‘Cause He made you perfect, babe
So hold your head up, girl, and you’ll go far”
Listen to me when I sayI’m beautiful in my way ’cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself, and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way (born this way)
And further
No matter gay, straight, or bi’, lesbian, transgender life
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born to survive
No matter Black, white or beige, chola, or Orient’ made
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born to be brave’m beautiful in my way ’cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself, and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way, yeah
“God makes no mistakes.” That is what struck me. In the context of race, disabilities, or sexual identify, the song concludes God makes no mistakes. Interesting concept isn’t it. If God doesn’t make mistakes and each person is a child of God made in His image, then would that not apply to everyone and not just white or heterosexual people? Have you ever considered that idea?
As a parent of a transgender child, I can honestly say I believe Myles was born this way. Just because I don’t understand what it is to look in a mirror and not see a female doesn’t mean it is real. I can’t begin to fathom why anyone would choose to promote themselves as something that is treated with disdain and discrimination in our country and our state. I know some in my extended family, applying their interpretation of psychological studies, would say this is a reaction to Myles’ abusive marriage to a man. Of course, this opinion isn’t based on actual conversations with Myles so how valid are the opinions. I say hogwash. Myles is living his identity and, because of it, is considered as someone not deserving equal protection under the law he had living as Myla.
Our churches and our legislations seem hell-bent on telling God that He has, in fact, made mistakes when He made people of different colors or sexual identities. Laws are being passed to restrict teachers in the methods they use to teach about race. How does the next generation learn about discrimination if we are afraid to tell the truth? Pretending white people didn’t enslave black people doesn’t make it not true. Pretending the Germans didn’t think themselves superior to the Jews, leading them to murder millions of people also does not make it untrue. If our kids aren’t exposed to the horrors that could happen when one group thinks themselves superior to another we are at risk of more atrocities in our future. And now there are numerous bills seeking different ways to discriminate against LBGTQ people. Where does it end?
We continue to try to legislate morality under the guise of Christianity. Take the current law in the Oklahoma legislation to ban books. Why is a state legislation getting involved in something that could be handled at a school board level? Because it makes great press for morally superior. Maybe we should start burning books in the street again. With the abundance of information infinitely more controversial all over the web, we choose to go after books. If passed the way initially presented in the Senate committee, a single parent could complain a book doesn’t meet “community standards” and ask it be removed from the library. If the librarian doesn’t comply in 30 days, the parent can sue for $10,000 per day the book remains. Tell me how this benefits our community using our legislative and legal systems in this manner?
In his sermon today, our pastor said of the religious leaders of Jesus time that, “They have their religion and they have their rules, but they lost their soul because they lost their connection to God.” I honestly believe the same of so many in our country that profess to be Christians, but promote actions to suppress LBGTQ rights. They have their religion and they have their rules, but they lost their souls because they lost connection to Jesus. Jesus to not seek to oppress and crush these people. Jesus meets them, and all of us, where we are and only wants to elevate us – though love. No hate. No condemnation. Just love.
Did God make a mistake when He made Myles as a transgendered man? God made no more of a mistake making Myles transgender than He did making me a white, heterosexual woman. I will stick with Lady Gaga’s theology – God made no mistake. He each of us perfect the way we are and we are worthy of love.
Discovering Grace 