Hermie the Hermaphrodite - a hypothetical hermaphrodite question for Christians...?

Question

Hermie is a hermaphrodite. Born with both male and female sexual organs. Hermie's parents choose at delivery to have her female organs removed. Hermie is raised as a boy and raised in a good home. During no point in Hermie's life does he learn he was born a hermaphrodite.

At the age of 17, Hermie starts to realise "he" is attracted to males and questions his sexuality. Since he is attracted to males, he assumes that he is gay and begins to live his life as a gay man.

Had his parents chosen to remove the male organs from Hermie, and raise Hermie as a girl, no one would condemn Hermie or say that "her" sexual preference was a sin against God. However, since Hermie was raised as a boy, people in "his" neighborhood and in the church have told him he is an abomination unto God.

So, is Hermie really committing a sin, since he was born with both sexual organs and his parents made the "choice" that he would be raised a male?

Why do we put God in a box and some Christians say homosexuality is a sin, no doubt. I know they believe the Bible is the undeniable Word of God. But, isn't God so much bigger than being placed in a box and small humans dictating what he does and does not want? Why don't we leave the judging up to God and just love one another. Make the choice for yourself, but why try to force it on others? God made us unique for a reason, and I can't imagine he would put someone on this earth as a homosexual and intend for some Christians to treat them the way they do, and especially not to proclaim to the world what God wants, and what God says is a sin. Why not let people read the Bible and decide for themselves? Don't push people away from God with *your* belief of who God is. Let God speak to them, not you. Wanna give it a shot?

Mr. Taliban - The Christians treat me fine. I'm a big boy. All I want to do, is to help people see alternative view points on a controversial argument. Understanding and exploration in thought leads to tolerance.

For the sake of argument, we'll say synchronous. I'd like some good Christian responses, but it doesn't seem that I'm going to get many on this subject. Are they stumped?

Randy G - Still didn't really answer the question. But, if you want to be graphic, I'm using my "body" for the purpose it was intended. My boyfriend is using his "body" for it's intended purpose. It happens to fit nicely in one of my organs. And, homosexuality isn't about purely pleasureful sex - it's about love. I love my boyfriend, our sexual activity is an expression of that love. And our "bodies" or "hands" we were dealt, seem to fit together rather nicely...

My apologies to everyone but Randy G who had to read the above. ;)

Answer 1

I'm so sorry to hear when parents make that sort of mistake. They made the best guess at the time, but since it is never known which sex the child's hormones lean toward I believe parents should wait until the child is at least 16 to help the child make a decision about removing any excess genitalia.

As far as it being a sin, no way. I have heard of way too many people committing suicide because of having, what society deems, an unacceptable sexual disposition (as long as it doesn't hurt other people). I think people need to do what they need to to be happy, productive human beings. If that means becoming "gay" when the person was born with male parts, or having surgery to become what the person's nature truly tells them. Why do people want to call that a sin? It's being honest to who they actually are. Who we are is wholly inside of us, not determined by the external parts of our bodies. We come from spirit, the shell does not matter.

The reality is that there are too many people who think they can control other people's behavior and sexuality, and that they have a right to make those judgments. Now THAT is a sin in my book! Only God has a right to make judgments. We are not here to judge. That is God's job.

Peace

Answer 2

Well this is a common occurence I believe 1 in 10000 births. It's known as the "intersex." Well, too often this case occurs and the child has no idea what has happened as oft. the doctors are not required to inform the parents of the situation and rarely do parents have any say in which sex the child shall be; doctors aim for the sex that the child will have the greatest opportunity to reproduce in, not that which is in the best interest of the child. This world is so concerned with gender and sex of the child... the first question we generally ask of expecting parents is, " Is it a boy or a girl?" Names themselves usually carry a notion of the individual's gender (well except for like Pat and a few others).
As for your question, this Hermie has no say in the matter. Hermie made no mistakes and I believe God makes none either. No one knew the outcome of their actions would result in the inherited homosexuality. So this is no sin, and the choice made by the parents warrants no damnation nor ridicule for their unknowing nature, but then again I don't believe homosexuality to be a sin.

Answer 3

This is an interesting "hypothetical" question. Many parents were told in the 50's, 60's and 70's that you could mutilate a hermaphrodite baby to what you wanted it to be and everything would end up fine. Because the theory was that all differences between males and females were learned characteristics. In the 80's these parents went back to report all the problems they were having only to discover that almost everybody was really screwed up.

My mother went to a Catholic nursing school and nursed in a few Catholic hospitals and the official position of the church was that hermaphrodites should be allowed to develop naturally and any operations to get rid of extra organs shouldn't be performed until the child was sexually mature and had become obviously female or male in nature. This often led to some abuse because parents want their child normal right away.

So I would guess that Hermie hadn't committed any sins but his partner might of because of the open intention to go outside of biblical teaching?!!!

Of course the theory that homosexuality is a natural mutation is full of holes because then what about pedophiles? serial killers? They're all doing what comes "naturally" to them. If it was a natural mutation it would occur in the same percentage of people despite culture, climate, and economic circumstance. It doesn't.

About God being put in a box. Well since I believe it is His Word I think He was pretty clear about what He's all about in it.

Answer 4

Under Jewish law, I believe Hermie is committing a sin, because he's not following the formal laws and rules coming down from God through the prophets, specifically no to lie with another man.

The Christian view is at once the same and the Jewish law, but there may be a redefinition of sin (outside of following God's rules:)

"The primary Greek word rendered "sin" is "hamartia". This word essentially means "missing the mark; falling short; or a departure". The essential idea being conveyed by the use of this word is that of "a departure from holiness"; thus "hamartia" means to sin; to depart from God's standard of holiness; to become unrighteous; to fail to live up to what God requires of us. (Rom 3:23; 14:23; James 4:17; 1 John 3:4)" from www.calvarychapel.com/redbarn/terms.htm

It can be argued that Hermie's parents MEDDLED and imposed their will on infant Hermie's body instead of letting Hermie grow up and make his own decision.

It can also be argued that Hermie is not imperfect and his parents sinned in taking away part of his fertility (which would also be a sin for Jews).

Finally, it can be argued that the summary that "Hermie is a homosexual and a sinner" is a judgment that human being ought not make of each other, which is the view of modern psychiatry and of many native American belief systems, which is also presented in the New Testament. I am very sympathetic to this view.

Answer 5

Synchronous hermaphrodite or Sequential hermaphrodite?

Synchronous is when both organs are active, meaning "hermie" is equally a boy and a girl

Sequential is when they have both but ONLY ONE is active.

Human hermaphrodites have only been sequential ones..if I'm wrong correct me. So, if this is true then "hermie" is actually a boy or a girl (not both) depending on what organ is active.

So lets say Hermie is a boy and still chooses to be w/ boys, then he is sinning and THAT is indeed an abomination.

comprende?

If he is synchronous then he has the right to choose since he is equally both genders BUT that is impossible (so far) so if a sequential hermafrodite chooses the same sex as he/she then he/she is sinning, no excuses.

Answer 6

I don't see how your case pertains to homosexuality per se, since most homosexuals are clearly male or female with only one set of reproductive organs.

However, I will humor you, and give it my best shot.

No one can choose their gender; in a sense, your parents "choose" whether you would have either male or female organs when you were given either the X or Y chromosome (OK, so your father chose).

You are required to play with the hand that you are dealt. If you have a male reproductive organ, it is designed to fit into a female organ, and vise versa. The God who designed the male and female organs wants then to be used for their designed purpose, not some man-made purpose.

All fetuses start out as female, until a hormonal chain reaction turns some of us into males. The fact that you were once female does not change the fact that you no longer have the female reproductive organ; you have a male reproductive organ. Use you body for its designated purpose, not for selfish, purely pleasure seeking purposes.

How's that?

***edit****

Well, then I have no better argument other than that Paul suggested in Romans chapter 1 that it was un-natural for a man to lust after men or for women to lust after women. And Jesus said in Matthew chapter 19 that God intended from the very begining for sex to be between a male and a female -- anyone who could not handle that would have to be a "eunuch" (Paul expands on this theme in chapter 7 of First Corinthians).

I'm not just making this stuff up to give gay people a hard time. I did not write the book.

***edit again***

I could not find a Bible passage that addresses your hypothetical problem. You have me stumped.

Perhaps you need to consult a pastor with a Doctorate in Christian Theology for a better answer.

Answer 7

I am a christian, and in those scenarios it is obvious that "Hermie" is not an abomination unto God. Get serious. There are a lot of cases like this surfacing now because in the 70s and 80s in medicine they didnt understand this phenomenon. It seems that in most cases hermaphrodites are actually men with one ovary, but are more on the male side. But because the surgery is easier to become female, and not have to dangerously remove the ovary, most parents just choose the female side, and give them constant female hormone doses, to the point of causing brittle bones and other horrible effects. And other times a mistake has been made on the other side. But it does seem that the person is more one or the other, either way, as they grow older. But it is in no way the childs fault that doctors were incompetent. And anyone who actually thinks that "Hermie" is going to hell can go to hell themselves because based on which sex he/she chooses to date, that is a good indication of what sex he/she probably is: the opposite of whichever he/she chooses to date.

Answer 8

I have read some of what some others have written. I do not think he is in "sin". This is what is natural. And if he/she were to have both organs, how is this one suppose to live. Now, you can not say that Hermie would commit sin. Also there is no mention in the Bible about hermaphrodites, so where does that leave you.

Answer 9

Well, part of it depends on whether or not Hermie has decided to be a Christian or to follow some other religious path (or none at all).

If Hermie IS a Christian, I would say that is between him and God. If he feels convicted (by God, not by other people) that's one thing. And if he does not, that's another.


Of course I am an oddball of a Christian who believes that God creates us all just as we are meant to be, whether that is hetero, homo, bi, trans, hermaphro, what have you - and that it is NOT a sin to be the person God created you to be.

Answer 10

Uhmm... I don't know if you heard, but Jesus Christ died for our sins...
Meaning that any and all sins can now be cleared up by believing in him.
And Hermie's sin started long before sex, perhaps with lust..
And being that no one sin is greater than another it's all the same.
Fact is though, no longer are we to be judged under the old law of commandments, now there's repentence and forgiveness...