On the issue of homosexuality and surgically changing the body one is born with, to either male or female, as well as taking hormones to assist the surgical procedures, seems to me to be an insult to God.
Agreed, it is an offense and an outrage. Underlying it is also a profound cross to bear - the persistent feeling that one’s body is somehow ‘wrong’.
Technically, changing one’s gender (at least according to the law in states where gender changes are recognized) does not require surgery or mutilation. If one lives a chaste life - appearing as the opposite gender without engaging in the sexual behavior of the opposite gender - yes, that’s a sin (Leviticus? Deuteronomy?) but I’d think of a substantially lesser degree than mutilation. Note also that surgery for the purpose of enhancing one’s sexual characteristics is also mutilation and I think would be verboten by Scripture and Tradition.
How does one relate to these occurances, as well as to transgender people,
With love and compassion, but correctness. If you work with an LGBT individual, treat them as you’d treat others, though if for some reason it comes up that they ask for your opinion or approval of their lifestyle choices, you have to be honest. Same with a hetero couple who is living in sin. I wouldn’t just state “Hey, you’re obviously a man dressed as a woman. That’s wrong.” out of decorum, out of professional treatment rules, and also because it won’t help them to understand your opposition.
Also, are homosexuals who live the lifestyle, in peril of losing their souls? St Paul spoke clearly about this, but I cannot find any mention in Scpriptue that Jesus ever mentioned it.
Yes, sex outside of marriage is always grave matter and, with few exceptions, mortal sin. All people are called to chastity - for married couples this means sex for unity and procreation. For the unmarried, it means complete abstinence. This is not a rule skewed against homosexuals, though it is one that certainly condemns conforming to the highly sexualized society in which we live.
I don’t like applying the “Paul said, but Jesus didn’t” rule as any sort of paradigm. I just don’t think it can reasonably hold. Paul makes one notable exception where this rule would apply (1 Cor 7:12, relating to divorce), but even so it strikes me that the weight of Scripture would prohibit divorce in all but special cases, and with Paul’s rule expanding upon Jesus’ condemnation of divorce rather than contradicting it.
I have relatives you have this “condition”.
I know quite a number as well. I think we all do.
