James Talarico, the Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas, made a statement that God is non-binary, which has upset many on the right. Binary by definition is a choice between two options. If their position is that God is binary, the choices must be that God is either male or female.
For point of reference, the New International Version of the Bible continues to use the masculine he/his/him: John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
I think this is more a matter of tradition rather than an assignment of gender. It is my understanding that most, if not all, modern-day monotheistic religions believe that God is neither male nor female but is an all-powerful being without regard to gender identity. Therefore, God must be non-binary.
The definition of “binary” is simple and straightforward as cited above. The confusion sets in when, instead of meaning neither of two options, the term “non-binary” is defined as being none of several options. Scholars of human sexuality have determined that there are more definitions of human sexuality than just the binary definition of heterosexual male and heterosexual female. I’ll not attempt to list them all; LGBTQ+ should suffice for now. Even with this understanding, it should still follow that God is non-binary (none of the above).
Over the millennia there have been billions of human beings born, each one unique unto itself. Even identical twins have unique fingerprints and subtle differences such as moles, freckles, birthmarks and other distinguishing physical and personal characteristics. Mothers can tell the difference.
It is this endless variety of characteristics that makes each of us unique. Some of us have red hair, some brown, blonde, black, brunette. Some have blue eyes, some green, some hazel, some with a combination of two colors. Skin tones range from the lightest of albino to the darkest of black. Typical height ranges from about 4 feet, 8 inches tall to 6 feet, 6 inches, with some being shorter and some being taller. Weights typically range from 100 pounds to 250 pounds with some weighing less and some more.
These are just a few of the many characteristics of the human anatomy that makes each of us totally unique individuals. Please note that there is not one of these qualities that is binary. Every aspect of the human anatomy has a seemingly endless array of options. Why is it then, that there are those who continue to insist that when it comes to human sexuality God has limited us to a binary choice of either heterosexual male or heterosexual female?
Can they provide any other example of a binary option with regard to the human anatomy? Even the issue of life vs. death is non-binary. There are examples of patients being brain-dead but being kept alive through mechanical means. There are also examples of patients who have technically died only to return to life. Dead, alive, or somewhere in between?
All that being said, the question becomes one of acceptance. First and foremost, regardless of one’s religious beliefs, if we expect others to accept us as we were created, we must also be willing to accept others as they were created.
The ability to accept yourself as you were created is a much more complex and nuanced proposition than accepting someone else as they were created. Maybe the best approach is to consider the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Conceptually, while we are all created equal, in practicality we each have different strengths, weaknesses and features. For qualities like hair, eye and skin color we are all created different but equal. In matters of physical build and strength; or intelligence and mental acuity, we have varying degrees of capability. Some of these we can change fairly easily, some we can change with great risk, effort and difficulty, and some we simply cannot change.
Whether to attempt to change the way we were created is a personal choice. Some features like hair color, eye color or getting a tattoo are merely cosmetic. More extensive cosmetic surgery is an option for someone not satisfied with their natural appearance. Some debilitating physical conditions can be remedied through modern surgical techniques. Similarly, there are procedures to change one’s weight or height if that is what is desired. And yes, there are surgical procedures to modify one’s sexual genitalia. But in the end, these are all personal choices that deserve to be respected even if they are not condoned.
For the record: I am an 81-year-old, white, heterosexual male, Christian and a Vietnam vet who is perfectly satisfied with the way he was created.
My only agenda is to ask that we treat each other with kindness, compassion and respect.
Jack Crawford
Saugus
