June 21, 2022

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-


13 comments:

  1. Dear Tracy, I love your words here. Yes, God alone is Judge. We are to love.
    I've always thought sin was sin. No sin can keep one from being transformed when God gets hold of a heart. He's still making miracles happen in the lives of broken people. He heals when we yield to His love and grace.

    Blessings as you continue to love your neighbours, my friend.

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    1. Thank you for your encouraging words, Wendy.

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  2. Dear Tracy,
    I found myself nodding along as I read your post. I teach in a Christian school and we have students who are confused about their gender as well. Just loving them, and trusting them to God is what I've done, as well. I always think that Jesus would love them and not shun them, and He is my example. My heart aches for the confusion so many students feel, and for the way they are not counseled to work through the confusion and hormonal upsets before making life-altering decisions.

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    1. The "life altering" decisions are what make me the most nervous. It is so unfortunate that we have sexualized our youth so early. They need time just to be kids, not try to figure out an "identity" before they are ready or make these kinds of major decisions. They also need to know it's okay to change their minds.

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  3. Anonymous9:00 am GMT-7

    Tracy, Martina here. Thank you for sharing your dilemma. I continue face the same and found that I am not to judge. Sin is sin as you say. Blessings

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    1. Thank you for responding Martina. Blessings.

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  4. Tracy, I appreciate your wisdom and heart expressed in this post. This simple truth ... "My job is simply to LOVE and let God take care of the rest", resonates with me. My post coming up is on the same topic; a different take on a personal story I have shared here before. We are each called to apply God's truths and ethics to the unique situations we encounter. Our interpretations may vary somewhat but the ultimate goal is to bring glory to God as best we can. Thanks for this well-written expression of your heart.

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    1. Thank you for responding Valerie. It is definitely a tough topic and one that is so prevalent these days.

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  5. Dear Tracy...thank you for your message of love in the midst of confusion. You nailed it with your emphasis on love. When I worked in healthcare one never knew what new thing was coming down the pike. Language and practice has changed, to where even "hospice," has been changed to accommodate the killing of patients, yet these facilities still use the name, "hospice.". Such a strange and wild time in which we live. Like you say, however, God knows these things. We can go on loving people even if they don't love us back. Love, like God, endures. I will follow God's love like you, Tracy. Blessings to you, sister.

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    1. Great post, Tracy. I don't know that I would have handled it as well as you did because I'm so outspoken, but that's probaby why He made you a teacher and me a captioner (in addition to being an author). But, like you, I've struggeled with captioning because what the news reports as news is oftentimes not news but opinion, and I found myseelf writing "news" that was not true. I now only capton sports. With Covid behind us there is plenty of sports to keep me busy, and I'm thankful that God also removed me from a situation that I couldn't control and that conflicted with my faith . I hope you are still writing books. Always enjoy your writings.

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    2. So nice to hear from you Lorilyn! Isn't it wonderful that God puts us in the places He knows we fit best!

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  6. Thanks, Tracy. What a fabulous post. It is a difficult time for so many teens but it has always been so throughout generations. God is bigger than it all and I absolutely agree that we are called to love as He loves us. God bless and thanks again for this wonderful perspective. Love it.

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