Pronoun: a word or word phrase that takes the place of a noun to which it refers.

I write this with  great sadness:  the “pronoun war”  has come to our family. Several months ago we learned that a beloved granddaughter  no longer “identifies”  as a female, has chosen a  different  name and wants to be referred to as “he”, not “she”.  I’ve been in shock   ever since trying to wrap my brain around this. What in the world happened to this beautiful, gifted   child of God in just a few years?  The Creator  who fashioned   my granddaughter in the womb  knew her before she was born.  He formed her DNA, her XX chromosomes and He has not suddenly changed His mind. God does not make mistakes and He does not authorize  gender confusion. As a female – daughter, wife, mother and grandmother-  I do not understand  why and how  children   violently reject their own biology, creating  family turmoil and broken  relationships. We can put the blame on all kinds of societal  problems bubbling up like swamp gas, but the answer is  as old as the  snake in the Garden.  The Prince of Darkness’ tactics have never  changed; he’s surfaced to lie, steal and destroy again, this time our precious children.  

When I write , think, pray and hope  it is for  “her”  and not “him” but family conversations are becoming extremely  awkward. After a recent phone call with our daughter who now refers to her daughter as a male, (something I cannot judge her for) husband Dan said he feels likes if he’s constantly tripping over his own tongue, not knowing which pronoun to use, wanting to be respectful but unable in his mind and heart to condone the fantasy. The real incongruity has to do with English grammar and linguistics.  When I speak to our granddaughter,  (in linguistic terms, in the second person) I say “you” as in “Hi,  Sweetheart, How are you doing.” It’s only when I speak about  her to someone else (in the third person)  that  the pronouns (he, she it, him, her, us, etc.) are used. So why would  a gender fluid, i.e. confused person want a pronoun of the third person which can  only be used when someone was speaking about them and never be used in a direct conversation? Is it important? Well, yes, because it takes the onus away from the person in question and forces everyone else to  comply by changing how we talk, refer to  – and eventually think – about that person who isn’t even present in the conversation.  

It is language control.  Pronouns matter because language matters and  the pronoun war is not a minor skirmish.   We think in words, in the specific native language we’re born into or grow up in. Words shape us for good or for evil from the minute we’re born, by what we hear before we can actually speak to our first words to eventual language maturity.  Scientists have never been able to explain why people are wired for language and are befuddled by its very existence.  Our minds create utter nonsense or soar into  divine poetry through words.

In the Bible James warns severely   about the power of the tongue for life or for death.  Our words can love our neighbor or curse him, praise God or admire the devil.  Words can be manipulated by those in authority who want to control, confuse and  manipulate  men and women. George Orwell  warned of such tyranny in 1984:  “Control language and you control the masses.”  Think of Stalin, Lenin, Hitler, and Mao who keenly understood that language is the ultimate weapon against one’s mind. Every word  counts. 

To illustrate, let’s review a little grade school English grammas. By definition, a pronoun is a word that takes the place of or refers to a noun and in English both noun and pronoun must agree in gender (male or female) and number,(singular or plural). The function of  pronouns is to communicate  information about a noun without  constantly repeating  it so  they literally take the place of the  name or noun when we speak or write.  Here’s an example. “I just saw Mary and spoke with her. She said that her aunt was in the hospital.” The word Mary is implied in the pronouns “her” and “she”  and agree in number (singular) and gender (feminine.) It is simple, direct and not confusing language at work. Now if  a biological female decides to be addressed with male pronouns, every noun “he or him”  refers to also should be male gender language wise. You cannot have “him” refer to daughter, sister, or woman without the conversation getting totally bolloxed.  You then have  to change  all words that don’t  agree with  whatever pronouns you identify with.  The pronoun has literally displaced, taken the place and  manipulated meaning. Change language and you change reality. 

 Brothers and Sisters, be aware that language is being   hijacked for evil purposes and we are held for ransom in the name of tolerance. Instead of giving in to fear and hopelessness, I choose to follow Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, to love our girl as He loves her and speak  truth in love when required.  Our hope and clear thinking  is only through Jesus , the Word of God , the Alpha and Omega of all language. Therefore,  we can take heart  from the Scriptures.

Grass withers and the flowers fade. But the Word of the Lord endures forever.  1.Peter  1:24-25