On 1 April (not as an April fool joke), the Maltese Parliament legislated and approved the Gender Identity Bill and President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca signed it into law on 14 April.
According to the Maltese Constitution, the President and the government are obliged to observe Article 2 of the Constitution of Malta, which states that Malta's religion is the Roman Catholic faith. It is not my intention to go into the merits of this Article here, as it is quite clearly defined.
At the time of the law's enactment, the Catholic Church had started celebrating Easter Holy Week and perhaps it was not the appropriate time to speak out about this law.
But whoever reads the Bill can easily see that it is now quite easy for an individual, male or female, to walk into a notary's office and declare that from that day on he/she could is now a member of the opposite sex, not as nature intended but, rather, according to the individual's whim.
In the near future, if these individuals become involved with a member of the opposite sex may eventually wish to have a Catholic marriage. They would then have to visit at the local Parish to request preparations for the Sacramental Marriage.
Allow me to ask what questions would be asked by the parish priest to formalise their marriage documents - birth certificates issued when they were actually born, or the newly altered birth certificates that have been amended at the Public Registry to reflect their new gender identity?
It is understood, however, that the Catholic Church would never accept anything but the original birth certificates registered in any Parish Office. Confusion would reign supreme, creating embarrassment for the respective partners and the parish priest.
One does expect the Church of Malta to speak up and to not remain silent on such an important issue which in the very near future could create a society in which it is no longer known who was actually born male or female.
The sexual act, according to the Church, is sacred within the context of the marital relationship and reflects a complete and lifelong mutual gift. The equality of men and women, reflected in the Church's teaching, it that a person's sex is, by divine design, meant to be different yet complementary - each having equal dignity and made in the image of God.
What does the Bible say about Gender Identity Disorder/gender dysphoria. Transsexualism, also known as transgenderism, Gender Identity Disorder (GID), or gender dysphoria, is a desire to change one's sex or to fulfil the role of the opposite gender.
The Bible has plenty to say about human sexuality. Most basic to our understanding of sex is that God created two (and only two) genders: "male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).
All the modern-day speculation about numerous genders - or even a gender "continuum" within limited genders - is unbiblical.
In Psalm 139, we learn that God fashions each one of us. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place... your eyes saw my unformed body" (verses 13-16).
God's creation of each individual must surely include His designation of gender/sex. His wonderful work leaves no room for mistakes; no one is born with the "wrong body".
As was stated earlier on, one expects the Church of Malta to come forward and state clearly its position on this delicate issue if a Catholic marriage is requested by such couples.
Henry S. Pace