- What
is homosexuality?
- Is
homosexuality a sin?
- Is
homosexuality hereditary?
- Does
God hate homosexuals?
- Can
homosexuals be genuine Adventist Christians?
- Can
homosexuality be cured?
- If
homosexuality is not a sin, why are there instances in the Bible
showing God's disapproval of it?
- Isn't
saying "I am a gay Adventist" a contradiction of terms?
- Shouldn't
you should call sin by its right name?
- Didn't
God destroy Sodom because of homosexuality?
- Doesn't
accepting Jesus give the power to overcome appetite, temper -- even
homosexuality?
- If
God is all-powerful, why didn't He prevent sin?
- What
is the Adventist Church's position on homosexuality?
See also On Judging and Homosexuality
- What is homosexuality?
The usual
definition refers to
attraction to persons of the same sex in the same manner that
heterosexuality refers to attraction to persons of the opposite sex. Unfortunately, conservative
Adventists often do not
recognize the reality of a homosexual orientation and use the term to
refer to the practice of gay sex. So when they condemn
"homosexuality," they intend to condemn homosexual sex.
Using the term in this narrow sense, without explanation, causes a
great deal of misunderstanding. For instance, I know that celibate,
same-sex-attracted Adventists and even those who are virgins are
deeply hurt by this unthinking condemnation. And it certainly does
nothing to demonstrate the Savior's love to those who really need to
experience His love. [back]
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Is homosexuality a sin?
No -- not if you mean the usual definition of 'homosexuality.' Neither
is heterosexuality. But what one does with one's sexuality may be
sinful.
In other words, the Bible defines sin in terms of what one does
or thinks, not
in
terms of one's condition or tendency to be tempted. We tend to speak
past each other when we don't use the same definitions, so please
check out our definitions section.
(On this site we use the definitions that the rest of the world
understands. Unfortunately, these are sometimes different from
conservative Adventist definitions.) [back]
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Is homosexuality hereditary?
Heredity is one of the factors that may play a causal role in
homosexuality. Some scientific studies, although inconclusive, point
in this direction. Often homosexuality seems to "run in
families," which may indicate both heredity and environmental
factors. On
the other hand, well-publicized identical twins studies found only a
52% concordance rate, providing clear evidence that a homosexual
orientation is not dependent on genetic factors. The uterine
environment could account for the higher-than-population rate of a
homosexual orientation among identical twins. Some studies have indicated that when the
mother suffers trauma some time during the 16th - 24th week of
pregnancy, the fetus may not get enough male hormone to sufficiently
masculinize the brain. This would account for the evidence that the
majority of gay men tend to think more like women than like the
average heterosexual man. (On the other hand, this does not cause
homosexuality in and of itself, because some heterosexual men
demonstrate a similar brain function -- usually to the delight of
their wives.)Seventh-day
Adventists should be foremost among those who recognize that a
person may be same-sex-attracted from birth, because Ellen
White refers to "hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil" in
her description of the disciples. (Desire
of Ages, p. 296) [back]
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Does God hate
homosexuals?
God dearly loves each of his children, including homosexuals. He
alone really understands the pain and confusion in their lives, much
of it resulting from the way they have been treated by His other
children. We believe He is calling on Seventh-day Adventist Christians to demonstrate love
and understanding towards gay and lesbian persons. It is only through love
that any of us are drawn to Him and God wants to draw his homosexual
children to Himself. We believe He is saying to His modern
disciples, "Let my children come to me and forbid them
not."Some Adventists believe it is okay to hate homosexuals
because they are an "abomination" to God. This is a conclusion based
on a lack of biblical knowledge. Please see
"What Is An
Abomination to God?" on the GLOW site. [back] [top]
Can homosexuals be genuine
Adventist Christians?
Having a homosexual orientation (i.e. being attracted to one's own
sex) is simply one of the many
distressing results of living in a sinful world. It is not something a
person chooses. God invites gay and lesbian people to follow Him and
give Him the problem of dealing with their sexuality. If they submit
their sexuality to Him, He will give them the power to discipline it
in a way that honors Him, and they may testify with Paul that
"when I am weak, then I am strong." See also "Gay
Adventist -- An Oxymoron?" by Inge Anderson. [back]
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Can
homosexuality be cured?
Speaking of "curing" homosexuality is unrealistic,
if we understand a "cure" to mean that there will be no more
homosexual attractions. (It's like expecting a "cure" from sin
so that we will no longer be tempted.)
Whether caused by biological or environmental factors, homosexuality
appears to be an integral part of a person's make-up. However, God
does want to deliver both homosexually and heterosexually
oriented persons from the slavery of compulsive sexual indulgence.
Through His grace, He can fill that hole in the heart that compulsive
sex can never fill. And by
the grace of God, some persons do experience enough significant
change in their attractions that they can be happy in a heterosexual
marriage. Usually this happens with the aid of therapy and the support
of others going through the same experience,
but I've seen it happen in individuals without such intervention.
However, saying
that they are "cured" of homosexuality is
misleading because the fundamental attraction generally does not go away,
just like a fundamental attraction to the opposite sex does not go away
when heterosexuals marry. God gives the strength and power to discipline
sexuality so that it
is
not a life-dominating obsession, and Christians are
free to experience the
normal enjoyment of life and marriage.
[back] [top]
If homosexuality is not
a sin, why are there instances in the Bible showing God's disapproval
of it?
The concept of "homosexuality" as we know it -- i.e. as an
attraction to the same sex rather than the opposite sex --
doesn't seem to be clearly addressed in the Bible. Certain sexual
practices are addressed, it's true, and these are clearly labeled as
sin. But there is no reason to believe that even these practices are
more sinful than the more "respectable sins," such as pride
(which was the sin that changed Lucifer to Satan), gossip, envy,
arrogance, injustice, malice, disloyalty to parents, lack of pity or
love.
Paul suggests that "you therefore have no defense -- you who sit
in judgment, whoever you may be -- for in judging your fellow-man, you
condemn yourself, since you, the judge, are equally guilty."
Romans 2:1 God so loved the world that He gave. He came not to condemn
but to save. If we call ourselves by His Name, we need to consider how
we may do the same. And it may just take a little effort in learning
to understand our "neighbors," so we may now how to love
them aright. See also "Calling Sin
By Its Right Name" by Inge Anderson. [back]
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Isn't saying "I am a gay
Adventist" a contradiction of terms?
That would depend on your definition of "gay." I have
friends for whom this is merely a statement of their sexual
orientation -- an orientation they remember having from childhood.
These friends are more "Christian" and "Adventist" than many of their
heterosexual peers, and they keep in very close touch with Jesus, for
they know their only strength is in Him.
On the other hand,
to others saying "I am a gay Adventist" or "I am a gay
Christian" implies activism to
persuade/force the church to accept same-gender sexual activity on the
same level as heterosexual marriage, perhaps using less than
Christian tactics in the process.
We believe it's best to give persons the benefit of the doubt when they
label themselves as "gay Christians" or "gay Adventists" and accept it merely as
stating their different way of perceiving life because of their sexual
orientation. They may be testing you to see if you will treat them as
Christ would, or if you will reject them. See also "Gay
Adventist -- An Oxymoron?" by Inge Anderson. [back]
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Shouldn't you call sin by its right
name?
We notice that Christ spent far more time talking about the love of
God and His Kingdom of love than about sin. So we are not sure that
this is of utmost importance. For a more detailed answer, see "Calling
Sin by Its Right Name." [back] [top]
Didn't God destroy Sodom
because of homosexuality?
No, the Bible record does not support that conclusion. Judgment was
passed on the city before the incident with Lot and the angels. Other
biblical references refer more to sins accompanying affluence --
pride, haughtiness, mistreatment of strangers, marrying and giving in
marriage (implying multiple marriages) -- than to same-gender sexual
practices. See also "Sins of
Sodom" by Inge Anderson. [back] [top]
Doesn't accepting Jesus give the power
to overcome appetite, temper -- even
homosexuality?
Indeed, Jesus gives power to "overcome" appetite, temper,
and homosexuality. He gives us the power to discipline our appetite so
that it serves to build up our bodies. (And many of us aren't doing
too well on letting Him do that, are we?) He doesn't take the appetite
away. He gives us power to control our tempers so that our energy is
directed in a positive way. He doesn't turn us into door mats. He
gives the power to discipline homosexual desires so that they do not
control the life, just as he gives power to discipline heterosexual
desires so that they do not control the life. He doesn't miraculously
take them away.
Homosexuality is, after all, a powerful attraction to persons of the same
sex
and is not defined by sex alone. Jesus helps us grow through discipline.
It is a gradual process, and He walks with us every step of the way,
picking us up when we fall and encouraging us as we learn to walk by
faith in Him. [back] [top]
If God is all-powerful, why didn't He prevent
sin?
Adventists
have a particular perspective on salvation history that is very
relevant in answering this question -- the perspective that everything
in human history enters into the controversy between Christ and Satan.
Satan challenged God's government and declared that God is essentially
self-serving. Christ death for us has demonstrated Satan's claim to be
false.
God
could have prevented the "disease" of sin -- at the price of
denying us freedom of choice. Obviously He deemed the price too high.
I would hate to be married to someone that had no choice but to act in
a certain pre-programmed "loving" fashion. I'd rather fight
with the husband I have (and I do <rueful smile>). We all long
for relationships on a deep level -- I think that's one way the
"image of God" shows up in us -- and no deep relationship is
possible without genuine freedom of choice, including the choice to
sin against the relationship.
Rather than preventing sin -- at the price of denying us freedom
of choice -- He laid plans to meet the terrible emergency that he
foresaw to be the consequences of allowing this freedom. He
determined to offer up Himself as the sacrifice for sin -- to
demonstrate both the deadly consequences of disobedience and His
self-sacrificing love. Thus Christ is the "Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world." Rev. 13: 8 And He became surety that
we might enter into the "kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world" Matt. 25: 34 [back]
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What
is the Adventist Church's position on homosexuality?
The Adventist
church position statement on homosexuality affirms love for gay and
lesbian persons while holding firm on the position that God ordained
sexual expression for the sole enjoyment of a husband and wife
within a heterosexual marriage. See the complete
statement with our comments as well as several
related official statements by
following this link. [back]
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