I heard those words again yesterday, as someone explained/justified their actions by saying: “It’s who I am.” Reflecting on those words, I think they are incomplete for my understanding or agreement.
For a start, there are groups or positions we have chosen to be. I am a Boy Scout; I am an usher; I am a CPA. That’s who I am, because for whatever reason, that’s who I chose to be. I can be in lots of groups at the same time, infrequently does it happen that claiming to be in one group excludes me from another, and once I choose to join a group, I can always choose to leave it.
There are also groups I can choose which affect my way of thinking over time. I am a Christian; I am an atheist, or I am a trans-sexual can deeply affect my thoughts on my life’s priorities, morality, and my thoughts on the purpose of life itself. I included trans-sexual as an example because of emerging data on this new-found “choice”. I heard of some large studies which found that young women saying they are trans-sexual is up 5000% versus a decade ago, four times the rate of young men. And over 75% of those women have a college-educated parent, and are almost totally from single parent (mom) homes, and are over 90% white. And virtually all are on the social media Tik-Tok. If being trans-sexual is really not a choice but some type of innate being, then where are all the male and other race trans-sexual beings, and where are the older people saying “at last, I can come out and be who I am”? There are none. Certainly, a lot more studies need to be done, but my background as an analyst (it’s who I am) says this is largely a choice, which begs the question of why and to what impact.
But I am sure there are some who would define “who I am” as being innate, biological, beyond my control, and I don’t doubt that may be true for some. No one’s brain is formed in the same way and no one has the same experiences in life. We are all unique beings, and certainly some will have physical or mental differences from others. Studies could be done to identify the amount and degree of difference from --- “normal”? Is “abnormal” 25% of the population, 5%, 1%, 1 in a million, or only 2 people in the world, like perhaps a baby born with 3 heads or 6 feet. And if there are identified large groups of people who are classified as not being like the majority of “normal” people, how should normal people treat these “outside the majority” groups, and how should these groups treat the majority of “normal” people?
Sticking only with mental abnormalities, there are a number of groups commonly found: the senile, autistic, alcoholic, kleptomaniac, and pedophiliac, to name a few. I myself would add any non-biologically sexually inclined people as a group. In general, “normal” people have been understanding of people with abnormal mental drives, and in general many of those people try to minimize their abnormal inclinations. Senile or mentally challenged may have caregivers, and alcoholics, kleptomaniacs, and pedophiles may join 12-step programs to limit the effect of their mania. Homosexuals used to be in that group, but are now not only encouraged to “come out of the closet”, but to celebrate their condition and even encourage others to imitate it or even broader sexual differences. Pedophiliacs are on the same path toward claiming “normal” behavior. Will we soon be encouraged to invite kleptomaniacs and pedophiles to become our friends and encourage our kids to “choose” their mania?
If I and a group of friends choose to share our minds and went online to encourage others to think as we do, it might become a popular trend, but like most trends it would soon pass. But youngsters making life-changing sexual decisions and societal support for a radical departure from historical and cultural evolution are not passing fads. They will have huge on-going results. We can’t see the future, but historical facts show that such radical changes of culture (like socialism) rarely turn out well, and millions will likely die because of the “choice” of some who choose to be “who I am” strictly for their own perceived ego and pleasure, not considering their impact on others.
My personal prayer each day is that I might be who God created me to be, that unique being He intended. I want His will, not mine, no matter how strong are my desires, for His plans will get me an eternity of happiness, with Him. That’s who I am. That’s what I want, and why.
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If I had to put my perceptions of many young in a word, I’d say “fun”. It seems to be a focus of their lives, whether in sexual feelings with others, or private feelings while staring at a screen. Fun seems to be the aim of their lives, but studies show that like any other addiction, the quest for fun is never satisfied. And in frustration, depression and death enter many young lives. Sadly, they don’t consider that the feelings they strive for are just animal feelings, but humans are not “just” animals. The history of humans has been one of survival first, then finding meaning and purpose in life, not fun. Over centuries, and even as a human person, God came to teach humans their meaning and purpose (why He created them). It was not for “fun” now, but joy for eternity. Bible history has been lost in our youth’s education.
This Friday morning, the Bible Study guys I meet with were reflecting on Matthew, Chapter 27. This very same day, the extremely popular podcast site, Bible in a Year, was reading and reflecting on the exact same chapter ---- coincidence? You know I don’t believe that. Matthew 27 is about the Passion and death of Jesus.
Many who don’t study the Bible say “Jesus came to teach us how to live --- just love one another.” If you remove the word “just” I might agree, but that is not the total truth. Jesus came to teach us how to live, but He also came to teach us how to die. Both are covered in Matthew 27. A life lived well will include suffering (things not fun) and dying, each of which has a purpose. Those are the things Jesus teaches in the Bible --- “teaches” not “taught”, for the lesson goes on every day of our lives. When “fun” becomes the focus of our lives, we’ve stopped learning, because learning no fun. It is a growing in being, growing more like God, until we join Him. He is waiting for us to come to Him: “I go to prepare a place for you.”
That place is not “fun” on earth. We can choose a “fun” focus for our here and now versus an eternal focus, but human death and eternity will still come. And if we have not prepared, that eternity will not be any joy.
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After the guy’s Bible Study, I went to church early this morning, before mass. There I participated in the usual Friday morning praying of the Stations of the Cross --- reflections on our Lord’s Passion and death. Later at mass, I learned that today is the feast day of St. Padre Pio, a man who suffered with the Stigmata (the 5 wounds of Christ, visible and painful) most of his life --- but many other people were healed of their wounds through his prayers.
Our lives have a purpose and meaning, and it involves others. That’s what Jesus showed us. And we need to trust Him.
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