A question for those of you who both believe in "ensoulment" at conception and oppose the idea of transexuality:
How do you reconcile this with the fact that, in the womb, we all start out female?
Instead of "male and female he created them", shouldn't it be "female and female he created them (... and changed some to male later)"?
If life begins at conception, then every male is transgender.
Thoughts?
I don't think the inquiry applies to me, but am honestly not sure. Also not sure who it does apply to. I think it is meant to ask those who oppose transgenderism if they can respect the idea that we all start off, biologically, as females. Is that right?
In case that isn't right, I do wonder what 'life at conception' has to do with a) gender and b) biological data?
Also since I just started another thread with similar title (using the Genesis 1 verse) and said I understand that to mean we are both genders (all of us, without exception), then I'm thinking this is meant for those who understand that verse to mean we are either-or, and all other people who think we are either-or (and don't need scripture to make that sort of determination for their understandings).
In some ways, the message in OP seems to counter transgenderism, because it is saying we start out as female (science shows this) and then we may become male later. Though not necessarily claiming science suggests that, I believe it is (strongly) implied, so if a person who is born into that male body is convinced they are a female trapped in a male body (or obviously it could be the other way female to male), then this is essentially saying the biology says otherwise, whether you personally accept that (for your own self) or not. I really don't believe OP is going out on that limb, but do think the science sort of does. Which is why psychology needs to be factored in, and why the biological implications are not the end all be all for such a consideration.
But for me, spiritually and psychologically, I think it works better to assume we are all both, and that each individual is free to self identify however they choose, and really at any time they choose. Practically, there are obvious issues with that, but not really anything that's been a significant issue nor dealing with our survivability.
Again, how all this relates to life begins at conception is not clear to me, but I'm still thinking that has to do with idea that we are (believed to be) either-or in terms of gender, and that somehow the biology trumps all other considerations, namely psychological and spiritual.