Recognizing the Playing Field

In Romans chapter 1, Paul traces the decline of humanity in embracing wicked ideas that are antithetical to the Word of God, saying in verse 23 that people who have rejected His truth have "become fools." We can read on:
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

In our society today, we find those who have made that dangerous exchange regarding matters of biology.  Men can become women, and vice versa.  Sex and gender are two different things - sex is your biology, gender is determined by your feelings about it and is not absolute.  Marriage is between two people.  Men can give birth and therefore become "birthing persons."  We have to guard against exchanging God's absolute truth for uninformed untruths.

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A prominent issue in our time has to do with the distortion of the Biblical definition of sex. It was the #1 topic of 2023 in my Top 10 Topics, and it is one of the seven issues I chose to concentrate on in the latest Faith Radio Ministry Magazine. Jesus summarized the definition in Mark chapter 10:
6 But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'
7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Male and female.  Man and wife. 

The end of the regular season in the National Football League has shown, yet again this year, that a number of coaches will be looking for new positions, and teams are evaluating their respective futures with a new coach in charge. Typically, on-field performance is the catalyst for a coach losing his job.

But, this was not the case for a coach in the state of Vermont, where holding to a Biblical viewpoint of sexuality can land you in trouble with a rather overzealous principals' organization.

David Bloch was, until recently, the snowboarding coach at Woodstock Union High School, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, which reported that Bloch actually founded the program back in 2011, and has had quite a bit of success, placing in the top-3 statewide regularly, and having participants win state trophies.  But, despite this success, his Biblical beliefs are what ultimately got him fired.  The ADF site reports:

On one February day in 2023, Coach Bloch and his team were gathered in a lodge waiting for a competition to start. That day, Coach Bloch’s team was set to compete against a team from another district that had a male snowboarder who identifies as a female and competes in the female division.

In the lodge, Coach Bloch overheard two of his athletes discussing whether it was fair for boys to compete against girls. As a Christian, Coach Bloch believes that God created everyone in His image, male and female, and that sex cannot be changed.

Coach Bloch joined the conversation to share his views. He told the two athletes that he believed people can express themselves in unique ways, but he also made it clear that they cannot change biological reality. He explained that men and women have different DNA, and DNA cannot change.

ADF stated that Bloch was "respectful" during the conversation, adding, "Even though one of the athletes disagreed with his position, the discussion remained civil and productive, and the student thanked him for a 'good conversation.'"  But, according to the website:

The day after the competition, the school district superintendent informed Coach Bloch of his “immediate termination” for supposedly violating the school district’s Prevention of Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying Policy and Vermont Principals’ Association policy.

She accused him of making “reference to [a] student in a manner that questioned the legitimacy and appropriateness of the student competing on the girls' team to members of the WUHS snowboard team.”

The superintendent never provided Coach Bloch with the investigative report or gave him the opportunity to present witnesses and evidence in his defense. She also never told him about his right to appeal, yet she barred him from consideration for any future jobs in the school district. In short, Coach Bloch’s punishment was swift and forceful.

As ADF states, "Government officials can’t fire someone for respectfully sharing his beliefs on a matter of public concern. It’s a clear violation of the First Amendment, and that’s why ADF attorneys are helping Coach Bloch defend his rights." 

The Vermont Principals' Association "oversees school-based athletic and academic competitions across the state," according to USA Today, and this isn't the first time it has doled out punishment for standing on Christian beliefs in this topic area of boys playing in girls' sports. USA Today reported in late November:

A private religious school in Vermont that was banned from participating in all state-run athletics this year after refusing to play against a team with a trans-gender player has sued the state for religious discrimination.

The Alliance Defending Freedom filed a federal lawsuit last week on behalf of the Mid Vermont Christian School in Quechee, Vermont alleging the state banned the students from state tournaments and a state tuition program because of their religious beliefs.

The lawsuit also includes the state Board of Education in Vermont.  The USA Today article reported:

The government agency in May 2022 set rules under the Vermont Public Accommodations Act and Fair Employment Practices Act barring private or independent schools that take taxpayer money from discriminating against students based on their sexual orientation.

According to the lawsuit, families that wanted to send their children to the school were denied a taxpayer-funded voucher. Families living in towns that don't have public schools are eligible for these vouchers to send their kids to nearby public, private, or independent school.

But, Mid Vermont had requested a "religious exemption" because this policy would "require Mid Vermont Christian to violate its beliefs by allowing males into female bathrooms and locker rooms, changing its policies regarding biblical marriage and dress codes, hiring those who do not share and live out its religious beliefs, using pronouns that are inconsistent with reality, and more."

ADF contends that the decision on Coach Bloch violates the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Coach Kennedy in Washington, and the punishment for MVCS contradicts the Maine ruling from the same term that prevented state dollars from being available to attend religious schools. 

These are two cases that show really ludicrous dynamics of the debate over boys playing in girls sports. Coach Bloch expressed his viewpoint, rooted in his faith, about the matter - he expressed an opinion in a casual conversation - because that failed to meet the standards of the elite, he lost his job...quickly!  MVCS actually took a loss in a basketball game and the entire school was banned from competition because of the reason they would not play.  

Such a double standard - those that pursue the LGBT agenda expect people of faith to buy in to that agenda, yet, they do not respect the religious faith of others that teach that there are two genders, marriage is for a man and a woman, and that homosexuality is a sin.  Because those who are gay are considered to be a victim class, then their rights are upheld; those who support God's view of sexuality are deemed to be oppressors and they must be dealt with and silenced.  It's cultural Marxism, critical theory which produces an authoritarian bent. 

Our response: to realize this is the playing field; this has become the issue of our time - the #1 issue impacting the Christian community in my Top 10 Topics of 2023.  We have to make sure that we do not capitulate, as some have done.  That does not preclude us from being civil and compassionate toward those who are trapped in the gay lifestyle and have embraced this gender ideology - they need to know the truth and the Church should continue to speak it.  We can be firm in our convictions, forthright in our approach, fact-based in our content, and faithful to the Lord to walk in love, building relationships and realizing true heart change comes as we stand ready to have Christ-honoring conversations with those with whom we disagree.