Solusi University

Faculty of Theology and Chaplaincy

Department of Theology
Title: Chur ch youths engaged in homosexual r elationships, their ar gument,
scientific evidence, the biblical stance, your position and deliber ate pr ogr am
for assisting them out.

An Assignment Presented in the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

of the Course: RELB 225­ Foundations of Youth Ministry

Prepared By: Gar atsa J ohn

Student Number: SU170141F

Instructor: Pr . N. Muchingur i

September­ December 2019 2nd Semester

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The Introduction

The homosexual relationships in which the SDA Church youths are being involved are often

called same­sex relationships and secularly they have a long history, although in SDA Church

first complained officially in the 2nd half of the 20th century. The Church youths in the

homosexual relationships have got a tripartite list of arguments and the writer will not leave the

Biblical stance and his personal person on the same matter as well as how the Church youths in

these relationships can be assisted to come out.

The Definitions of the Key Terms

Church youths under discussion are mainly the senior youths in the SDA Church made up of two

groups which are ambassadors (16­21 years) and young adults (22­30+ years).1 Homosexual

relationships are relationships between the people of the same sex which are often called same­

sex relationships. The homosexual relationships exist in two types which are gayism (for boys)

and lesbianism (for girls). Using this section of the essay one can clearly see the population of

the study and the behavior of the same group as well as the direction of the essay itself.

The Background Information

The first African homosexual gays are believed to Egyptians, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum

(2400 BCE) due to their nose­kissing position portrayal in the Egyptian art. In Asia, homosexual

relations are believed to have existed by 600 BC. The Great European characters like Socrates,

Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar are believed to have involved themselves in homosexual

1
SDA Church Manual 19th Edition (Pacific Press® Publishing Association: Nampa, Idaho 83653-5353, 2015). 104

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relationships because words like gay were applied to them in their own language.2 In the

Americas, the homosexual relationships later encroached in the Medieval period of the Christian

Church and the term homosexuality was 1st popularized or in United States in 1892 but had

originated earlier in Europe.

In the SDA Church, homosexual relationships among Church youths but they can be

documentary traced from the 4th quarter of the 20th Century around 1977 in which the General

Conference voted for the disfellowship of the homosexuals.3 In 1980s, the Independent Church

Ministries for example 3ABN and Amazing Facts popularized the “ Coming out Ministries”

which had been introduced to minister to the homosexuals.4 As the time progressed the

prevalence of these relationships increased and there were many discussions and books or

periodicals written, meant to address the issue. In 2015, the General Conference voted a Church

position on homosexuality. The stance furthered the following ideas in the SDA Church Manual:

“ The reasons for which members shall be subject to discipline are… Fornication, which includes

among other issues, promiscuity, homosexual activity, incest, sodomy, and bestiality.” 5 It again

says that, “ … homosexual and lesbian practices are among the perversions of God’s original

plan and illustrate the brokenness of humanity.” It continues to say, “ sexual perversions,

including incest, child sexual abuse, and homosexual practices, are also recognized as a misuse

of sexual powers and a violation of the divine intention in marriage.” 6

Although, the above points are clear, It is said that, “ Sexual identity confusion is not uncommon

2
Foucault, Michel, The History of Sexuality (Pantheon Books, 1986).
2
Foucault, Michel, The History of Sexuality (Pantheon Books, 1986).
3
SDA Church Manual (revised 1986). 162
4
Op. Cit, SDA Church Manual 19th Edition. 62
5
Ibid. 151
6
Ibid. 159

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among adolescents and young adults as sexual desire can be directed both toward members of

one's own sex and the other sex. This is reality in Adventist church too. Many of our Adventist

youth, and even adults, are grappling with the issues of homosexuality.” 7 The book with the idea

above was published before 2015 General Conference Session but it is still recommended to day

because there still exists Church youths in these relationships, who don’t go with the Church

mainstream position because of their own arguments they think, the Church must subscribe to.

The Body of the Essay

i. The Arguments of the Church Youths in Homosexual Relationships

The arguments of the Church youths in the homosexual relationships under study here, for

homosexuality and for the Church and its members to pronounce them as innocent, owe much to

the way they interpret the Bible and the large Corpus of the Ellen G. White writings and the

information coming from the discipline of Science.

In an attempt to argue for homosexuality and challenge the Church people who were opposing

homosexual relations, L Ben Kemena in a writing said that, “ Gratitude on its preparation is

extended to Kevin, Vickie, David, Brent, Paul, Carrol, Ron, Myrna, Jamie, Doug, Larry, Ritch,

Anna, Bev, Floyd, Jennifer, Phyllis, Harv, Bob, Will, Russ, Catherine and Shawn… my spouse,

Michael… This paper is dedicated to Seventh­day Adventist pastors, educators, health care

professionals, and informed laity that continue to risk their careers, reputations, and livelihood

on behalf of gay and lesbian Adventists throughout the world.” 8 The number of people helped

him to produce the written document and his sure claim to his audience show that, the arguments

7
Zelimir Stanic, Confused Sexual Identity Among Adventist Youth: Case Study (Newbold College, 2011). 1
8
L Ben Kemena, MD, Homosexuality: Another Adventist Point Of View? (Denver, Colorado USA, 1997).

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for homosexual relationships are strong.

The first Biblical argument that is used by the SDA Church youths to support their engagement

in the homosexual relationships is that, “the term homosexuality does not occur in the Bible.”

One of the homosexual writers who traced the origin of the term homosexuality and satisfactorily

financed the SDA Church with the idea that, the term homosexuality came into use towards the

end of the 19th century says that, “However, it should be noted that because the words

"homosexual" or "homosexuality" were coined in the nineteenth century, they do not appear in

the Bible (the words are absent from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts). Jesus did

not address the topic in the New Testament.” The given argument here is that, in dealing with

homosexuality no one must resort to the Bible because it doesn’t deal with it.

In furtherance of their arguments in the light of their Biblical argument for homosexuality, “the

SDA Church youths” interpret also the Biblical texts in which homosexuality is portrayed in

negativity in an uncommon way. They say that, although it is homosexuality is negatively

pictured in Genesis 19 and Judges 19­21 but that is not the main concern but the unwelcome act

which was done by the homosexuals of disturbing the sacred duty of entertaining the strangers or

of hospitality to the strangers.9

In reinforcing the above point another writer in homosexual relationships fraternity would say

that, “ A case in point is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. All the men of Sodom gathered to

abuse the strangers visiting their city through a common practice of ancient days: gang rape.

Jesus himself viewed the sin of Sodom as inhospitality, declaring that it would be better in the

Day of Judgment for Sodom than for those towns that prove inhospitable to his disciples.” 10

9
Hebrews 13:1-2, “Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this
some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (NASB Version of the Bible).

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They have the strong belief that, if the homosexuals in Sodom, Gomorrah and Benjamin did not

encroach in a behavior of offense against others and they just enjoyed their relationships, God

wasn’t going to be displeased. L Ben Kemena would say to rove the present point, “ As a gay

man, I laugh, cry, and bleed as other human beings. As a committed Christian, I pray, study,

and struggle as other Christians­­as other Adventists… Please consider the possibility that I am

trying to live by Christian moral standards.” 11

The progression argument is one of the reasons being given by some of the Church youths for

involvement in homosexual relationships. They borrow their idea from their interpretation of

Matthew 9:17 which says that, “ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do,

the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new

wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved,” 12 and their understanding of the New

Covenant. The progression argument is employed to silence the verses which appear as

condemning homosexual relationships. The verses being given a zipper are the following:

Leviticus 18:22 which says, “ You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an

abomination,” and Leviticus 20:13 which says, “ If a man lies with a male as he lies with a

woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their

blood shall be upon them.” 13 The argument argues that, since Christians are in the new

dispensation of Christianity being ruled by the New Testament, they don’t have to use the Old

Testament because it is no longer binding and prescriptive to the Christians.

The fourth argument they use calls for a deeper analysis of some of the same sex relationships in

10
Rev. Chris Glaser, The Bible and Homosexuality:A Christian View (2006). 2
11
Op. Cit, Homosexuality: Another Adventist Point Of View?
12
New International Version of the Bible
13
New King James Version of the Bible

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the Bible. L Ben Kemena says that, “ …the biblical discussion of Jonathan and David, Philip and

the Eunuch, and Ruth and Naomi should also be brought to thoughtful reflection.” 14 The texture

and structure of the relationship between the characters above is considered at most by the

homosexual Church youths to be of homosexual nature. Hence, its permissible for the modern

day youths to be involved in homosexuality if the above people were deep in it but the Bible did

not condemn them but they are praised in turn.

To solidify the outgoing point, another write would say, “ What’s also important is that no

opposite gender pair received so much attention on the pages of the Bible as Ruth and Naomi

and David and Jonathan. Though same­gender sexuality may not be modeled in scripture, same­

gender love is honored and respected.” 15

The Biblical argument chosen by the writer to be the last is withdrawn by the church youths in

homosexual relations is from their decipherment of Galatians 3:28. Galatians 3:28 says, “ There

is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all

one in Christ Jesus.” In the authority another writer who defends homosexual relationships says,

“ These words of Paul suggest that gender differences are irrelevant for the Christian.” 16

The “second set of argument” being used by the Church youths, after their interpretation of the

Bible is the proposed silence of the expansive corpus of Ellen G. Writings. They find no term

“ homosexuality” in the writings of Ellen G. White. Hence, they say that, if Ellen G. White, the

messenger of God to the remnant with the “ Testimony of Jesus” is silent but in her term of

ministry (1844­1915) many books advocating for sexuality circulated it means, she wasn’t in it

14
Op. Cit, Homosexuality: Another Adventist Point Of View?
15
Op. Cit, The Bible and Homosexuality:A Christian View. 3
16
Ibid. 2

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but not against it. There was a lot of homosexual activity during the tenure of the ministry of

Ellen G. White. George Chauncey says that, “ Beginning in the 1890's, an extensive gay world

took shape in the streets, cafeterias, saloons and apartments of New York City.” 17

The 3rd set of argument being employed by the SDA Church youths to consummate homosexual

relationships is the explanation from the discipline of science.

ii. The Science Argument for Homosexual Relationships

Science itself can be crudely defined as the study of nature. In nature humans occupy a position.

One of the arguments for homosexuality under science is about the origins of humans. If a

scientist or creationist believes that a person with feelings for another person of the same gender

was created by God it means the nature of that person is from God, hence he/she must be in the

relationship of his/her choice because the main actor in the event is his/her Creator created

him/her with those feelings. The Biblical passages that are attached to this argument are from the

book of Jeremiah for example 29:11­13 which says, “ For I know the plans that I have for you…”

and 1:5 which says, “ Before I formed you in the belly I knew you…”

Pillard says, “ In studies of twin siblings, researchers have noted significant suggestions of a

genetic link (chromosomal association) to homosexuality… Why is this? It is because complex

human traits are often forged and influenced by a variety of factors including an inter­play

between so­called matters of "nature and nurture.” 18 Another writer argued that, “ anatomical

brain studies suggest a physical difference between brain structures in homosexual and

heterosexual identified men.19 JI Downey argues that, “ Homosexuality exists in nearly every

17
George Chauncey, A Gay World, Vibrant and Forgotten (1994).
18
Pillard. "A genetic study of male sexual orientation" in Archives of General Psychiatry (1991). 48
19
DF Swaab, "An enlarged suprachiasmatic nucleus in homosexual men" in Brain Research (1990). 537

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species of observed mammals and is in all likelihood irreversibly established in humans at a very

early age (probably by age five).” 20 If the scientific evidence attests the above, it means intrinsic

nature from God is responsible for homosexual relationships, hence they must be respected.

Some scientific studies discovered that homosexual feelings are a result of a disease. The

discovery through years has termed “disease model of homosexuality.” This is believed to be

true although it cannot apply to all homosexual feelings.

iii. The Biblical Stance on Homosexual Relationships

Marriage was divinely instituted in the Garden of Eden at Creation firstly for two reasons which

are reproduction and companionship (Genesis 1:28: 2:18).21 In homosexual unions there is no

reproduction. The female Eve was created as a suitable helpmate for the male Adam. In

sexuality, Eve conversely created was created for the Adam who was concavely created.

Fulfilment of sexual urges, although it may be a stand­alone reason for marriage, it can also

come under companionship. In same sex union sexuality and companionship is not enjoyed using

the maximum potential and propensity, hence homosexuals may resort to vibrators. Jesus would

say, “ Have you not read that, He who made them in the beginning made them male and female.” 22

The Bible contains passages in which God punishes homosexuals. In Genesis 19, He punished

the cities of the plain which also include Sodom and Gomorrah. In Judges 19­21, He uses Israel

to punish the tribe Benjamin for homosexuality. The reason for the punishment was not that of

offense towards the visiting but homosexuality because it was so the punishments were to be

selected and not for everyone in the city or tribe. Ellen G. White in the SDA Bible Commentary

20
JI Downey, In the New England Journal of Medicine (1994). 14
21
Calvin B. Rock, The Handbook of SDA Theology (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000).
22
Matthew 19:4 (KJV).

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says, “ We see the very sins now existing in the world which were in Sodom and which brought

upon her the wrath of God, even to her utter destruction,” 23 as cited in her book “ Testimonies on

Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce” (p. 105) under the topic “Homosexuality.”

The last argument in establishing the Bible stance for homosexuality, the student employed the

clear Bible passages in which God calls homosexuality a detestable abomination. The passages

quoted above in the arguments being used by the Church youths for homosexual relations

(Leviticus 18:22; 20:13) are the most clear Biblical passages censuring homosexual

relationships. New Testament which is proposed of being silent have got passages rallying

homosexuality for example Romans 1:27 which says, “ Likewise also the men, leaving the

natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is

shameful.” The view that, Old Testament passages against homosexuality they are no longer

valid because of the New Testament is strikethrough.

iv. The Writer’s Position on Homosexual Relationships

The writer or student formulates a position or theology on homosexual relationships from the

Biblical stance in the section above or the student just subscribes to eat although with added

arguments. Although, the term homosexuality is modern, homosexuality itself is not modern.

Hence, its absence in the Bible and the corpus of the writings of Ellen G. White ought not to

assert assumptively that, that which is called homosexuality in ingredients and condition is not

mentioned. Bible passages above clearly speak of homosexuality and the Ellen G. White has a

chapter in one her books book [“ Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce” ]

which condemn homosexual relations. Hence, one’s assumption or proposition that, Ellen G.

23
Ellen G. White, The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 4:1161.

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White was silent on the face of homosexuality is dismissed.

The scientific argument or evidence which attests that, homosexual feelings are fixed to the

internal nature of a human being is unreliable in the sense that, human behavior don’t owe much

to nature (genes) only but to nurture (environment), providence (God’s plan) and organism

(individual’s choice). The intrinsic nature of a person is not of superior prepotency when it

comes to sexuality than the environment (nurture). Although, nature may contribute to

homosexual tendencies, God’s plan for an individual is best represented by the factor of

providence which is exclusive to an individual rather than nature which appears as almost

inclusive to everyone.

The nature of an individual is also transmitted genetically to an individual from his/her

predecessors. If one does have homosexual feelings and chooses not to use them or if one

doesn’t have those feelings but chooses to retire to homosexuality for exploration and he/she

becomes stack in it, the power of organism is seen clearly here. Nurture sometimes depends on

organism. Relegating nature to God cannot be smoothly conceived as explained above.

v. Deliberate Program to Assist Homosexual Youths

A program the writer proposed to redeem the Church youths in the homosexual relationships is

called “ Homosexual Youths Release Program.” The main program blankets many small ways

which one can use to assist someone to come out of the homosexual relationships.

One of the ways which can be used to assist the Church youths to come out of homosexual

relations under the “Homosexual Youths Release Program,” is counselling. There are many

counselling techniques and types that can be employed which may include reality therapy, and

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change therapy which can also be called reparative therapy or ex­gay therapy. Through, the

vehicle of counselling, a youth come to know everything he/she may be looking for to quit

homosexual relations, what he/she doesn’t know about homosexuality and whether he/she is just

having a feeling or it’s a disease.

In the event that, there is a population of Church youths involved in the homosexual relationships

because of a disease, under the driving of the program titled above, one can use treatment as a

way to assist that population of the Church youths to help them to deliver themselves from the

homosexual feelings.

The view that, about a number of the Church youths being involved in the homosexual

relationships, they have some arguments strong for that, calls for one in the coaching of the

“Homosexual Youths Release Program” to devise ways to make them understand the Church

position and Bible stance on homosexuality as well what they employ in their arguments clearly.

This can be through sermons, lessions, chatting and written material.

The Conclusion

In an overall inference, it is clear that, the Church youths in the homosexual relationships have

got a tripartite list of arguments which are very strong but the Bible have its own stance as well

the writer his own position which encompasses the Biblical stance. The writer’s and Bible stance

hold more water hence the “Homosexual Youths Release Program” with is dimensions or sub­

ways was introduced by the writer as the deliberate program suitable for use so that the Church

youths in the homosexual relationships can be assisted to come out of them.

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Refer ences

Chauncey George, A Gay World, Vibrant and Forgotten (1994).

Downey JI, In the New England Journal of Medicine (1994).

Kemena L Ben, MD, Homosexuality: Another Adventist Point Of View? (Denver, Colorado
USA, 1997).

Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality (Pantheon Books, 1986).

NASB Version of the Bible.

New International Version of the Bible

New King James Version of the Bible

Pillard. "A genetic study of male sexual orientation" in Archives of General Psychiatry (1991).

Rev. Glaser Chris, The Bible and Homosexuality: A Christian View (2006).

Rock Calvin B, The Handbook of SDA Theology (Review and Herald Publishing Association,
2000).

SDA Church Manual (revised 1986).

SDA Church Manual 19th Edition (Pacific Press® Publishing Association: Nampa, Idaho 83653­
5353, 2015).

Stanic Zelimir, Confused Sexual Identity Among Adventist Youth: Case Study (Newbold College,
2011).

Swaab DF, "An enlarged suprachiasmatic nucleus in homosexual men" in Brain Research
(1990).

White Ellen G, The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 4.

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