The Distorted Rainbow

 

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth" (Genesis 9:13) 

The time has come that I fear each time my child asks questions- questions that never even existed when I was growing up. The very symbol of God's promise given to Noah after the Big Flood has been bent and disfigured and misused that the very sight of it screams trouble rather than hope now. The present population in this world gives less and less thought for the very Being of God. The more they want to dwell in immoral ways, they keep moving away from the Creator. The more they think ungodly love is all they need, they would not feel the warm hug of their Heavenly Father. The more the holy institution of Family is torn down, the less need of a Saviour to protect your loved ones. The more we hear the voices of this world, there is no way we can hear Him calling. You go in search of love, or satiety, not knowing that running to God can solve all your problems. 

The RAINBOW has been the most beautiful symbol of how God rescued a family- just one family- from the flood that destroyed the world. Out of everything He could have saved, God only cared for famililies- families of each fowl and fauna- families- a MALE and FEMALE of each living creature- two by two- families of Noah and his three sons- Noah and his wife and three young families to be the forefathers of a world recreated- to wipe away all sinful ways of this world. Family-the most perfect and genius plan of God- to sustain life on earth. Family- the most beautiful and blissful way to know the feeling of heaven on earth. Family- the foolproof idea of God that we humans have completely dismantled over the centuries of our existence here on earth. God only wanted families to acknowledge His blessings and power- and stick together through thick and thin. But each passing day, the Lord must be so disappointed in us to see how we are messing up His perfect plan. 

It is not only in Noah's story that we see how God was considerate about families. As Jesus' birth was announced, God made sure there was an earthly father figure chosen- Joseph- to make the baby Jesus would have that Family experience and portray to us humans how a family should be. He could have had Mary live on her own and give birth to Jesus- but then the Saviour would have missed being part of the royal family line of David and a blessed upbringing before entering into ministry. God showed us through many such people in the Bible, how He intended families to be- till the end of the world. 

It breaks my heart to see so many youths of today deciding not to get married- or even if married, not to have kids, or worse, feeling they have a different biological orientation. Yes, I do realize the fact it is not easy to find the PERFECT Mr. Right or Miss Universe, but if you accept the fact that God has a plan for you and you should be open about it, things will fall into place. I know how much reluctant I was to get married- at a time my parents were so worriedly trying to find a guy for me, rumaging through every single matrimonial, calling so many numbers, nosy people around us asking every time 'Remya isn't getting married yet?' and having to reply to that, and me totally blank whenever they try to introduce this topic to me. I really wanted to marry someone I knew already- but who would even look at me?! Even when it occured a guy said yes to me- someone with obesity and blemishes and all- I was still not fully onboard. It took me months to finally open up to him- and by months I mean, even after getting married! So, I totally know what it feels like to be exhausted even thinking about the process or not being ready to make adjustments to your seemingly perfect single life. Believe me, I've been there, but now I know, I KNOW, that being married, not just to anyone, but being married to a priest, and being a mother- was meant for me. 

Now that I shared how hesitant I was to marriage, let me say about motherhood. I never thought I had the slightest mother-streak in me- always scared to carry or even touch babies- unless they were maybe at least three years old! I would never even offer to carry my cousin's babies or go near babies in church. I would just sit comfortably in my seat, my hands tied, not even melting at the 'oohs' and 'aahs' reactions from everyone else looking at the baby in the room. That was me. I was good with walking-talking kids- not 'parasite' babies who needed your help always. Now after marriage, you know the question every Indian aunty asks, right? Being the wife of a priest does not spare you from that now. They were not concerned that I was busy developing a rural school back then! Advises came from all sides to go and see the Fert-doc. And so we did. But all happens in God's time, right- and it did, even before starting any treatment. The unmotherly me conceived and now dreaded what I would do with a baby. Nine years later, though my husband does occsionally say that I don't look after our daughter fully- oh, not much- like oiling her hair or washing her cloths on time- I became a believer in the fact that every woman, however rebellious you may think or say, you have those mother instincts in you deep down, somewhere. So never think that you were not moulded to be a mother ever. Period. 

It was never the case that I did not want to get married- but it was something I would just say to make my parents not push the matter. It was never the case I did not want a baby- but rather the ill confidence in my ability to care for one, or how my life would change completely with such changes in my life made me think so. I know I was guided at home to start praying for my future partner from the age of 15, but by the time I finished studying, I was happy as a single person- working my dream job as a teacher in my own school, coming back home to my parents where home-cooked meals were ready and dad would buy my favourites always- it was just perfect. Who would want to burst that bubble and compromise with changes? But that is what life is all about, right? Within my almost thirteen years of marriage now, I know God took me to places and made me go through experiences that has made me stronger, bolder and even more trusting in Him. 

I am not a political person at all. If you would ask me if I would support Democrats or Republicans, Congress or Communists, I would say neither. Instead of red or blue, I am violet- which is also a color of the rainbow, by the way. But to see how the countries of my birth and my upbringing are divided by colors of some party flag, breaks my heart. My recent summer visits to different parts of the US was an eye-opener to how much this country has changed over the decades- how many lost souls we have out there- not knowing God, and not knowing what life means in its trueness. The social media and movies also gives a clear picture on how 'sick' people are- not knowing that some hidden agenda is there to encourage queer love. Here is an example- in a gift shop in Seattle, there was a rack filled with keychains. Those keychains were all rainbows in the shape of letters of the alphabet. My daughter asked for a 'D' keychain as that's her name's first letter. How could I say 'no' to a girl who loves rainbows and say that these rainbows have a totally different meaning in a state that approves the rainbow flag? Today, she has that keychain attached to her schoolbag. She knows what is a pride flag though I know she has not fully grasped the meaning of it. Even the bathroom signs are debatable out there. This world exposes kids to so much, more than we would prefer- videos of gay couples getting married or having kids, schoolchildren talking to each other about words and phrases they hear, and even books with such characters added in them. Now, it is not possible to hide your kid from the world, right? But we have to live through these experiences and ask God for guidance. 

Charlie Kirk, an American political activist and social media figure, has been labelled a martyr now- for being killed on duty- speaking with college students about his conservative ideologies and philosphies on behalf of his organization Turning Point USA. More than his political stands, for me, his strong conviction in the Bible and what Christians should stand united for have been very inspiring. He was killed for speaking the truth- directly, withour fear- though he knew his life was in danger for speaking out boldly. His life could have been a continuation of speaking God's word to thousands of youngsters, but God must have found his work done here, as his death can speak more volumes. There are so many videos of him speaking to the youths who believe they belong to the third gender. The way people have responded to his murder and commenting how he deserved it shows how much our human race has degraded. Whatever was his political views or faith, nobody deserves to be killed- especially someone who harmlessly just debated on his convictions. 

Some of his videos show how bluntly he talked about human beings created by God as man and woman, and the so called 'rainbow' crowd are just confused about their sexual orientation, which has nothing to be confused about in the first place. You are created either with XX or XY chromosomes, with the exception of maybe a marginal population who differ because of some syndrome by birth. It is true that whatever people think about themselves, their gender, we should respect them and care for them. But I totally feel that the ways our institution of marriage and identity of such individuals have fallen is beyond all considerations. There is no such thing as a gay or lesbian Christian, and a couple which is not made of man and woman is not acceptable at all. When these life choices came in abundance and the foundations of families got shaken, that is when the God equation also changed from our lives. The more of such immoral ways being okayed in our communities and the more we see them in our movies and social media- portraying them as all lovey-dovey and humans with equal rights to practice as they like- the more we stray away from the Almighty. Of course, Jesus loved the marginalized and came to save the lost, and He being the most inclusive person ever, I am sure He would be outraged to see how even churches proudly fly the pride flag and encourage such relations, how third gender people even become pastors in such churches and lead others to follow their paths, how churches have forgotten the very fact that God Himself installed families as man and wife- and not man and man or woman and woman. There are even websites that guide the third gender to find churches that accept them in their respective areas, or sell Christian literature supporting them or books that guide clueless parents how to accept them, creating a space for them to feel included in a world which normally does not. 

We also live in a time when there are many posts in social media that show how a large number of people who previously transitioned to another gender detransitioning back to their actual gender again- regretting for letting themselves get trapped in the words of people around them and their own wrong decisions- for letting themselves perform irreversible surgeries on themselves and taking innumerable hormone treatments to transform their God-given bodies- and even deciding to come back to square one because they accepted God's plan in their lives. Such people should 'come out' more to make those who are in the process of making mistakes and sinning now to at least think about their deeds, listen to God's word more and consider detransitioning or never to even enter such a decision at all. The very fact that children as young as even five or ten who feel they are 'trapped in the wrong body' are encouraged to start hormone injections and tablets to start their transition. If I want to change my race, is that possible? This is not the same as coloring your hair or wearing cloths of another culture!! If my daughter likes to wear her dad's shirts does that suddenly mean I should coax her to become a boy? Everyone has growing pains, right?- especially before, during and after puberty. It takes time to feel that your skin belongs to you- which may happen when you become confident about your individuality or own achievements in life. 

I remember a YouTube channel and later TLC reality show that was aired sometime ago - 'I am Jazz'- that videographed Jazz's full journey from the age of 11- her stresses, bullying experiences, hormonal treatments, gender assignment surgeries, relationship issues and all. She was 'diagnosed' with gender dysphoria at the age of five- and to think how a pyschologist believed in a five-year old's words! Jazz's life was never easy even after transitioning- proving that changing her gender was never the issue. She even took a break year after school before joining Harvard University for 'mental health reasons'. Why would someone who happened to be so clear of thought at the tender age of five be having such problems at 18? I know I am no one to judge her- but because of her show, her interviews, her posts it is evident how much this country's kids have been influenced to think in the same path. If she was not able to find mental peace after transitioning, then why do it in the first place? If she was in turn made to understand that the life God gave her (she's a Jew, by the way!) was enough and more for her and to be happy in her own skin, she would have had a more normal life, right? Well, she never had a normal life- for that matter, did she? Do any of these third gender people have a normal life? How could they, when they defy the very skeleton of humanity? 

However much you twist the doctrines, this is something I can never digest. I dread each time I feel my daughter is exposed to it, at least till a point she is stern in her faith and conviction. I am concerned each time understand that two people of the same gender standing in front of us in a line or a restaurant are surely not just 'friends' or when they come to a museum or aquarium filled with kids and act like a normal couple. I am worried each time I know a movie or video contains such characters in it- in turn, showing the viewers that this is just fine. The more we see it, the more you think it is okay. That's the psychology of humans. Maybe something that was unacceptable 20 years ago, might be a normal thing now. Even this has infilterated to our Indian soils as well, with pride march and queer movies and all. Sometimes a post on a gay wedding comes on Facebook- and its just sad how normal they think it is and how many parents who actually do not agree with it, just go with the flow, thinking solely about their child's happiness in that relationship. People have strayed away from God, wanting to live in the ways of the world, wanting to get away from the judgy eyes of people, to get away from their own conscience and keep living as they like, but they do not realize how broken and insecure they are inside and how much they actually need God. God alone can solve their problems, identity crisis, the vacuum inside and fill their lives with hope, joy and peace. Those who are missing this, have no idea how beautiful life can be with God in it. They have no idea that their lives were already perfect just the way they are, and they do not need any hormone treatments, botox or surgeries to make them feel perfect or whole- which never happens, too, if you chose that path of the unending search for 'happiness'. Know that everyone was 'fearfully and wonderfully made' by Him who knows your every worry and pain and can embrace you with His warm love to Kingdom come. 

This blog of mine had been in my drafts for too long. But the incidents of last week made me realize I should not keep quiet anymore. Christians should speak about this all the more- for the sake of our generation and our next generations. Christians should realize the importance of FAMILY, for the very reason God installed it for. This should be taught again and again in our churches, to our kids and youths. The present attitude of being so individualistic, not being able to care for another one, not ready to take up responsibilty and not able to adjust to the likings or habits of a spouse or kids- should change. Careers are important, YES, for sure- I am totally for promotions in jobs and educational advancement and all- but family is also important- and couples should try to have kids. Recently a middle aged woman was sharing how her son does not want to get married and her tone was very appreciative of it- showing that she has accepted that as a reality. Seeing my frown, she knew I did not approve of that. Her reason was that her son was not a responsible person, and therefore should never get married. I responded to her that I was also not a responsible person-before marriage, and not fully even today. If I could get into this role, anyone can- ANYONE. 

The rainbow stands for hope- HOPE for good tomorrows, HOPE for joys and sorrows, HOPE for families to still be the foundation of our communities, HOPE for righteousness and morality to win over the world. The rainbow is a covenant- God's promise- and so each time we see one in the sky, we should renew our relation with the Almighty to live according to His will, and not ours. The world has become so godless for this reason only- as they want to live their selfish ways, without a judging God. If God does not exist for them, then who to fear, right? But how can you deny the presence of God when you look around you and see the beautiful flowers in the garden, stars in the sky, leaves changing color in autumn or experience that unknown providence in unexpected situations? Rainbows need rain and sunshine- and life is just like that- filled with joys and tears. So why is it so difficult to just submit to how He writes your story and the gender He chose for you? Why do we have to rebel against the covenant of marriage- and see it as a commitment rather than a role-play or a dress-up party? Can we also not distort the rainbow anymore- and let is just be the very innocent symbol of good tomorrows, hope and love?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1&2

-Remya Rachel Thomas