Exposed

We are called a "peculiar" or "special" people in Scripture - we have been sanctified, or set apart, for the glory of God, and we are called to be distinct, showing the world the love of Jesus and living for Him. Colossians 3 states:
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

We, of course, must ask the question - what do we desire?  Is our desire for the things of this world and the self-satisfaction that it claims to offer?  Or is it for the things of God?  

The enemy will pull the bait-and-switch: he will promise pleasure, but leave people with heartbreak.  The world will promise power, but result in weakness and captivity.  We recognize that Christ offers us a better way, but we have to surrender our own lives, our own desires, in order that His desires might become our own.

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Romans 1, which seems to have been expunged from the Bible in some circles, gives a clear description of the disease of ungodliness inflicting harm on a culture. We can read these words:
(24) ...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.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting...

Rebecca Phillips is a 17-year-old girl who had an experience that should not have occurred; yet, in this era of deviant sexuality, is not necessarily surprising.

She lives in Santee, California, which is in the San Diego area, and, according to a Daily Wire story had just finished a swimming workout when she entered the women's locker room.  She told the City Council: “As I was showering after my workout, I saw a naked male in the women’s locker room,” adding, “I immediately went back into the shower terrified and hid behind their flimsy excuse for a curtain until he was gone.”

She said that she talked with the management of the facility and was told that he could shower wherever he wanted.  She said:

“As long as you are not a red flag on Megan’s Law — California sex offender registry — a grown male can shower alongside a teenage girl at your YMCA location here in Santee,” Phillips told city officials. “I was made to feel as though I had done something wrong when I talked to people at the YMCA.”

This comes in the aftermath of a policy update by the local YMCA in San Diego County. In fact, the Daily Wire story says that "YMCA officials updated the policy last April around the same when the San Diego Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance, which opponents say redefines the meaning of the word 'women' and jeopardizes women’s rights and safety." The article says:

According to the YMCA of San Diego County’s “Transgender & Nonbinary Guidelines,” employees must “teach acceptance and not hate,” adding they cannot assume an individual’s gender identity.

“No one should be required to use an alternative restroom because they are trans,” the guidelines state.

The Daily Wire story quotes from a local Christian leader, who is the co-founder of the Freedom Revival that occurred in San Diego in October:

Brittany Mayer, San Diego resident and founder of the citizen group “Rooted Wings,” initially told county supervisors before the ordinance passed that it would have massive implications for women and girls in San Diego.

Mayer told The Daily Wire that current policies created nationwide and in San Diego specifically are “dangerous and massively consequential for the safety and well-being of children,” adding that she refused to look the other way on Phillips’ experience at the YMCA.

“This is not rocket science,” Mayer said. “This is as obvious as 2+2 = 4 — although, these days, some would say that is controversial.”

“We must protect our children from ideologies that are putting them in harm’s way,” she added.

A parents' group called SanteeParents4Choice has weighed in as well.  Founder Tracie Thill says, "Unfortunately, this happened at our local Santee YMCA locker room, where countless minor girls use the facilities,” Thill said. “This will not be tolerated here. We will do whatever it takes to work with city leaders and YMCA officials to make a policy change — or the Y can see themselves out of Santee.” In fact, the organization's Facebook group page has news of a rally tomorrow night that includes church and civic leaders.  It is scheduled to take place at the site of the incident, the Cameron Family YMCA.

But, the Phillips family seems to be encountering deaf ears, so far - the Daily Wire reports that, in addition to Rebecca's pleas, her father had been told by a local Y leader that his daughter was not in any danger and that the sheriff's department had told him that he should not let his daughter shower at the facility "ever again." And, he is likewise asking the city council to respond.

This is yet another example of society normalizing what should not be normalized. And, those who stand for values that are consistent with a Christian perspective seem to be the ones who are ostracized. We are certainly seeing what the Bible refers to as calling evil good and good evil.

It does seem to be all about the deception of inclusion. Even though Scripture speaks against it and it is an anathema to God's created order, the world has been so duped by the LGBTQ+ agenda that you have people who cannot relate truth without being ostracized.  The bold and courageous, like Rebecca Phillips and her father, are the ones who are made to feel they are in the wrong.  

In San Diego, concerned citizens are making their voices heard. The problem is - where has the Church been on these issue?  Are we being the voice in our communities that God expects us to be?  Or do we sit in our enclave, attend our services, and go out and do nothing to change - internally or externally?  Even the Church has bought into this inclusion mindset - we recognize that Jesus welcomes all, and we should certainly be loving toward those with whom we disagree.  But, we should guard against adopting their viewpoint when it doesn't line up with Scripture.