Apologetics

Who or What Do You Identify As?

Posted on by Dan Dodds

640px-Cole_Thomas_The_Garden_of_Eden_1828I was mulling over the Bruce Jenner situation – you know, the decathlete who now ‘identifies as a woman’ – and the Rachel A. Dolezal story, the white woman who ‘identifies’ as black.

When I was younger my friends and I used expressions like “I hear you” or “I can relate to that.” When we said this we merely meant “I understand what you are saying” or “As I listen to you I can feel something of what you are feeling.” As we moved into the modern (or postmodern) era we began to hear phrases like “I identify with that.” But now we’re into a whole new way of thinking; now instead of saying “I identify with that,” people are claiming “I identify as that,” meaning that – in their minds – they actually are what they believe themselves to be, despite all evidence to the contrary. Wow, we’ve come a long way!

As our culture moves from an overall belief in objective truth to believe in truth claims that are relative to time, place or person (I know, that’s a contradiction in terms, but that’s the way they talk), we should not be surprised by these kinds of expressions. But is this kind of language really so new?

Think back to the garden. What were the words of the serpent when he tempted Eve? “…you will be like God.” Does that sound familiar? If we did a translation in modern English it might read “you will identify as God.”

Maybe this concept is not so new after all.

Dan Dodds
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Dan Dodds
Dan is a native of Detroit, Michigan; a graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan and Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dan has worked in the financial area as a CPA and controller as well as in international business and sales. In 1995 Dan entered into the ministry in a Florida church as Sr. High and Singles Pastor. In 2001 he was brought on staff at Woodruff Road. Dan and his wife Christy have two daughters, Anna and Jenna and two sons, Will and Wyatt.