CLAIM:
I simply don’t care what someone does with THEIR body. It’s none of my business. What I care about is how they treat others.

REBUTTAL:
The argument advocating for the right to self-identify with a chosen gender rather than the one you were born with is fundamentally rooted in the principle of autonomy. While autonomy possesses an inherently compelling allure, it is a nuanced and complex concept that often falls short of providing the unequivocal authority required to make the case. Let me explain.

The Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset wrote:

Civilization is, before all, the will to live in common. A man is uncivilized, barbarian, in the degree to which he does not take others into account.¹José Ortega y Gasset, The Revolt of the Masses, trans. Anonymous (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1932), 96.

Every argument for absolute autonomy fails to address the undeniable reality that absolute autonomy only works when there are no other people to interact with. So long as you interact with one or more people, your autonomy is never absolute. There is biblical support for this.

Scripture talks about being free (John 8:36; Galatians 5:1). It also talks about true freedom being grounded in truth (John 8:32) and that truth is God’s word (Psalm 119:45; John 17:17). It is faux freedom when we declare it based on notions manufactured from our imaginations (Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 5:20; 29:13-14; Revelation 3:17).

It is at the core of Christian existence to be concerned about what others do and how they get along (John 13:34-35; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:3-5). That also includes being preeminently concerned about their spiritual welfare (Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Timothy 5:20). Failing to be concerned about the sins of others brings consequences to us who know better (Ezekiel 3:18-19). Like the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37), who demonstrates commendable compassion for the physical needs of another, so also are Christians concerned for the spiritual needs of others. Understanding that unrepentant sin separates us from God compels us to speak up and be a force of good in restoring that broken relationship.

In summary, what others do is the business of others. It is not the business of others for selfish or self-righteous reasons. Instead, it is the business of others out of paramount concern for their physical and spiritual well-being.

In another installment, we will deal with the sins involved within gender debates, and we will also talk about how Christians testify to the truth by building a relationship and not simply being a condemning voice.

As for the claim that it is “none of my business,” all the claimant did was state an opinion and nothing more. All the evidence points to the truth that it is our business.