The Unsettling Logic: If Suicide is the Key, Which Doors Can’t It Unlock?

 Parents today are navigating a minefield of cultural pressures and emotional challenges. One of the most harrowing scenarios a parent can face occurs when their child experiences deep distress often related to gender identity. The child might suggest that if their desire for transition isn’t affirmed, they might resort to suicide. This places a parent in an agonizing position, caught between profound love for their child and deeply held convictions.

But let’s pause and examine the underlying logic that unfolds if a parent concedes to such a demand, specifically because of the threat of self-harm. If the argument “You must agree to X (e.g., gender transition), or I will kill myself” becomes the determining factor for a parent’s decision, what principle has been established in the parent-child relationship?

The Logic of Emotional Coercion

We must carefully consider the precedent set. If a parent agrees to a significant, life-altering, and potentially irreversible decision like biological sex alteration based on the threat of suicide, a powerful and dangerous lesson is inadvertently taught: that the threat of self-harm is a valid and effective means to achieve one’s desires, regardless of their nature.

This scenario can be examined through the lens of a fundamental logical principle, often discussed in terms of Modus Ponens (If P, then Q. P; therefore Q). Let’s see how this could be distorted in this context:

• Premise 1 (P): “If I (the child) threaten self-harm…”
• Consequence (Q): “…then my parent will concede to my demand (Demand A: e.g., gender transition) to prevent that harm.”

If the parent acts on this and concedes, the child observes that P indeed leads to Q. Demand A is met.

Now, what happens when the child has another significant desire (Demand B, C, D, etc.) that the parent might otherwise refuse?

• Could this not become: “If I threaten self-harm, my parent will give me a car at 16”?
• Or: “If I threaten self-harm, my parent will let me drop out of school”?
• Or: “If I threaten self-harm, my parent will allow [any other behavior or demand they would typically guide against]”?

The logical conclusion is stark: if the threat of suicide is the ultimate trump card that overrides parental judgment, wisdom, and values for one major life decision, there is no logical stopping point. The same reasoning – “If I don’t get X, I will harm myself” – could be applied to virtually any demand. The parent, having already yielded to this form of emotional coercion once, would find it increasingly difficult to resist it again without appearing inconsistent in their “commitment” to preventing their child’s self-harm by any means necessary.

This is not to diminish the reality of a child’s pain or confusion. Such feelings are real and must be met with compassion, professional help, and deep spiritual guidance. However, true compassion does not mean abandoning discernment. It does not enable a dynamic where decisions are made under the most extreme duress. This sets a pattern for future interactions.

God’s Unchanging Design

As believers, our ultimate guide in these complex situations is the unchanging Word of God. Scripture is clear about God’s foundational design for humanity. From the very beginning, He established two distinct and complementary sexes: male and female.

“So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.”

(Genesis 1:27, ESV)1

This divine order is reaffirmed by Jesus Christ Himself in the New Testament:

“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female…'”

(Matthew 19:4, ESV)

Our identity as male or female is a gift from God, an integral part of His creative purpose. While we must always approach those who struggle with love, patience, and a listening ear, we cannot endorse or facilitate actions that contradict God’s clear and loving design for our lives. True help involves guiding our children towards an acceptance of God’s truth and finding peace within His framework, not capitulating to demands that can lead to further brokenness and deviate from His ordained path.

We must pray for wisdom. We must pray for courage. We also need an abundance of God’s love to navigate these challenges. We should hold fast to the truth that He has revealed.

All Girl Boy Scout Troop???

All Girl Boyscout Troup?????

Is anyone finding this funny? Who can see the corrosive nature in this? How does this make any sense? The answer, unfortunately is the cancel culture of the American left, specifically new-wave feminism. It is dangerous, unbiblical, and anti-men. I would like to say that I feel sorry for the Boyscouts of America but they had given up the fight decades ago. This was just a matter of time.

Instead of re-shaping the Girl Scouts to cater to the needs of a more aggressive outdoor itinerary, they have attacked the BCA (Boy Scouts of America) and invaded it. This is so typical of the feminist left. The article opens with: "Anything boys can do, girls can do, too;" as if that is what men are debating these days. Men have surrendered that ground decades ago and continue to be culturally pummeled by aggressive feminism everywhere. It has turned the average male into a whiney, controlled, yes-man; eagerly to please any female within ear-shot in fear of being called a misogynist. We can partly thank the #MeToo movement for only exacerbating this issue [see our earlier post that tackles this issue: https://rratedreligion.wordpress.com/2018/03/01/im-a-hypocrite-me-too-exposing-the-hypocrisy-of-hollywoods-me-too-contradiction/].

The logic behind this should be offensive to women who care about cultivating their own identity separate from men. Why not re-cast the girl scouts to offer more historically masculine badgework? No, that doesn't go far enough. They have to actually transmogrify the Boy Scouts to fit their narratives. This troop is a troop of all girls wearing Boy Scout uniforms; how asinine is that? Think about the pure idiocy of this: Girls wanting to be scouts, but not girls scouts, they want to be boy scouts,  still as girls, but as boy scouts, still as girls! What?????? It is almost too stupid to write.

This has Romans 1 written all over it and is what happens when we give up our Christian prerogatives to please the secular world; "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness" (Romans 1:28 ESV). Can you really blame feminism for this? I think not entirely. The BSA ushered this in years ago when they allowed mission drift in the organization and slowly, over time, stepped further and further away from their Christian roots. This is what happens when you allow the pressures of secular social change to strip away Christlike discipleship in your organization. This may seem harsh but the truth is so often harsher than can be realized, it is why people are so averse to it.

Pray for these girls, their parents, the troop leaders, and the Boy Scouts of America. But most of all, pray for radical feminism in America, and on a global scale, it is deconstructing the family while attacking biblical family doctrine worldwide.

Conflict - A Biblical Look

The term conflict invokes mostly negative connotations within secular societies, faith-based communities, and religious organizations. Aside from competitive sports or sanctioned debate, conflict comes with a certain amount of baggage that tends to send those involved into fits of angst or anxiety. Concerning the theological nature of conflict; biblical doctrine provides a much more positive acceptance on this age-old pejorative that gives us all, as persons of faith, a chance to use conflict for the glory of God and the good of humanity. Moreover, the Bible gives us many examples of how to properly respond to conflict while ensuring that we serve God, and each other, with a healthy attitude and proper response.

Although the subject of conflict and the biblical look into how we handle conflict, as believers, is too vast a topic to answer is a simple article, we will look at just one aspect of doctrine: the Sovereignty of God and His relationship to humans during times of conflict. Ultimately sound theology always goes back to God. It is His glory and His worship that should prevail in all situations between human to human struggle; "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36 ESV). Sovereignty is a controversial subject so we will not open that pandora's box, at least not yet. Suffice it to say that R-Rated Religion holds the position that God has complete and utter sovereignty in all matters, in all situations, and concerning all subjects, and has had this from the beginning of time until the end of time, and beyond. This is important in that it is the theological underpinnings of why we attempt to bring in the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) to our conflicting situations.

Relating to the character of conflict inherent in scripture; “the Bible teaches that we should see conflict neither as an inconvenience nor as an occasion to force our will on others, but rather as an opportunity to demonstrate the love and power of God in our lives.^[1]” We saw this in Genesis with God’s promise to give Sarah and Abraham a child. Sarah's willingness to force her will over the will of God to bear her a child in old age had a catastrophic effect that still plagues the middle-east, to this day, with hatred and resentment. Think of the generations of conflict spawned from this inability to allow God’s sovereign promise through patience. We must not put our will over that of God’s. Much like suffering, conflict allows God to show us our true nature in congruency with his grace and mercy. When we rush to judge others in times of strife, before allowing God to intervene and mediate, we tend to lose sight of true grace over self-indignation; “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13 ESV).

Pertaining to how we answer these issues, Ken Sande writes: “Conflict provides opportunities to glorify God, to serve others, and to grow to be like Christ. These opportunities, which are sometimes described as being faithful to God, being merciful to others, and acting justly ourselves, are commended throughout Scripture.^[2]” Christians need to take these instances of conflict as opportunities to glorify God in all things (2 Corinthians 4:15). Once we do that, we can then realize that this is actually an opportunity to serve one another for the glory of God. This is hard to do but will yield results not normally imagined in our secular society. It is best to view conflict as a means of opening biblical erudition by bringing all members involved into the wisdom and logic of the word of God. We can use scripture to teach and guide ourselves out of strife while enriching our witness and Christlike discipleship.  “Conflict is especially effective in breaking down appearances and revealing stubborn pride, a bitter and unforgiving heart, or a critical tongue. ^[3]” These issues are at the core of most contentious situations; however, scripture deals directly with all problems giving guidance and understanding to all the parties involved.

This barely scratches the surface of biblical conflict. Look for more articles on this subject as we will circle back on this topic, from time-to-time,  with more in-depth situations and theological topics that relate to strife and acrimony.

In closure, I believe one constant is evidently pervasive throughout the entirety of both testaments; that conflict is inevitable and without cause to distinguish anytime soon. From the first book of Genesis to Revelations, and all the books in between, conflict is continual and ubiquitous. It seems to be at the core of every teaching in scripture. One could conclude that understanding conflict, and its place in our history and faith will better advance one’s understanding of God’s grace in our lives when handling suffering, defeat, and triumph; "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). It is through conflict that we allow God to reconcile our differences; that we can successfully overcome correlated strongholds in the secular world so riddled with strife. So the next time you find yourself embroiled in conflict, with yourself, a loved one, or an enemy, focus on how that brings Glory to God by abiding in His word. It will get you through your trouble one-hundred percent of the time. The Bible guarantees it! 

Footnotes:
^[1] Ken Sande, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, 3rd ed. (Baker Books, 2004), pg. 31.
^[2] Ibid, 40-41.
^[3] Ibid, 37.

Bibliography:
Sande, Ken. The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict. 3rd ed., Baker Books, 2004.