Hate-Preacher: Trans People Are “Influenced Right Out of the Pits of Hell”

Retired Lt. General Jerry Boykin once said Jesus would return to kill his enemies with an AR-15. Which is to say: No one should ever take his opinions seriously.

But he still holds clout within the world of conservative Christianity, which is why it’s frightening that he was recently interviewed for a program about manhood with host (and fellow Christian bigot) Jack Hibbs.

As you might predict, no conversation about Christian manhood is possible without demonizing trans people.

… And the big lie today, the big lie today is that if you were born with the genitalia of a male, you don’t have to spend your life that way, because what you actually might be is a woman — or vice versa.

Now, I can tell you how to figure it out. I mean, I can tell you how to know whether you’re a man…

… But this is the big lie. And the problem is that society has bought into this lie, and they’re perpetuating this lie, and I don’t care what you say, I cannot imagine that any man or woman can change their gender — particularly if they go through the surgery and the hormones and all that — and ever really truly be happy with what they’ve done.

This is a diabolical issue and it is influenced right out of the pits of hell.

Boykin and Hibbs are ignorant at best and liars at worst. In fact, trans people who have transitioned are overwhelmingly happier afterwards. Their mental health is better. Their levels of anxiety and depression go down.

But here’s the thing about conservative Christians like these men: None of that matters.

Even if they were aware that trans people who transition are better off no matter the metric, they would still be opposed to trans identities because they enjoy the cruelty and any awful belief can be justified by pointing to God in defense. While Boykin said trans issues are “right out of the pits of Hell,” Hibbs has previously said the issue is caused by “Demonism.”

Boykin and Hibbs wants trans people to suffer. They refuse to acknowledge that treating them with respect, supporting their transitioning, or calling them by their proper pronouns is a small ask on their part but makes a huge difference in the lives of trans people. Instead, they just want Christians to treat them as spawns of Satan — and for public policy to match.

(via Christian Nightmares)