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Q & A with Dr. David E. James, Author of God's Truth About Gender

Q: What does the Bible say about gender? A: God states, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…male and female, he created them” (Genesis 1:26,27 KJV). When God created people, gender was a basis for which we were to bear his likeness. Apart from the obvious differences in the physical nature of gender (man and woman), he also gave the concepts of spiritual gender—the way we feel and behave in response to stimuli—to correspond to the man and the woman he created.

Q: What does the Bible say about gender?

A: God states, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness-¦male and female, he created them- (Genesis 1:26,27 KJV). When God created people, gender was a basis for which we were to bear his likeness. Apart from the obvious differences in the physical nature of gender (man and woman), he also gave the concepts of spiritual gender-”the way we feel and behave in response to stimuli-”to correspond to the man and the woman he created. When we speak of the terms "masculinity- and "femininity,- we are referring to these feelings and behaviors. Men are expected to be masculine and women are expected to be feminine, though it is also possible for men and women to possess qualities characteristic of the opposite gender. However, their primary spiritual makeup will be in line with their physical gender. Because both men and women are relational beings created in his image, gender is a means through which God reflects his spiritual balance with more genders here on earth.

Q: In many circles, those who acknowledge the differences between men and women are accused of favoring one gender over the other. Is the notion of gender equality dependent on similarity?

A: Different spiritual qualities come with each gender. Whether they acknowledge it or not, everyone knows there is an inherent difference between men and women. Besides the obvious physical differences, we think differently, learn differently, and are generally motivated by different ideas. These differences are spiritual, and they are based on the gender identity given to us by God-”regardless of the lie being proclaimed in the world today that claims equality based on similarity. Viewing men and women as similar with regard to roles and purpose obscures the lines between genders and subsequently blurs our vision of God. The truth is, masculinity and femininity are the yin and yang of behavior. They are not morally constructed; therefore, neither nature can be better or worse than the other. In most scenarios, a balance of both natures is required.

Q: What does the word "gay- really mean?

A: "Gay- is a political term that describes a world view. It defines the culture in which you live in, not just what gender you have sex with. It is a culture of behavior, the colored lens through which a person sees himself. The culture makes judgments about a person's political beliefs, dress, talk, behavior, place of residence, self image, etc. Same sex attraction and gayness are not one in the same. There are many non-gay homosexuals who are not defined by the "gay- culture.

Q: How would you respond to the prevailing cultural notion that equates hetero/homosexuality with a person's identity? Were homosexuals "just born that way-?

A: In reference to human beings, we find three areas that serve as the major factors of individual, personal identification. These are gender, race, and family. The "big three- personal identity factors are all immutable. And they all carry extreme emotional consequences for individuals suffering from crises in these areas. One cannot choose his gender, race, or family. On the other hand, sexuality is a generic term that describes our ability to behave sexually-”without regard to the focus of our sexual desire. Although we do not choose our feelings, we do have willful control over our behavioral choices. Special interest groups claim that feelings and behaviors drive a person's identity. This is a lie. Homosexuality is not an identity. It is a choice based on feelings. At any given time, a person may feel sexual emotions toward multiple objects of desire. These objects of desire may include gender personalities (male/female), self-arousal, inanimate objects, smells, visual stimuli, etc. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are personal choices each person makes with his or her sexual capabilities. Contrary to what is frequently and erroneously stated in the media, there is no scientific or psychological proof that homosexuality is anything other than a behavior pattern that manifests itself in certain individuals for a variety of reasons, including psychological, social, environmental, behavioral, and genetic predispositions working together to produce the homosexual persona.

Q: According to your book, males who choose homosexual behavior and females who choose lesbian behavior do so for different reasons. Describe those reasons.

A: The psychology of homosexuality is rooted in deficit. Homosexual males typically perceive an internal lack in reference to certain issues of spiritual masculinity. This lack drives them to unite with someone of the same gender in order to make up for the lack they unconsciously sense in themselves. Many homosexual men had fathers in the home who were physically present but spiritually absent, so a relational model of the spiritually male-associated identity was nonexistent. Homosexual males desire other men not for what they can give sacrificially in love. The desire is based upon what they get-”that is, their lost manhood found in the physical image of another man. Lesbians are different from gay men. Their reparative drive is born out of a woman's fear of harm from the male, for fear is common to the feminine mind. Many lesbians were abused sexually as children or experienced some form of masculine harm. A lesbian might even have witnessed her mother being physically abused by her father. The abuse may be verbal or emotional as well. Lesbians tend to be extremely anti-male in their stance and demeanor. This sentiment is born out of fear and anger. Lesbianism is more favorably characterized as avoidance of masculinity rather than a desire for femininity. In the end, masculinity is the driving spiritual power for both male homosexuality and lesbian sexuality. The difference is that male homosexuals seek it, while lesbians avoid it.