Episode 137

It is our absolute delight to have Delano Squires on the Removing Barriers podcast to discuss Christians, Preferred Pronouns, and Free Speech. Delano is a Research Fellow in the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family at The Heritage Foundation. He is also a contributor to BlazeTv’s Fearless with Jason Whitlock. A devoted husband, father, and Bible-believing Christian who is engaging our dying culture with scriptural truth, Delano is no stranger to the vitriol that comes with taking a stand against the LGBTQIA+ agenda. In this episode, we discuss how Christians should navigate the mine-riddled battlefield of ministering to a lost world captured by this destructive ideology, and how Christians can be salt and light with grace and truth just as Jesus is.

[Delano Squires]

You could bring your wife or your, if you’re dating at the time your girlfriend A 6 carat cubic zirconia. And then it doesn’t matter if you needed a pickup truck to bring it to her at the end of the day that. Is not a diamond and.

[Jay]

Not a diamond.

[Delano Squires]

Right. It doesn’t matter the color, the cut, the clarity, the issue is composition is not cosmetic.

[Jay]

Thank you for tuning in to the Removing Barriers podcast. I’m Jay and I’m MCG. And we’re attempting to remove barriers so we can all have a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

This is episode 137 of the Removing Barriers Podcast, and in this episode, we will be looking at the advancement of preferred pronouns and how Christians should respond to them. And our guest for this episode: has a testimony of salvation, he is a husband, a father, and a research fellow with the Heritage Foundation, Delano Squires, welcome to the Removing Barriers Podcast.

[Delano Squires]

Thank you for having me.

[MCG]

Alright, I’m glad for you to do this. Let me also add Delano has Caribbean roots like me so.

[Delano Squires]

I do. I do. From Barbados. So yes, I do. I do.

[MCG]

So we do appreciate you doing this and we appreciate you fighting in the cultural war. Well, it’s not a culture war, it’s a spiritual war. A lot of folks are calling a cultural war, but it’s really a spiritual war and we appreciate what you do. And I’ve read several of your articles, listen to several of your podcasts, and I appreciate another Caribbean brother another. American fighting this culture war because we do need that. Alright, let’s go into this topic of preferred pronouns. How many are there? What’s the history? How did we get here basically?

[Delano Squires]

I can’t answer the question how many there are. I mean I’ve seen 6070 every year they add another number. But I mean, the entire development of quote UN quote preferred pronouns is one of the main branches on the tree of gender. So sometimes you’ll hear people. Obviously there’s he or she, and then there’s they and them. And then Z and there’s zur and and there’s all different types of other characterizations of, you know, that come from people who do not accept God’s design for humanity, for the human body, for human sexuality. So they have. Out of whole cloth a number of different designations and characterizations because they do not want to submit to God’s order. So you know it’s the preferred pronouns. It’s terms like, you know, pansexual and and Demi, boy and genderqueer. These are all things that are rooted in gender ideology, and these are things that have escaped the Academy. Right, so this is no longer confined to the classroom or someone in queer studies or feminist studies. These are things now that show up in every part of our culture, whether you work for a corporation or you. Work for a. School, whether you. Work for local government. When you see people putting their pronouns and their signature, that is a sign that that. The institution has been.

[MCG]

Do you think that’s where it started? You mentioned in the classroom. Do you think that’s where you started?

[Delano Squires]

In academia, yes. I tend to think that most truly, truly terrible ideas probably start on a college campus and somewhat tongue in cheek. But but honestly, think of it this way. If the people who thought that men could get pregnant. Cooked up this idea on the shop floor or the Jiffy Lube or Home Depot. Nobody would ascribe to them any sort of status or legitimacy.

[MCG]

Besides mental disorder.

[Delano Squires]

People would treat them. People would treat them as rubes, as uneducated, you know, as as. People who just don’t deserve to be listened to. But when you have a degree from Harvard or when you call yourself a clinical geneticist, or you know. Clinical biologists, or whatever the different disciplines are, or or even someone who says, look, I’m a sociologist or I’m a gender theorist. People hear that and they ascribe a certain level of legitimacy to your opinions, so it’s just a matter of time until those opinions are. That or sort of fed to the right people to the mouthpieces and the culture, and that’s how a bad idea. Truly bad idea catches on. It doesn’t require the masses to agree with it, it just requires the right minority to accept it for whatever reason, and then for them to then push it out. Into every other part of the culture.

[Jay]

OK. So it’s a top down sort of thing where you have this element of legitimacy and oh, this person is somebody. So this is what we’re going to be doing from now on.

[Delano Squires]

Correct, correct and I mean. Again, I’d say before 2015, certainly 2015 was a watershed year. But before that no one talked about personal pronouns. That wasn’t something that people discussed but, and I’m not saying that this individual is the person who started the transgender craze, because this goes back, you know, to at least one of the people I think about is John money. I think believe point the term gender identity and people can look him up and experiments that he did on the Rymer twins. I believe that’s their name, but 2015 was the year that Caitlin Jenner AKA Bruce Jenner e-mail. Woman and at that time. He was. Given an award for courage by ESPN, he had magazine shoots. He got a sit down interview with ABC and all of these things added legitimacy to his claim that after decades as a man and. An Olympic athlete? Apex man, right in terms. You know, physicality and strength and athleticism that all of a sudden, now we should accept him. As a woman. And I think that was one of those pivotal years. I was a watershed moment and ironically and I’ll say this 2015 was also the year that Rachel Dolezal, who now goes by a Nigerian name. Came out and said that she was black. And the response was from the culture, was ridiculed was mock. Three, so within a span of one month, a white woman said she was black and a man said that he was a woman and one of those people rejected and mocked, and the other person we accepted and celebrated. And that is one of the reasons why we are here today the most influential people in our culture treat race. Is if it’s fixed. And treat gender as. If it’s totally fluid or sex, I’ll say they treat sex as if it’s totally fluid, yeah.

[Jay]

Do you think that it’s a lie for us as Christians to refer to someone by their so-called preferred pronouns, especially if it doesn’t match what they appear to be externally?

[Delano Squires]

Short answer yes. If you call someone she who you know now it’s one thing because and I hate to put it this way, but. I say it. The quality of the counterfeit is much improved, yes. Over previous years, right? But so wondering if you don’t know or if you’re not sure. And he said, OK, I’m just gonna go with this person. I don’t know them. I’ll just go with you know what they you know, prefer to be addressed as. But when you know that someone is mad. And you address this person as if they are a woman. You are lying, and one of the reasons I think that’s dangerous for Christians is not because obviously it’s because lying is a sin. And and we’re conditioning ourselves to sin. But the other part of it, and I think on on a deeper spiritual level, is that by doing so, we assume that we know how to love of creation better than God does. So if he said I made you male and female and we say, well, no, actually Lord, there’s. 64 genders, according to the human rights. Then I think we are taking on for ourselves a level of authority that we do not have. And then the other thing is that it’s an affront to God for us to believe or for particular the people pushing this and for us to affirm. That the creation. Can create. We can create our own reality ex nihilo out of nothing.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

So I speak words right. I’m arrogating for myself. The authority that God has to speak and to make things move. So when I say no, I now declare men can get pregnant and I sit back and I say. Yes, and it is good. I am actually placing myself in God’s. Position and that is a form of idolatry that I don’t think any Christian should want. To get near.

[MCG]

Yeah, let them know. Powerful Delano. One thing on my mind though, because of course, as a Bible believing Christian, I will say, OK, 100% agree with you. But all of us at some point in our life have to interact with this fallen world. As one person says, we’re like. The ship we are in the water, but the water in the ship is bad. So Christians the world in the Christian is bad.

Speaker

Right.

[MCG]

But we have to be in the world. But what about when we, in polite company money? Conservatives would say, OK, just polite to use someone preferred pronoun. What would you say to that? Should Christian do the same thing in polite company?

[Delano Squires]

I think a polite company, so let me say a couple things real quick. One, I believe context matters right? I believe that Christians. Should understand the difference between being face to face with someone who really does struggle with their identity, so someone who is obviously male, who really, really does feel like he was born in the wrong body. That is a condition situation that I could never imagine. I have no idea what that would feel like. If a person who’s truly struggles in that way and actually has a a diagnosable mental health condition. I think I think as a believer, we owe that person a level of compassion, right? Because they’re going through something that many of us will never understand. Now I can say that and still say, but the loving thing to do for them is to affirm the truth and to let them know. And really, this provides opportunities for evangelism too, and and for the gospel to go. Out to say, you know, God created you. All of us, either male and female. And you are not a mistake. Right, your entire personhood. Your body is beautifully and wonderfully made. And the God who. Created you loves. And you know, we can again we can share the gospel in that way. But the number of people who actually have gender dysphoria is extremely small, and if you’re. Listen to the way stories are reported now, the term gender dysphoria almost never shows up when people are talking about transgenderism or gender ideology. It’s always a person identifies as which is different.

[MCG]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

So that person who is in that extremely small category of people who struggle in that way, I believe should be met with, you know, Christian care and compassion. But then there. Are other people. Who know exactly what a man and woman are? Who are doing the bidding of the radical ideologues? And I think those people deserve a different type of response. And so again, if we’re in polite company with those types of people, I wouldn’t move an inch on on what I said before, right. And I would. Planes are. I cannot in good faith say something that I know not to be true. And I know that. Admiral lavine. Right, Admiral Rachel Lavigne is not a woman.

Speaker

Right.

[Delano Squires]

Now, New York Times may call him a female, and Joe Biden may say she’s my best Admiral in all the public health service. But I know that that person is not. Woman and I can’t allow myself to affirm something that I know not to. Be true. That would violate my conscience, and it would. Show a level of contempt and. Disrespect to the God that I serve. So I would hope that you will respect my views in the same way you ask me to respect your views, right. And if a person goes by. Given name, you can. You know, Christians can decide to call them that. You know that particular. Name, but I think once you start acknowledging or affirmed. Things that we know to be untrue. Then we start to get. Ourselves in dangerous territory.

[Jay]

Our savior, the Bible describes the Lord as coming into the world. And John, one chapter 14, it says I’m sorry John, chapter one, verse 14 and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father. And this is the part that I want to hone in on. Full of grace and truth, the Lord didn’t excuse sin. He didn’t overlook it. He didn’t wink at it. He confronted it head on. But he was also filled with grace, and Christians should do the same. If I could Delano just ask you about something that just recently happened that’s related to the question that MCG just asked you was a response by a former LGBT I think she was a former lesbian. I I can’t say for sure, but I’m pretty sure she was a former lesbian. Rosaria Butterfield and I think she was responding to a Christian saying that. Hey Christians. Would be OK with using these pronouns, and she responded and said, you know, it’s sinful and this is something that Christians should not do. And there was a plethora of response. Online saying that she’s wrong, Christians should be responding using the pronouns, and they particularly got on her case because she said that it is antithetical to the gospel. You’re preaching a different gospel. If you agree to use those pronouns, do you think that she’s being too harsh, or do you think that she’s got a point and that might be a repetition of what you already said? But what do you think on what she? Said in that particular.

[Delano Squires]

No, I agree with her 100%. I saw her on the podcast recently where she. Lovingly criticize fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for doing that very thing. And I’m reminded of one of the former presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention, JD Greer, who at one point said Christians should engage in quote UN quote pronoun hospitality. And I thought that was the worst advice that have passed the party. Of a. You know, theologically conservative denomination is the worst advice that he could be giving. His people, because instead of strengthening the body and edifying and encouraging, he’s really making it easier for Christians to make what we see as the easy choice. But once someone can. Make you say that a man can get pregnant. They can. Make you say anything? Ohh yeah alright. Let make you say anything. Have you next June claiming that pride is not a sin and it’s not just a sin, it’s actually. Virtue Christians should show more pride, and as that lists that alphabet soup begins to grow longer, LGBT Qi A2, IA plus so on and so on and so forth.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

Christians will constantly find themselves giving more and more ground, and that’s not even in terms of political ground. I’m talking about, you know, spiritual ground. Yeah, if we. Cannot affirm the basics. I mean this is genesis stuff. This is what is a man. What is a woman? What is a marriage? What is a family? What is a? Life, right? What is sin? Where does it come from? If we can’t affirm those things? If we can’t Get the facts right? So we talk about this. Internally in heritage. Right. And we can’t get family abortion. Culture, or the truth about sex? Right. Then we’re done and we will be sought that no longer seasons anything and and fit to be trampled.

[MCG]

If the thought of love is flavor, huh?

[Delano Squires]

Yeah, right. Right.

[MCG]

This is the. Remove it by Rich podcast we will be. Right back.

[Jay]

Hi, this is Jay MCG and I would like for you to help us remove barriers by going to removingbarriers.net and subscribing to receive all things removing barriers. If you’d like to take your efforts a bit further and help us keep the mics on, consider donating at removing barriers.net/donate. Removing barriers, a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

Yeah, let’s shift gear a little bit, go to politics a little bit on this. Well, not like we would be. Talking about politics. We of course we blend in politics with all faith, but of course we know we have a powerful constitution in the US First Amendment talk about free speech and stuff like that. Do you think that all this? Force pronouns stuff in the violation of free speech. If the government is doing it. If your job is acting to do it, comment on that portion of it.

[Delano Squires]

I do think this is where compel speech. That is being. Demanded or required from the government. Can be seen as an imposition on the 1st amendment. Now let me just say I’m not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, but just from a plain reading of the text, if the government is forcing you to say something that’s not just untrue but goes against you know, your strongly held convictions, your religious faith. I can certainly see that as being cause for action in terms of of violation of the 1st amendment. But I mean, even outside of that right, anytime that you feel that a person feels that they’re being forced to say something. That they don’t. Believe even if it doesn’t violate the law, it certainly has an impact on the conscience and our sense of self respect and dignity. Particularly, you know, MCG. I say this to you as a husband. And as a man. If my wife hears me on TV, on podcasts, on radio, saying things that she knows I don’t believe. One of my worst fears is that should begin to lose. Respect for me. Right. Because what type of woman will respect the man? Is that weak? And he will allow other people to put words in his mouth. Now, I’m not talking about a man. Who can be? Persuaded with solid arguments, with evidence, with logic, with facts, with reason. I’m just talking about a mouthpiece. Says whatever. For the people in charge, tell him to say because when you can’t beat your chest at homes I’m I’m the man in this house.

[MCG]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

When I say goes and then your wife said you on TV. Or here in. The podcast. And you’re saying oh wow. Yes, that LeBron James. All 6 foot eight, 270 pounds. Very feminine woman. She’s gonna lose respect for you.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

And that’s another reason, a practical reason that you know, I never want to put myself in that position now. It’s not that I won’t avoid sort of going into the lines then, but I know, as uncomfortable as it. To be on a Twitter space. Or, you know, a clubhouse conversation. With 50 people. Who hate my guts because of what I believe. I do not ever want to give in to that temptation to please the crowd, because I know that ultimately that is going to have not just an effect on my faith walk, but on my own sense of self respect and dignity.

[MCG]

Let me read in a portion of the article I have here from Fox. News the title. Of it is Christian doctor fired for not. Using chance. Now say standing up affirming truth is only way forward, so I’m just going to Scroll down a little bit. His employee declared that failing to use a patient’s preferred pronouns would fall under harassment under the UK Equality Act of 2010 and fired him. The doctor said he would never cheat a transgender patient different than. Any other patient, but to him it was a matter of honesty. If we are introducing A fundamental principle of this honesty in medical practice that has a big impact on the quality of our healthcare. He told Fox News Digital this is the part I want you to comment on Delano after his firing, he filed A lawsuit against his former employer for religious discrimination but lost his claim before the employment tribunals just three months later, the tribunals ruled his biblical beliefs. On gender was incompatible with human.

[Jay]

Oh wow.

[MCG]

Oh wow, that was in the UK, of course, I don’t think it would happen easily here because of the 1st amendment, but like, WOW.

[Delano Squires]

I mean, obviously, as you say, every country has its own laws. It has its own public culture. It has its own history and traditions. Could I see something like that happen in the United States? Absolutely, absolutely. But it is shocking to hear that language. But the good thing is that there are organizations. I’m thinking of 1 being alliance. And their freedom, who are willing to take up the cases of people who find themselves. You know, staring down the government or employers being accused of bigotry or discrimination and having their lives destroyed by people who cannot stand the idea that someone doesn’t believe the same things that they believe so. I mean something like that to me. You definitely would want to find a competent quality attorney and potentially. So, you know some sort of legal remedy for that. I think ultimately that is how this fever breaks or at least one part of how the fever breaks is is going to have to be through litigation. And some of it is going to be, you know, of this religious liberty type, other lawsuits are going to be from young people. And this is starting to happen already. Who look back at the medical professionals who put them on puberty blockers after one consultation. Right. Put them on. Cross sex hormones. Did you know? Double mastectomies? You know, with the left colloquially caused top surgery, right? Right. Or even went further and did quote UN quote bottom surgery. Right. I think these young people who look back on what happened to them. And you know, we’ll say now I’m quote UN quote be transitioning, these are going to be some of the most powerful voices and advocates for sanity. Now my thing is this, I pray every day that we pull back from the brink so that we can save. 1000, 2010 1100 Thousand Kids from even going down that path, absolutely. But there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to look back 15 years from now and they’re going to be an entire generation of kids that say to the adults, why did you let me do this to myself? And a lot of people are going to have a lot of explaining to do.

[MCG]

Before like you jump in here because the furniture brought it up because our last episode, this wall, has gone bonkers. Was the series that we’re doing and Jay and I kind of disagree a little bit on that. I believe that the parents are the major portion of who should be blamed for this, because I’m like, I understand you could sue the doctor, but. Is the doctor really at fault here or is the parents who sign and give permission for their child to be mutilated at fault? I’m saying like, hey, I’m blaming fathers. I’m blaming mothers. But I agree that it should be illegal. But this isn’t illegal. The parents are the gatekeepers.

[Delano Squires]

Yes. And I’ve heard from. One so-called transitioner. Who recounted her experience and in the midst of this particular event, I asked. You know what? What was her parents response particularly her dad, because to me, I just couldn’t imagine allowing a doctor to do something like that to my child when I know this is not. You know, or I read two websites. I read WebMD. And I have a different view of how you. Should treat you know pancreatic gastroenteritis. This is not that this is. Whether a man can become a. Woman and the answer to that is obviously no in. The same way and. 10MCG you know this is a husband. You could bring your wife or your if you’re dating at the time your girlfriend A6 carat cubic zirconia. And then it doesn’t matter if you needed a pickup truck to bring it to her at the end of the day that. Is not a diamond.

[Jay]

Not a Drake.

[Delano Squires]

Right. It doesn’t matter the color the cut, the clarity, the issue is composition is not cosmetics.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

So in no amount of word play will turn that cubic zirconia into and same thing happens is is the case for a man and a woman. So when I ask that question she said something to the effect of. My parents just felt helpless because they saw that I was in a great deal of distress and pain, and they listened to the medical professionals who told them that this is what’s needed to alleviate that, and one of the phrases that I’m sure you all have heard that comes up again and again in these cases is something to the effect of. You know, a medical professional will turn to family and say, well, would you rather a living son or a dead daughter?

[MCG]

Yep, Yep.

[Delano Squires]

Yeah, right. It’s that type of thing. So again, I typically do think even if I don’t always express. Where the parents, and particularly where is her father or his father? But I understand that everyone, particularly once you get to that point, feels like they’re under the gun to do something to help help the child. And This is why I think the church has even more of responsibility. To articulate timeless, eternal, biblical truth. When it comes to the human person and not allow you know ourselves, not allow churches and and other believers and believers to be discipled by the culture.

[Jay]

Yeah, I’m glad you said that Delano, because now we can get into the meat and potatoes of how can we as Christians live out the truth of the gospel, the love of Christ, practically in our world. We don’t exist in a vacuum, right? It’s not just Christians and psychopathic leftists that want to, you know, all of these gender ideology and all these things for everyone.

[Delano Squires]

Right.

[Jay]

There are real souls in the middle, people who are struggling with gender dysphoria, teenagers who are swayed by the social contagion and their real lives at stake here, and real. People at stake here to help us understand how do we balance being polite and being truthful? How should Christians handle a request for preferred pronouns if they? Thief it. Whether they’re out evangelizing or maybe at work or person to person in their own families. What are the practical things the feet that we can use to tread this path lightly, truthfully, but also with compassion and love as our Lord would have?

[Delano Squires]

Yeah, that’s a good. Question I think one way practical way. Is just use. A person’s name, right? So cause you don’t. Know if I said my name is. I mean what information would you have to say that is? Not right. Right. So I think it’s one way, right.

[MCG]

I would actually be wearing forest gum.

[Delano Squires]

So you can use a person’s name and will it lead to more awkward conversation? Yes. And in some respects, that’s the point, right. It’s to point out that we are trying to circumvent the truth. And in doing so, we’re having to add additional layers of language in order to communicate effectively. But I also think there’s an opportunity to tell a person this is the reason why I’m not doing this and. I can’t do this. It’s not because you know, I’m trying to disrespect you or I don’t want to honor you as a person. I’m actually. Doing this out of love. Because it’s loving to tell people the truth is unloving to lie to people, and really what Christians are doing when we condition ourselves to lie in this way, we are seeing I care more about my own reputation than I do about either you’re on a spiritual level.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

Your eternal resting place. But even on a more. Sort of practical level. You know, I care more about my own reputation than. I do your well-being. Because again, the gender idea logs are selling people a lie. You cannot change your sex. The sex is determined at the point of conception and remains unchanged through all natural life. Now you can. Dress it up. You can make it up. You can cut it up, you can slice it up, you can dice it up, but at the. End of the day. You know a man is a man and a woman is a woman and biology is not bigotry and saying those things does not make you a hateful person makes an honest. But in a culture that’s beset by liars, the honest people become the villains, and I think Christians, we have to understand. That is where we are in the world, and many of us, particularly people who grew. Up in the West. Have never had the need for a wartime faith because everything’s always been peacetime, right?

Speaker

Yeah, we.

[Delano Squires]

Live in comfortable surroundings. We don’t miss meals. You know there’s never a threat of bombing or, you know, a hostile enemy trying to take over our land. And to living comfortable. Lives and part of what this particular ideology is doing is shaking us from that life of comfort. And to me, one of the things that I hope happens is that Christians sort of really reconnect with our faith on a very deep and sort of personal level because for a long time. Russell, where you grew up or what church you went to for a lot of people, people say the Holy Spirit and they think of a spirit that allows you to speak in unintelligible languages.

[MCG]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

But really, what Holy Spirit does is empower. For you to speak biblical truth, bully and hostile territory so and not knowing what the consequences will be. Right we all read they’re kind of Steven and other martyrs and say, wow, what bravery, what courage.

[MCG]

OK.

[Delano Squires]

But most of us don’t want to meet our Lord in that fashion. We would much rather it happened, you know, 100 years. And now we’re surrounded by all our children and grandchildren. But we won’t get there. If our culture continues to devolve to the point where we’re not even sure which sex has the babies.

[MCG]

Right. That’s so true. So let’s do a little bit of role play here, Delano, because of course I know you.

[Delano Squires]

Sure, sure.

[MCG]

Home school? Your wife? Home school. So does my wife. I have the privilege to work from home. And so I’m here all the time. She’s here all the time with our kids, but for me particularly like I might be going on the job market pretty soon here. And so let’s say you were interviewing me and you’re Christian and I work in, hey, I’m MCG. She her. That’s my introduction to. You, as a Christian, practically, how would you respond? Because I can agree with what you’re saying. But if I go into the office and someone politely come up and introduce themselves to me and clearly gave me a pronoun, I can either just introduce myself without giving my pronoun. Overall is going to be awkward. But how do we as Christian? And navigate that in practical sense rather than you know, OK, we don’t use pronouns.

[Delano Squires]

I mean, you could just give the person your name, they said. Ohh wow. You know, if the person comes up, says hi. I’m Sheila. My pronouns. Are she her? Ohh, pleasure to meet. You, Sheila. My name is MCG.

[MCG]

Great, I.

[Delano Squires]

Mean now, now again at times. What conversation be awkward. Yes, but I think This is why it’s so important. And you know, you touch my home schooler. It is so important for people, particularly Christians, to understand. What it is that we believe and why it? Is that we? Believe it. And then from there be able to articulate those things clearly and succinctly. And part of what a solid education will give you is some of the tools for that, because I believe that education is equal parts scholarship and discipleship, right? It’s academic mastery and it’s moral formation. So as a believer, when we endeavor to teach our children, we’re doing both things right for lack of better term, I could. Put it this way. But you know, parents are preparing their kids both for heaven and for Harvard. Alright, so heaven obviously first and foremost, I’m fine.

[MCG]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

My kids don’t go. To Harvard, I’m.

[MCG]

Yeah, me too.

[Delano Squires]

I’m quite I’m quite. With that, what?

[MCG]

Actually, we recommend against it.

[Delano Squires]

But you know, we want to equip our. Children with tools. Well, and I think you know, This is why educating our own children is such an important thing. I wish more parents would consider it. And I think more families could, if we had not abandoned God’s design for the family so long ago because it’s not to say that aren’t single mothers who home. School because there are. It’s just a much more difficult enterprise, right for all number of reasons. So yeah, it. I think you know one of the most important virtues that any person can have is courage. And if Christians are constantly seeking the path of least resistance, we never get the opportunity to build up those muscles and. We need them. We need them now more than ever before because most of us, particularly, grew up in the state. Grew up in a Christianized society that we didn’t recognize as such, right? Everybody disagreed that it was wrong to murder and to lie and and to committed adultery. But now that edifice that structure has been torn down and we’re. Down to the studs. We rebuild. We have to understand what it is that we are rebuilding on and I don’t know. That a lot of believers you know, have been forced to think about those things in. That way you know.

[MCG]

As you mentioned that it reminds me of one time I was at the door with this guy. And once he found out that there was a Christian and he was here to share the gospel with him. And I didn’t. All those exact term that I said to him. But basically he started asking me about moral issues basically. And then for some reason North Korea came up and all this stuff, and I found that this one question. Always give them pause because they start talking about the Catholic Church and the abuse of children. All the stuff. I’m not Catholic. I don’t know why you brought that up, but I kind of shift gears on him and said. Hey why? Is it wrong? That’s all you were saying? All these moral stuff. But why is abusing children wrong? Why is this wrong? And and I’m getting that? That no answer person can answer the question, but for some reason that question stumped him because I’m like, OK, why are you stealing wrong? It goes back down to the foundational stuff that we believe and where does it come from?

[Delano Squires]

Right.

[MCG]

Most people in the western world may not want to admit it, but. It comes from the Bible, right? This is the removing barriers podcast. We will be right back.

[Jay]

This is the removing barriers podcast. If the podcast or the blog were a blessing to you, leave us a rating and a review on your favorite podcast platform. And don’t forget to share the podcast with your friends, removing barriers, a clear view of the cross. You know, Delano, you mentioned that Christians need to exercise that muscle of just standing up and speaking to the culture. It sounds like you would believe that Christians shouldn’t be concerned one way or the other, whether they’re labeled as transphobes or anti LGBTQ or not an ally. Would you say that that’s the case? Should Christians? Would be concerned about those slides or concerned about being cancelled or.

[MCG]

I don’t think Jay has seen your Twitter feed you.

[Jay]

I have seen it actually, that’s why I.

Speaker

Know what the answer? Is going to be.

[Delano Squires]

No, I mean. Honestly, and particularly if you’re a person. With a public. Platform your person who shares on social. Media and and. You write publicly, you speak publicly. If you’re not being called those things, you should ask yourself, am I really, you know, adhering to the truth and particularly biblical truth? Umm, in terms of my public discourse, when I’m in the public square, am I affirming biblical truth? Because if you are, you will be called those. Yeah, right. We’re all clansmen now, so to speak. And that’s the left doing. They’ve taken the nation of 330 + 1,000,000 and they’ve basically said all but 5% of the country. Are bigots and haters? If you think only women can get pregnant, that’s transphobia. If you think marriage is only between one man and one woman for one lifetime, right, it’s a covenant union between, you know, one member of each sex, then that’s homophobia.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

So we’re at a point now where biblical definitions. Are being described as hate speech, and I think Christians have to become comfortable with that. Right. And let me add this layer. You didn’t ask it, but I’m. Gonna put it in there cause I think. Relevant, I believe specifically Black Christians. Have to sort of steal our spines in even more ways than some of our white brothers and sisters. And the reason why is because when one particular community votes for one party, 90% of the time, right, that’s basically. Unity, any politician, any political scientists, any person run the campaign would give their left arm. To get 90% of any significant demographics vote. So when you have, you know, 90% of the people in a particular community voting for one party, what that party says and believes and values becomes very important to that group of people, whether they know it or not. And we’re at a point now, particularly within the black community.

[MCG]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

Which obviously is a broad term, but I I hope people understand what. I mean. When I say this, sure, if you want to be a black person in good standing. If you want to receive an invitation to the BET, awards to the N double ACP Awards. If you want to write for the root or the grio if you want to be the type of person who has a guest appearance, you know. The type of. Rapper or actor who gets a guest appearance on ESPN or on Fox Sports if you want to win a Grammy. Or an Emmy. As a black person, you have to conform to the culture. Right. It’s a must. So this happened over the course of years, but real. Like you know, pride has become the new black. And if you want to be again a black person in good standing, you have to affirm all the things that the left deems valuable. And right now, I would argue that for the Democratic Party, it’s three highest priorities. Our abortion pride. And a distant third is climate change. Now other people will say what about race and racism? And what about the economy and healthcare? And those things are important to them. But I want to. Make a distinction. Think about a small business. Let’s say it’s a, you know, a cupcake business. There are certain expenses that that business has to incur in order to operate, right. They have to pay for water, light power, right. They have to pay for, you know, baking sheets and you know, icing and all, all sorts of other materials. But what they sell is cupcake. There’s a difference between products and expenses, and I would argue for the left. The race talk, the economy, talk, the healthcare talk, all those other things are expenses that political expenses that the left is willing to incur in order to push their products. And those two main products are abortion and pride, both things that. Directly contradict God’s creation mandate and for people, many of whom don’t believe in God. Right, who think Charles Darwin was a prophet. I would think that they would pay more attention to anything that makes it impossible for them to reproduce. But the left is intent on engaging in artificial selection. Is how I would.

[MCG]

Phrase it that bring something to mind delana because I understand what you’re saying. My experience, at least with my work company that I work at as a software developer. I noticed. Example, we had a company wide meeting and the CEO of the company mentioned something political more along the line of Black Life matter and all that stuff. But of course I don’t. I’m not in agreement with Black Life matter policies and all these things. And I don’t know if folks complain about it or what. But then one of my not my direct report. I want someone that I indirectly reports to. She contacted me and said hey, I’d like to have a meeting and this is a meeting we have with everybody. So she came on and she asked me, how did I feel about what the CEO said. And I basically tear into the fact that I’m not a supporter of Black life, matter, all that stuff. But I’m a black employee. How dare you? How would it have been received? Talking to your superior if I was white? Basically, come them in. Black lives matter. It’s my point I’m saying is, it seems to me like in the corporate world, a black person. In opposed to Black Life, matter is shown and infrared. What is grace? Or you can get away with saying them a lot more than if you were white saying the same. Thing I mean.

[Delano Squires]

I I do think there’s something to that phenomenon, right, but it doesn’t hold. Completely across the board because I would argue that of all of the different demographic groups, sort of in the public square. No one receives more vitriol. More targeted vitriol than black conservatives because black conservatives get all of the hatred that their white counterparts get from the left, right, you’re bigot, transphobe, homophobe. And so you subscribe and you know, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia or at least, sexism, homophobia. Transphobia, xenophobia. So on and so on and. But there’s also the added element of the vitriol from the Black left, and these are the people, for instance, who’ve been calling Justice Clarence Thomas. Everything but has given names for. The last 30 plus years.

[Jay]

Right.

[Delano Squires]

You’re cool. Your time, your sellout. Your, I mean correct.

[MCG]

Black face of white supremacy.

[Delano Squires]

So in the cultural space, these are treasonous acts. So Black Conservative is accused not just of promoting bad policy, but of racial treason. So yes, you know well, a white guy who says he’s anti BLM be seen in a particular way, sure. But a lot of people say, well, I expect that from a white consider what do you. Expect from a Trump voter. But as a black dude who shows him and says Ohh please and you say look I don’t need 3 Marxists, at least two out of the three, all three Marxists, 2 out of three lesbians who have no regard or no use for any man other than. Using his corpse to advance their activism, I don’t need to go to those women to affirm that my life matters when I have my Bible, right?

[Jay]

Absolutely great.

[Delano Squires]

So people who are against the nuclear family, right, they’re pro transgenderism, they’re pro feminism. They’re pro Marxism. They’re pro abortion. I don’t have to listen to them. You know, if you’re a black man who delivers that. Message you should expect. To get an. Even more intense level of hate, and one thing I’ll say again to block Christians specifically. We’re at a point we’re at a crossroads. And we have to choose. It’s gonna be our Bible. Or our black card? Yeah. Because as it stands right now, you cannot have both. Because if you want to be. Accepted and affirmed in the culture, as I said, if you want. A front seat at. The BT Awards at the N Double ACP Awards. You are going to have to affirm things that are strictly prohibited in the Scripture, and that’s why someone I’ll use a pop culture reference like little Nas ex who one of his videos showed him, you know, doing a lap dance on the devil so to speak. And he had a magazine spread where it looked like he was pregnant, and he was basically saying I’m pregnant with my new. Right. He subverts the natural order. He flouts God’s, you know, law when it comes to biblical sexuality. He is much more likely to be honored at next year’s NAACP Image Awards than somebody like coach Tony Dungy, a Hall of Fame NFL coach, a Christian.

[MCG]

A man who promotes.

[Delano Squires]

Fatherhood and marriage and family. Who is against abortion? He’s for adoption. Right. So this is where the culture is. We can get into how we got there, but this is where we are so. If you are a black Christian. You need to understand you know where things are today and you have to commit. To telling yourself I am willing to be rejected by my own ethnic kinsmen if it means holding to the truth of God’s word. And the moment you reject that and you let go of that. And you said no. I need to. Be accepted by my people. That is the moment you begin to compromise. So I would not advise that in any way, shape or form.

[Jay]

So generally going back to the issue of pronouns as well, generally people with preferred pronouns, they have a deep need for validation. They want people to see them and acknowledge them, even though they don’t acknowledge and accept themselves. So what does the Bible say is their greatest need? We’re talking about Christians interacting with the culture. Black Christians in particular, not having to drink the kool-aid and sacrifice. What thus sayeth the Lord in order to please the world. What does the Bible say? Is the human beings greatest need, and that includes human beings that are confused about who they actually are.

[Delano Squires]

Yeah, I think that’s a great question. And as a believer, to me, any person’s greatest need is to be made right with God, right? Our sin creates that chasm between US and. God and there’s no amount of good works in and of themselves that can bridge that gap, so we all need to hear the good news. Every person needs Christ. In order to be reconciled to God, so even before you know, you get to a persons gender identity and the delusion, the spirit of delusion that they’re under. I mean, they’re also under God’s wrath. That’s right, because. Our nature is not to accept who God is and what he’s already done. So. So yeah, I think a person’s greatest need in that instance is the salvation is the condition of their soul. Now a person may be able to unpack the gospel while also addressing some of the issues around gender identity, but in no way. They perform believe that, you know, a person who experiences. Is these types of delusions that is really, well, if we can get them to accept their own body, then everything will be well and good. You know, they’re still at odds with a holy and righteous God and ultimately their greatest need is the gospel.

[MCG]

All right, delana Squires. It was a pleasure. Thank you for joining us on the removing barriers, parkers.

[Delano Squires]

Thank you guys.

[Jay]

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the Removing Barriers podcast. Did you know that you could find us on Twitter, Gab Parlor, Facebook and Reddit, go to removingbarriers.net/contact and like and follow us on social media, removing barriers, a clear view of the cross?

[MCG]

Thank you for listening. To get ahold of us to support this podcast or to learn more about removing barriers. Go to removingbarriers.net. This has been the removing barriers podcast. We attempted to remove barriers so that we all can have a clear view of the cross.