The Danger of "I was born this way"

Posted in , By Nick Smith 0 comments

There is a growing danger in our society.  It is a falsehood that we are clinging to and treating as fact.  It is the belief that “I was born this way” means the same thing as “I am great how I am” and “My actions are justified.”

On the surface, this seems like a worthwhile ideal to uphold.  After all, each of us is super awesome in our own way.  The “I was born this way” mantra is wonderful when attached to people born with disorders such as Down Syndrome.  It helps to correct the mistaken belief some people hold that children born with disorders are somehow inferior.  Obviously, this is not true.

The danger of “I was born this way” is that it is evolving to include and justify behavior.  We are beginning to accept sinful behavior and write it off as “I was born this way so I don’t need to change.”  If a murderer or rapist were to use this line, we would never accept it.  Why then are we so willing to attach it to other behaviors?

Understand me that I am not attacking any particular behavior; I am attacking a mistaken assumption.  I taught high school debate for several years.  In educational debate, the primary focus is teaching how to form a logical and meaningful argument.  Towards this end, students debate on both sides of an issue.  It is not the issue itself that leads a student to win or lose a debate; it is how well they form and present their arguments.

The “I was born this way” argument, when attached to behavior, represents a mistaken cause and effect.  Cause: I was born this way.  Effect: I have no responsibility to change.

We all have problems.  We all have issues.  Those who rise above the particular issues they were born with represent some of the most inspiring stories our society has to offer.

The time has come for us to remodel “I was born this way.”  Instead of using it to justify our behavior, let’s use it to recognize our inherent imperfection and our responsibility to strive for better.

I was born imperfect, so God and I are working together to make me better.

I was born this way.