Thank you, your Excellency!

[fides' Jack]

https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/bishop/public-messages/2021/a-catechesis-on-the-human-person-and-gender-ideology/

[Peace]

This is my bishop. I've been pretty pleased with him. He's a pretty good communicator I think.

[fides' Jack]

Praise God!

[Peace]

We were discussing this part at Church recently:

Quote

 

Language

Those asserting a transgender identity and/or seeking to “transition” often adopt new names and pronouns that reflect their desired identity and insist that others must use the chosen names and pronouns. Such use might seem innocuous and even appear to be an innocent way of signaling love and acceptance of a person. In reality, however, it presents a profound crisis: We can never say something contrary to what we know to be true. To use names and pronouns that contradict the person's God-given identity is to speak falsely. 

The faithful should avoid using “gender-affirming” terms or pronouns that convey approval of or reinforce the person's rejection of the truth. It is not harsh or judgmental to decline to use such language. In the broader culture, Catholics may experience significant pressure to adopt culturally-approved terminology. However, in no circumstances should anyone be compelled to use language contrary to the truth. The right to speak the truth inheres in the human person and cannot be taken away by any human institution. Attempts by the state, corporations, or employers to compel such language, particularly by threats of legal action or job loss, are unjust. We must love in the truth, and truth must be accurately conveyed by our words. At the same time, clarity must always be at the service of charity, as part of a broader desire to move people towards the fulness of the truth. 

 

It sounds pretty strict.

Like, if I am at work and "Jane" comes to work as "John" one day and says "I'm John now call me John" and I'm like "Hi Jane!" instead, I'm gonna get fired in the current PC climate.

[fides' Jack]

4 hours ago, Peace said:

We were discussing this part at Church recently:

It sounds pretty strict.

Like, if I am at work and "Jane" comes to work as "John" one day and says "I'm John now call me John" and I'm like "Hi Jane!" instead, I'm gonna get fired in the current PC climate.

And your reward would be all the greater in Heaven.

More and more, the choice is becoming clearer, and I believe all faithful will ultimately face a similar choice: fall in line to save yourself, and accept eternal punishment, or give up your own life for the sake of Truth and Faith, and gain eternal happiness in the next.

For some, the current choice might be their last, already.

[Peace]

38 minutes ago, fides' Jack said:

And your reward would be all the greater in Heaven.

More and more, the choice is becoming clearer, and I believe all faithful will ultimately face a similar choice: fall in line to save yourself, and accept eternal punishment, or give up your own life for the sake of Truth and Faith, and gain eternal happiness in the next.

For some, the current choice might be their last, already.

Yeah I think I'll just use a gender-neutral term such as "You" instead to avoid getting fired.

[fides' Jack]

20 minutes ago, Peace said:

Yeah I think I'll just use a gender-neutral term such as "You" instead to avoid getting fired.

I will, too, as long as I think I should.  I have a family to provide for.

[benedictaaugustine]

I think that it may be more referring to 3rd person he/she pronouns. If someone wanted to change their name or be called a different name, I don’t see that as necessarily an affirmation of their gender identity. Especially if they’ve changed it legally (aka Bruce to Caitlyn). I am a girl, and had a boy’s nickname in soccer. As for pronouns, if I am talking to someone outside my inner circle about a transgender individual, I use “they”, since that’s grammatically correct, and does not force me to use a masculine or feminine pronoun.

I am against compelled so each, or the forcing of pronoun usage, but in individual conversation, it’s not really a hill I’m going to die on.

[fides' Jack]

23 minutes ago, benedictaaugustine said:

I use “they”, since that’s grammatically correct,

I hate to break it to you...

I agree that a name change is not necessarily an affirmation of gender identity, but it can be.

One guy I work with has an interesting name (not in this way, but culturally), and I didn't ask how to pronounce it (embarrassed to now, tbh), so I always say, "Hey!  How are you?"  Only ever referring to him as "you".  It works for more than just avoiding incorrect pronouns.

[benedictaaugustine]

@fides' Jack I mean, is using “they” not grammatically correct? Even before the whole pronoun debate, I’d always use “they” to refer to someone if unsure about gender, or just whenever. “An individual has hair. They might like to get it cut.” I didn’t even know people were debating it’s grammaticism (not a word)

 

and true. If a person wanted to avoid using any pronouns, they (see?) could just use the subject’s name.

[Ash Wednesday]

In many circumstances, such as at work, I'd say one might have no choice but to use their name, especially in the likelihood that you wouldn't know what other name they would have ever used and you don't even know what gender they are. I once worked at a large company and someone there dressed as a woman and was fairly feminine, but I'm venturing to guess by their deep voice, might have been male, though I actually didn't speak with them much and I didn't ask. For example, some women that once thought they were transgender male but decide against it will still have very deep voices from the hormone treatments for a while even after they stop. And unfortunately with some people they are so androgynous you just can't tell and you want to avoid embarrassing situations. The coworker's name just was what it was, with no awareness of any other. In such a circumstance where you are actually unsure of someone's gender I would much rather use someone's name in possessive forms/pronouns and avoid the gender situation altogether.