Ethical Dilemmas in a Post Christian World - by Tracy Krauss

As Christians, our very existence is an affront to many in today's society. We are sometimes seen as intolerant and closed-minded in our beliefs, especially when they go against current trends. We are faced with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. 

I was faced with many such dilemmas when I taught in the public school system. Increasing pressure to embrace certain philosophies, especially around gender identity, really began to come to the forefront. My dilemma was how to support my students, whom I genuinely loved, without allowing my personal convictions to come between us. 

Let me backtrack by saying that I have probably always been more "tolerant" in this regard than many of my Christian acquaintances and friends. I have worked with gay and lesbian individuals on many occasions, both in the theatre and out, and decided that what happened in the privacy of their bedrooms was none of my business. After all, we are less likely to "judge" when a heterosexual couple is "living together", but at the end of the day, sin is sin. My husband and I welcomed gay and lesbian people who attended our church and we had candid conversations about their situation, and what God's Word had to say. And we prayed--lots. The church is for the hurting: people seeking answers, so we would not turn these souls away, although we did not encourage membership or any leadership roles until they could work out these issues. And of course, let's be honest. Who among us doesn't have family members embracing certain lifestyles that we don't necessarily believe are healthy? But we love them anyway.

All that to say, my dilemma at school was different, somehow. Suddenly, I had students (mostly girls) who were deciding they were actually male even though born as girls; non-binary, pan, bi, lesbian... all the trendy hot button words floated freely as these very young girls were encouraged to experiment. (Usually without their parents' knowledge.) I'm not saying people don't have the right to explore their identity, but in most of these cases, it was a very clear (at least to me) case of ATTENTION SEEKING - trying to stand out in the crowd in a way when crazy hair, piercings, and makeup just don't cut it anymore. It's the new "trend". Everyone wants to stand out--be different and unique. And right now, they are being encouraged to explore parts of their sexuality that, in my opinion, they are simply not ready to explore. Teenage hormones are rampant enough without this new aspect of the struggle. 

As a public school teacher, I could not offer advice or contradiction. All I could do was love them. And that's what I did. I know that for some, the "shock factor" was the main thing, but I never bit. I treated them the same way I treated everybody. For the ones that I was close to, I just loved them - as they were - and prayed that God could use me in some way as a voice of reason if they ever needed it. 

Just as all this was really starting to brew, God whisked me out of the public system and I now work for an online Christian school. It is a safe environment for me and I am so grateful. As for the kids I used to serve? Well, one girl who decided she was a lesbian is now all grown up and living with a boy. I see her often downtown and we always share a hug. I love that kid! I didn't (and don't) judge or condemn her, just accept her as she is, praying that God would bring her through in His good timing. Similarly, another girl who we had to start addressing with male pronouns now has a baby and has gone back to her real name and "she". I thank Jesus that she figured it out before she actually went through surgery or got too embroiled in the hormone therapy she started on. 

Like so much about life and outward appearances, I am glad God knows the heart. I can stand up for what I believe, but I don't have to condemn or point a finger. God is the final judge. It's His job, after all, not mine. My job is simply to LOVE and let God take care of the rest. 

Tracy Krauss writes, teaches, and loves from her home in northern BC. As former president of InScribe, she is very grateful for the years she has had among such an accepting group. Visit her website: https://tracykrauss.com -fiction on the edge without crossing the line-