|
Mark Alder, a convert to Christianity from Judaism, is to be congratulated for his web site, Christendom-awake.org.
He is putting the “identity project” on this web site to alert viewers
to the dangers of rejecting the Church’s teaching on sexuality, that
men are men and women are women and any other interpretation is due to
original sin. Jesus Christ, who inherited all the teaching of the Old
Testament, was incarnated as the Son of the Most High, to free us from
the evil of sin by his passion, death and resurrection.
Mary Shivanandan
Dear Visitors to this website
I have
an exciting new resource to share with you—the Person and Identity
Project. But before I share more about that, let me offer some
background.
It's
impossible to miss the huge cultural shifts taking place on issues
related to “gender” and sexual identity. This week Gallup reported
that nearly 16% of Generation Z identifies
as LGBT, a figure eight times higher than in the “Boomer” generation.
Every day, our children and grandchildren are bombarded with
images and messages promoting alternative identities or sexual
behaviors. It’s no wonder their confusion is growing. In fact,
it’s hard for adults to sort all this out, too.
It’s
not just cultural, though. The Biden Administration is mandating gender
ideology across the federal government. Just this past week, the
Equality Act, a dangerous law that threatens women’s rights,
religious liberty, and much more, passed the House. (I have
linked to some excellent articles, below, on this issue.) The nominee
to be Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services—Dr. Rachel Levine, a male who identifies as a “transgender
woman”—refused to disclose to the Senate whether he still
supports minors’ “gender transitions.” Nearly twenty states are
debating legislation to protect girls’ sports and stop medical
experimentation on gender-confused teens.
It's
tempting to think, “What does all this have to do with me?”
The
answer is: Everything. Gender ideology, which claims that each person
“self-defines” an identity regardless of sex, is the antithesis
of the Christian vision of the person. Gender ideology is
corrupting our language, re-shaping our culture, and threatening
free speech and religious liberty. This affects all of us—which
is why Pope Francis has spoken out so strongly against it,
calling it an “enemy” that is waging “global war” against
marriage and the family.
As
Catholics, we uphold the dignity of every human being, at every stage
of life (no matter how a person “identifies”). And we have compassion
for people who experience identity confusion. Even so, we must
avoid giving in to a false compassion, for example, by affirming
a teen’s rejection of his or her own sexed body or supporting
hormonal or surgical interventions that destroy or impair healthy
body parts or functions.
As
the influence of gender ideology grows, we need, as Scripture says,
to “always be prepared to make a defense... to account for the
hope that is in you,” (1 Peter 3:15). We need courage and confidence
to share God’s love and the truth about “who we are,” with
kindness and love.
Now
there’s a resource to help you do just that. The Person and Identity website!
The Person and Identity Project, sponsored by the Ethics and
Public Policy Center, has resources, FAQs, “toolkits” and training available
to help Catholics and Catholic institutions counter gender ideology
and share the truth about the human person.
We
invite you to visit our new website here and
share it widely! I hope you will also read our first newsletter on
gender ideology and stay abreast of the Person and Identity Project,
by subscribing here for
future newsletters.
I would
be very, very grateful if you would please keep this project, and
our Person and Identity team,
in your prayers!
Finally,
I invite you to read and enjoy the excellent work of our scholars
and friends, linked below.
Please
know I remember you in my prayers, with gratitude and joy!
Mary Rice Hasson
Director, Catholic Women's Forum
Ethics and Public Policy Center
mhasson@eppc.org
catholicwomensforum.org
|
