A resource attuned to the needs of the times for
those who choose to decide, act and speak with moral clarity and conviction.
Small Group Bible Studies
Gay and Lesbian Sexuality
A Word to Small Group Leaders from the Editor
The
following small group studies have been inspired by The Salvation Army’s
Position Statements for the Canada and Bermuda Territory and are designed to
accompany them. This series has been a vision of the Social
Issues
Committee for some time now and, in 2006-2007, one “lucky” Cadet was sent to
The Salvation Army Ethics Centre and asked to make this vision a reality. This
cadet was me and, under the direction of Dr. James Read and
Sharon
Jones-Ryan, this booklet and the studies by various authors contained within it
is the result.
The
authors of these studies are all people of faith who have felt compelled to
understand the issues surrounding their particular study in light of their
faith. They have placed the Position Statements in one hand and the
Scriptures
in the other and, in the end, developed studies designed to help others see the
intimate connections between the two. As The Salvation Army’s first doctrine
states, “We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were
given by inspiration of God and that they only
constitute
the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.” It is with this doctrine in
mind that these studies have been developed and I wish to thank all the authors
for their time, effort and hard work.
The
initial feedback from this project has been positive; these studies are making
people more aware of the important ethical issues facing our world and how
Salvationists are responding. I realize that some readers
may
not agree with the Position Statements or with the perspectives expressed in
these studies. Such a result does not make me unhappy; raising awareness is not
the same thing as compelling agreement. Therefore, it is my hope that these
studies will allow those with differences of opinion to appreciate the views of
others while, at the same time, having an opportunity to express their own
views.
Seeing
that this happens in respectful and productive ways could be a challenge to
group leaders.
To
that end, I plead with those leading these studies to accept the responsibility
of diligently exploring these issues beforehand and preparing for the difficult
questions that will no doubt arise. This will take time and effort –
discernment will be needed – but it will certainly be worth your effort and helpful
to those you are leading.
Thus,
it is my hope and prayer that these studies will be used by Christian leaders
to help those in their care learn more about the difficult issues of our day,
understand them in light of faith, and respond to them appropriately as
faithful followers of Christ.
The Salvation Army Ethics Centre 2007
Cadet Bramwell Pearce
Gay and Lesbian Sexuality – A Group Study
____________________
By Major Ray Harris
“Our son is homosexual. The discovery, just two
weeks before his 21st
birthday, was like a physical blow, wounding and
devastating.
Our son? I faced the truth in utter disbelief. I
didn’t want to believe it.
Our son—brought up in a Christian family,
happily and fully involved in
Army life.
Shame and revulsion were my first emotions as I
struggled with the reality
unexpectedly confronting us.
Then came the questions. How could this happen? It
must be my fault.
I had heard about the kind of mothers who
produced homosexual sons.
And so I blamed myself.
[Our son] is a good-living young man, with high
standards and a strong
sense of justice. He…is keen to assist young men
who are becoming aware of the sexual bias with which they were born, to accept
their sexuality, and that they are ‘different.’
My husband and I have had to learn lessons with
regard to accepting love
and non-judgmental love, and we have been
rewarded by communication
and relationships with him that are better than
they have been for many
years.
We thank God for this.
However, he has spoken often of non-acceptance
and even rejection by
the Church as well as society; and of loneliness
and misunderstanding.
My concern is for his spiritual well-being. How
can he believe and
receive a God of love, and Christ as Saviour,
when the Church says that
homosexuality is an ‘abomination to God’—and he
was born with that
‘physical disability.’
I wonder if there could be acceptance of my son
in most Army corps,
whether or not he is a ‘practicing’ homosexual?
I am equally convinced that Jesus would reach
out to him.”
www.salvationarmyethics.org
12 comments:
"I truly believe that the majority of this population has been hoodwinked by an ideology and the only way to overcome that is to educate and ask for the hard evidence," Davidson told The Christian Post in an interview Friday. He explained that CORE Issues Trust joined with Christian Concern to put on the "Setting Love in Order" conference in order to foster debate on SOCE. The London conference took place Thursday, but another conference in Belfast opens Saturday.
Phelim McIntyre, a licensed counselor and U.K. member of the advisory board of the ex-gay group Voice of the Voiceless, told CP, "There is a very strong push within all parts of society within the UK … to actively silence those who may disagree with the liberal left, for want of a better term." McIntyre mentioned various cases involving street preachers being arrested for calling homosexuality a sin, as well as the decision of U.K. psychotherapy groups to disbar counselors who offer SOCE.
McIntyre also cited an interview with a high-ranking member of the U.K. Council for Psychotherapy, in which the official stated that the organization's ban on SOCE was not due to scientific evidence. "Whether or not something works doesn't mean that it is ethical or in the public interest or the right thing to do for someone," Di Hodgson, UKCP's chair of the Diversity, Equalities, and Social Responsibility Committee, said.
ChristianPost.com
I didn't know what SOCE was so I googled it - it's 'sexual orientation change efforts'.
I feel for the parents in the article, but their son's declaration has resulted in compromise for them. Totally understandable, but is it right to replace convictions with compromise? They were obviously 'anti' before this befell them. I do believe that Jesus would reach out to the lad - but like the woman caught in adultery, he would say 'go and sin no more'.
It's been said before on previous comments that the LGBT agenda is a total takeover of rational thought - skewing their ideals into reasoned arguments that only the spiritually discerning will ignore. There are 'equalities' now in place that are misnomers. Creating equalities for the minority pro-gay lobby has in fact created a glaring in-equality for the rest of us. Antis are no longer allowed to be openly 'anti'. How is that fair? Suppression of free speech and thought is the beginning of totalitarianism.
Being homosexual is not a "physical disability" as the author states. Obviously she needs to do more research and have deeper conversations with those in the LBGT community. There is so much bias in the church and we are viewed as haters by most in the LBGT community that we really need to open our minds and ask not only WWJD but Where would Jesus Be if he was physically among us. I do not believe for a moment that HE would be frequenting any church.
Former Canadian Officer
People... How many times do we have to say it..... There is no 'LGBT Agenda' to hoodwink people. All that is being sought is to protect people and expose the truth. The truth is that there is NO biblical mandate against homosexuality. The only way you can see that there is anything biblical against homosexuality is if either you have no idea what homosexuality is, or you so completely miss-interpret scripture to the point that you might as well be preaching from nursery rhymes.
Until we realise this, more and more people will die, more and more families will be destroyed, more and more people excluded from the love of God.
I accept that many people will never accept full equality. And that is OK. As is often quoted, if you don't agree with same sex marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex. I know that we will never get to the point where everyone agrees. But can't we get to the point where we agree to disagree and call each other brothers and sisters in Christ? I will never force you to be gay, but in return, I expect you to respect the rights of gay people, and not try to make them straight, or force your views on others. Can't we just accept each other for who we are?
This debate is beginning to do what I feared - polarise people and comments instead of bringing them together in respectful conversation. Such polarisation puts the debate back many years. Let's try and get back to respectful conversation.
Yours in Christ,
Graeme Randall
Former Australian East in London
Lifestyle is such a basic component of our makeup that I fear we will never agree on this subject, as Graeme would like. I know that I cannot find it within me to worship week by week with people who I consider are living against God's holy ordinance, in flagrant disregard for how He would have us live. This doesn't make me a better person - God knows, I have enough faults of my own. But just as LGBT people say they cannot help themselves, neither can I change my thinking from what I perceive as God's leading, and I know there are many like me. To me, the New Testament passages on this subject are clear indeed, and the only reason for people to delve deeper into historical culture to refute it is to try to justify their way of life without it affecting their conscience. If TSA changes their positional statement regarding LGBT issues, I would have to seriously consider my position within the ranks. How can something that disrupts so badly be of God? It makes no sense at all.
Graeme - who said....'All that is being sought is to protect people and expose the truth. The truth is....'
The truth is however you want to see it. If it is unpalatable, as the Bible's words on this subject are to you, then you've altered it by invoking ancient scripts that aren't read by the rank and file - we rely on the Bible as it is. It has to be a book relevant to us just as it is, and we generally accept what's in it as a guideline to live the Christian life. Unfortunately, the 'truth' is interpreted in various ways to people, and there is nothing you can do to alter a mindset. You yourself have said as much, in that, in your opinion, LGBT people cannot change. Why will you not acknowledge that straight people cannot either - it's in the DNA. That's what you say. It can't be true for just LGBT - it has to be the same for 'straights', otherwise your argument fails.
Truth is subjective, and no-one has the monopoly on it. None of us can be all that God wants us to be - that is why there are different strands of ministry. True, there is more tolerance these days, but what does that mean? Is it real tolerance or appeasement?
Those pesky minorities and their "equal rights." Next thing you know, they'll be wanting us to share water fountains with black folk.
I'm curious though: can anyone give an actual example of freedom of speech being suppressed as a result of the LGBT community's quest for equality?
just curious: does the gentleman who cannot find it within himself to worship week by week with people who he considers living against God's holy ordinance, also struggle to worship along side divorced people?
....or worse yet, divorced and remarried married people--and they're all over the place, sometimes even in serial marriages--after Jesus had enough to say about it even being a one time occurrence in the Sermon On the Mount! Of course if those words were interpreted literally and harshly without any thought of the weightier matters of the law such as love, justice and mercy (which up until about two generations ago they were in many churches!) it would be the end of many officers (and other clergy's) careers including several D.C.s, D.S.s etc. I've known through the years. Come to think of it, didn't Paul write something about a Bishop having only one wife??!! So that's a double whammy on some people!(I'll probably have more to comment on, in another day or two, when my brother takes my mother and I'm freer to do so.)
Daryl Lach
USA Central
There are a lot of imponderables about divorce and remarriage - the divorced or remarried person may be the innocent party who finds themselves in that position through no fault of their own and not of their choosing. Many are left devastated because of the actions of their spouse. It can hardly be equated with the free choice to practice an active, ongoing LGBT lifestyle, can it?
Non SA, USA
At the invitation of one of your members I have been following your recent discussion. I have a few questions.
First, unless you happen to be part of their sexual relationship, what difference does another’s sexual orientation make to you and your personal life? Were it not for the matter of your judging them “wrong” does it affect you at all? Doesn’t Mathew 7:1-3 warn against that, how do you justify yourself to that?
Second, I’m not much of a Biblical scholar, but I am of the opinion that Jesus was sent to save the Jews from the evil that was the Jewish law, aka the Old Testament. If you ignore Christ’s teachings and rely upon the man written law of the Levites (Leviticus), does that not make you a Levite Jew?
I have yet to see anywhere that God condemns anyone’s sexual orientation. I was of the opinion that God gave 10 commandments. Except for admonishing against coveting another’s mate (adultery) none deal with human sexuality (and none deal with judging). The Christ gave just one more, John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (Also see John 1:5) We have the various admonitions attributed to Paul, but can you show me where Jesus is known to have condemned another because of their sexuality?
Be these as they may, tell me how an individual’s personal sexuality affects the Salvation Army’s quest to save souls? Does not everyone have one, are they not all precious in the eyes of the Lord?
Referenced in the comments is the feared “Homosexual agenda” Do you know what that is and where it originated, or do you just parrot the words? There is an interesting article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_agenda . Though it is a well documented article, of course it is Wikipedia so some critical analysis is required. The leading section reads “Homosexual agenda (or gay agenda) is a term introduced by some conservative Christians in the United States, often used disparagingly to describe the advocacy of cultural acceptance and normalization of non-heterosexual orientations and relationships.” Essentially it was made up by those opposed, not some ubiquitous “Gay Inc.” organization.
But surely there is some truth to it you ask? Read the last section, Satire:”
“A satirical article by Michael Swift which appeared in the Gay Community News in February 1987 entitled "Gay Revolutionary" describes a scenario in which homosexual men dominate American society and suppress all things heterosexual. This was reprinted in Congressional Record without the opening line: "This essay is an outré, madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage, on how the oppressed desperately dream of being the oppressor." The original essay can be read here: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/swift1.asp . As part of his own anti-gay campaign it was Congressman William Dannemeyer who had it inserted into the Congressional Record sans the sentence stating its satirical nature, and the various conservative groups have referenced as “proof” ever since.
Yes, it all comes from a satirical piece. That would be funny except per http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/05/1260338/-ALEC-s-1985-fight-against-the-homosexual-agenda-is-still-with-us# it was preceded by a very real newsletter of the American Legislative Exchange Council, (ALEC) a conservative political action group seeking to influence legislation. Yes, the American “Homosexual Agenda” is nothing more than a manufactured crisis to further a particular political agenda. Does that change your perception of Biblical directive?
Part 2
Do you understand that the modern “Gay” movement stems from what is known as “The Stonewall Riot” of June 28, 1969, and the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot before that (1966), and at Cooper’s Donuts before that (1959), that all these actions resulted from already marginalized and otherwise law abiding people being rousted by police for the crime of their perceived sexual orientations? Can you imagine how things would have been different if these people had not been marginalized, were not abandoned by their families, cast out by “society”, but instead had been embraced by a loving, caring Church?
So finally my question is, do you know what the purely secular human rights and protection from legal discrimination based in sexual orientation and/or gender identity is about, or do you just use your biased reading of Bible to justify your own illogical bigotry? Do you quote Genesis’ Sodom and Gomorrah as proof, yet ignore Ezekiel 16:49-50? Read in the context of Jesus words and works, doesn’t Ezekiel seem probable?
Have you ever thought about who Salvationists railed against before the ”homosexuals” became the late 20th century menace? Catholics! Yes, Catholics, so much so that my mother had to elope from her SA family to marry my father, a Catholic. (A marriage that lasted both their lives!) Like that the rift between Evangelicals and LGBT will one day heal and all this will have been for naught. We are, after all, all God’s children.
Don't we all have more important things to do than bring intolerance upon one another?
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