Help with faith and dressing

[Suzanna_CD]

Something I've been wrestling with for the past few months is my faith and crossdressing. I am a Christian, and I try walk the path as best I can and thought I was doing pretty good. A few months ago I stumbled across a verse in Dueterotemy (sorry, I can't spell it very well) that seemed to deal with crossdressing. For the moment, I can not find this verse, but I will look again to give you some referance to what I mean (some of you may already know which I mean). My problem is that while I enjoy to dress and have fun with it, I do not want to go against something God has labeled bad. I'm too embarassed to go to my preacher or youth minister since I am not out yet, and fear that somehow it may get brought up again as an example. I know some of you here are faithful, and was hoping I could get some guidance or advice on how you take this. Any help is greatly appriciated, thank you for reading .

[Julie York]

Suzanne. I am not a 'religeous' person, but I wanted to reply to you because it might help before everyone else adds their confusion.

In order for you to come to terms with what you feel, you need to be brave enough to not only examine yourself, but also your faith. You will get plenty of examples of people telling you that any persuasion away from your beliefs is evil or wrong. But just as you are coming to examine your own feelings, you should investigate the origin of the bible and it's various editing over 2000 years. If you understand the origins of the bible it will not scare you so much. If you have a genuine relationship with your God then you do not need to refer or be chastised by a document written by other people. Use your own judgement. Go to the Top directly. It's between you and your God, not anyone else or anything written in a book.

If you believe the bible is the Word of God, then you're going to have a bit of difficulty. However, if you read enough of it, you can pick a line that will cover all angles anyway.

Good luck. Be brave and most of all.....DARE TO THINK!! .

[maryjanecapri]

here's a very simple answer to this long-argued point.

back in jesus' time both men and women wore tunic-type "dresses". the difference being that the women covered their heads and the men did not. the bible, in that passage, was telling the men to not cover their heads and the women to keep theirs covered.

[Amelie]

Suzanna, you are on the highway to hell. You must redeme yourself. It's not too late, send all your fem clothes to me and you will be saved.
Amelie

[MissBosie]

A god who worries about what pieces of cloth we cover ourselves in isn't worth bothering about - it's our actions that matter, not what we wear.

[StephanieCD]

I hesitate to participate because I get very uptight when people start questioning themselves because of a subjective text, ya know? I'm spirtitual but not religious and I've heard all manner of dicussion on "what God wants" - this is "bad" or "wrong" and only this is "good" or "right".... when it's all subject to interpretation anyway - the religious texts vary in meaning as many times as there are people to read them. Some religions seem to thrive onmaking people feel they have "sinned" or done wrong in being themselves.... others seem to be just guidelines to healthy living.... as far as crossdressing goes - my soul doesn't even wear pants!



Sorry if I sound opinionated - I've just heard so many people rip themselves apart because of what God wants and the only one they ask is a priest or something - who sees everything with the bias of the own HUMAN eyes. Ask YOUR God, not theirs.

[Amelie]

Amelie
the ones that are to large for you please forward to me !

maude

You can have all the bright color clothes, I'll keep the black colors.

[Anita]

be what YOU want to be.There are enough people in this world wanting to push their beliefs onto us (take a look at our government in England ONCE THE LAND OF THE FREE
Your x dressing hurts nobody It does not make them fightIt does not cause famine. It gives YOU pleasure So enjoy
Do not even consider religion it started most wars
love Anita xx

[Suzanna_CD]

Thanks for all of your replies, and the humor Amelie I needed some of that. I guess in time I will come to terms with it, I am probably blowing this way out of proportion to myself. I was perfectly happy before, I'll just go back to that point in time. You all are right, wearing clothes should not matter what type. I think that I'll have a little talk with Him later and see what happens. Actually when I first found that verse and was praying on it some, the next day I found this site, so maybe this is just where I need to be right now . Thank you again.

Oh and sorry Amelie, no dark colored clothes here .

[Wendy me]

i think god wants you heart and soul to be good and loveing.......anem and eve.......
thay were nacked???????? no dress code thats peoples thing.........right????????

sister you will be fine don't think you will be going to hell for pantys........or a dress

[Julie York]

Actually when I first found that verse and was praying on it some, the next day I found this site, so maybe this is just where I need to be right now . Thank you again.

.

Good for you! See that's what I was waffling about earlier. Only longer. Use your OWN instincts. Good luck.

[Jen_TGCD]

Thanks for all of your replies, and the humor Amelie I needed some of that. I guess in time I will come to terms with it, I am probably blowing this way out of proportion to myself. I was perfectly happy before, I'll just go back to that point in time. You all are right, wearing clothes should not matter what type. I think that I'll have a little talk with Him later and see what happens. Actually when I first found that verse and was praying on it some, the next day I found this site, so maybe this is just where I need to be right now . Thank you again.

Suzanna...
Looks like you are already finding the answer to this question.

If you, or others on the forum, want to read more on this, go to www.google.com and type "Deuteronomy 22.5, crossdress" in the search box. There was an amazing amount of information on this topic. I read just two... one from a Rabbi and one from a Christian view. Both said that the true interpretation was vague and has little to do with actual "crossdressing".

Good luck!!!

[Merinda]

Top sins

1 terrorists
2 murderers
3 rapists
4 armed hold-up
5 crossdressers

Yes Amelie is right , send all your size 14 clothes to me immediatly .


seriously
I am not a follower of any particular religion but the girls here are right , " the bible was written and re-written by man and is meant to be used as a guide.
I'm sure crossdressing would not be on the list ,if it is then it would be at the bottom and is not worth worrying about.

[Serena]

First, I'm happy you found the answer to your question quickly Suzanna.

Now for my veiw: most people here have already said a lot of stuff that's true, but even if it's looked upon as "bad" by other people, all of the bibles were written by man, and not God himself, so you have to with what you know about God, and not what other people try to convince you.

[Ashleigh]

Suzanna, I commend you for having this thought. It shows that you want to do the right thing. All too many people seem to think that a god who puts limitations on us is not worth dealing with, or to ignore, etc., and to just do it if it feels good. I couldn't disagree with them more. A loving God wants us to be happy and gives us "guidelines" on our actions so that we may be happy in our decisions (since He knows all and we don't). I do agree with those who stated that the Bible has been written and re-written. I believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. If you want what the Lord wants, sincerely ask Him. Invoke the council stated in James 1:5-6 with real intent on knowing the truth and then listen. Talk to Him like you would your own trusted, loving father. Explain how you are feeling, what you want to attain by the crossdressing and how far you want to go with it. Ask the question as you go along "is this right that...." . He will let you know.

[maryjanecapri]

one other thing about the bible - if you take it literally it allows slavery and treats women like dirt.

oh and the number 666 - is actually another way (within the Greek language) to spell out Nero Ceaser.

so the bible has been mis-interpreted many times and in many ways.

[Suzanna_CD]

Thank you all so much, I seem to have found this answer much more quickly than I thought I would with y'alls help as well. I was beginning to accept it a little bit, but still had doubt until i decided to go with Jen's advice and read up on those things in google's search. After I read the verse "there is no male or female, for we all are one in Christ Jesus" I felt so much better! I guess He works pretty quick . I'm actually crying a bit from joy, thank you all so much.

[Vivian Best]

Hi Suzanna,

I share your faith and I too was concerned about the scripture verse you mentioned. A careful reading of the context seems to indicate the verse was directed to the Old Testement priests. The Old Testement is pretty clear on how they were to dress or not dress.

There are a couple thoughts you can consider: Christ came and died for our sins AND He superceeded the Old Testement laws! Does that make the Old Testement laws invalid to us? The New Testement says we are not under the law but under Grace because of what Christ did on the cross for us. The second thought is that the text in the Old Testement also says a woman should not dress like a man. Now, if it's wrong of a man to wear women's clothes then it's also wrong for women to wear men's clothes. What is true for one has to be true for the other. If it is wrong for me to wear women's clothes then all women that wear jeans, slacks, tee shirts, and all men's clothing that have been modified for women are commiting the same wrong that I am. I'm not saying two wrongs makes a right.

Personally, I've come to a place that I do not feel I'm doing anthing wrong with my crossdressing. The question cannot be resolved by any of us here on the forum but by you. You can read what some post and gleem feelings from them. But ultimately you have to look inside yourself and see what you believe and how you interpet what you read in the Bible.

I do not agree with some's posts to your thread and that's ok, I hope we on this forum can agree to disagree and still be sisters. I personally believe the Bible is the inspired word of God! But, there are some things that you have to take figuratively. For instance, if you take communion the Bible says you are eating and drinking the body of Christ. We know that isn't so! There are many other instances such as this in the Bible that we don't really know how to handle and crossdressing is one of them.

I do hope you can come to your decision quickly. I let mine eat at me for decades before I took a realistic approach and came to my conclusion that what I was doing was not a sin!

Vivian

[Sweet Susan]

I'd love to be able to help here, but I'm afraid I can't. I don't get the whole Jesus thing, never have, don't intend to ever go that direction. It's find for those who do, but I just can't swallow that pill.

[Georgette]

One of the most important things in the Christian faith is to know your sexuality, this I think is the only reference in the new testament that refers to any thing about Sexul orientation. I may be wrong on this but I know that this is one of the things where in my relegion is sinful, it doesn't say anything about women or men wearing each others clothes. One thing I won't do is judge someone because of there sexul preference or orentation.

[carolynhcd]

If you are a christian, then the old testament has nothing to do with you. The old testament was an agreement, a legally binding contract between god and the Jews. It states that the Jews and only the Jews are the chosen people. The new testament is a broader agreement between god and man, all men, gentiles as well as Jews. It says that if you love god and your neighbor, you are doing all that is requisite. Forget the old testament, it has nothing to do with someone who calls themselves christian. Jesus mentions nothing about sex. If your uncle is dying and contacts his lawyer and makes out his last will and TESTAMENT and chooses to give all his estate to his son, and then at some later time bethinks himself to make a superceding will that divides his estate between you and your cousin, which will do you choose to support? The one that excludes you entirely, or the one that allows you to share in his bounty? Of course you support the second, how could you not? Jesus came to overturn the old law and offer the religion of love. Do you want to honor the god of the Jews or Jesus? Who is your saviour? Read Carl Jung's "Answer To Job" to learn about the evolution of the Judeo-Christian god. Crossdressing wasn't an issue for Jesus and it shouldn't be for you. Read the Gospels. What did Jesus say was an abomination? Not much, amigo. Get a grip. If you want to call yourself a christian, you better get out of bible class and do some real studying. Unless you want to wear a phylactery and a yarmulka and blow off bacon, GET OVER YOURSELF!!! If you don't know what a phylactery is, why are you reading the Old Testament? It's for Jews and the Pentateuch which has been incorporated by reference into the Koran. Are you a moslem? Are you a Jew? Then if you are not, why puzzle your pretty head over their religious tomes. They do not concern you. You are blessed to be an adherent of the religion of love, understanding and forgiveness. You have nothing to worry about if you will study what has been given to you. Remember the parable of the talents. One trusted with talents buried them for safety and was rebuked for failing to take risks. The one who invested (risked) them wisely returned a greater number to the master upon his return and was rewarded. Christianity, in it's true, pure form, is a kick-ass religion. Kick over the moneychangers' tables, heal the severed ear of the soldier obeying orders, forgive sinners and prostitutes and consort with the sick and ill of spirit. That is what your saviour did.

[Suzanna_CD]

You've all been so helpful, I don't think I can thank you enough. Just reading some feelings, and having a brief talk with Him, it has been lifted completely, I feel wonderful! It's the best I have felt in a long time, thank you all again for explaining your points of view, opinions, beliefs, and articles on this subject, they have helped eminsly! I don't think I can say this enough, thank you thank you thank you thank you!!

[christine55]

Suzanna, as one who beleives that Jesus is the Son of God and still crossdress, I would say that I feel that if in years gone by if I had been more willing to beleive in God's goodness my life would be substantially different than it is now. I would be married but I would very possibly still be crossdressing, I am not sure. I do know that crossdressing is something very deeply ingrained in me. Although I am sure that God could have easily have removed the desire to dress long ago if he had so desired he chose not to do so. There was a time about 17 years ago when I could have chosen to get married to a very beautiful and sweet Christian girl who later told me when I told her that I had a problem with crossdressing "so what". A day or two before that I chose to be angry with God over the years of misery I had spent struggling without deliverance and came to the attitude that being married would be no better or worse. This was just a negative attitude that
"things have always been shitty, they always will be." I chose to continue crossdressing alone because in my opinion it would be easier than to try to work out a relationship. I have regretted that decision many times in more recent years.
God has certainly not forsaken me. He is not at the present time calling me to just stop dressing. He is teaching me that living as a woman, in and of itself will certainly not satisfy. With the world falling apart around us it becomes more and more evident where our only hope lies.
Hugs, Christine

[DonnaT]

There have been several discussion on Religion or Christianity and Crossdressing

One which provided a link to http://members.tgforum.com/bobbyg/tgfgnl.html

Here's a link that may ease your mind regarding Deuteronomy:

http://www.gender.org.uk/gendys/1999/08hrton.htm

And another at

http://lisbeth.freeservers.com/deut225.html

Note that the writings in Deuteronomy were Hebrew Law. Keep in mind that Deuteronomy is a book in the OLD testament and therefore is part of the OLD law. This law was abolished with Jesus' crucifiction and we are now living under the laws of the NEW testament.

Also, what appears in the Bible is only a small sample of writings of that bygone era.

Man, not God, wrote these things. I find no declaration from any of the authors that God told them what to write.

Also, consider this, who chose what writings to include and which to exclude. And Why? Was there some unkown agenda.

Look for example to the writings regarding Mary Magdalene. http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/jesusandwomen/magdalene.html

Some interpret these writings and say she was a prostitute, yet recent discoveries say that that label was put forward by one or more Apostle because he was jealous, and in fact she was an Apostle too.

So, I wouldn't take everything I read in the Bible as God's word, nor would I loose faith in God because I do not believe that all these writings are gospel.

[MistyCD]

That chapter is in the old testament right..... I look at the fact that since I am a Christian, I should be concerned with the New Testament!!!!