A RESPONSE TO THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE STATEMENT ON HOMOSEXUALITY

Paragraph 65g of the Book of Discipline states: "Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. Although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching, we affirm that God's grace is available to all. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons."

Paragraph 65g in our Book of Discipline follows the thought of the phrase: "Hate the sin, love the sinner." Both parts of that phrase are held together here without incongruity or contradiction.

First, it is saying that as Christians we believe that we are to love all sinners regardless of their sin. Treating other people with disdain and contempt should not be a part of the Christian lifestyle, since every person is a creation of God with infinite value. All sin is forgivable and every sinner is redeemable. The apostle Paul spoke strongly against sins of all kinds, including homosexuality, and said that those who practiced such things would not inherit the kingdom of God. But then he makes this remarkable statement: "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). It is because of this assurance that people can change that we "commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons."

The Book of Discipline recognizes God’s power to effect real change in a person’s life when it says, "God’s grace is available to all." No one is beyond the love of God, or his power to transform. If we do not believe this, then we ought to politely shut the doors of our churches.

The second part of this Disciplinary statement is that we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. Let me be clear that both the Discipline and Scripture distinguish between a person who faces homosexual temptations and the one who engages in the practice of homosexual behavior. The celibate person with homosexual leanings may be a faithful Christian, while the person practicing this behavior is not. The same is true for a heterosexual who practices fornication. The reason for paragraph 65g is because of the clear biblical teaching against this practice, as well as the historic witness of the church. In the Old Testament we read: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable" (Leviticus 20:13). Whether or not there was a "committed relationship" made it no less unacceptable.

In the New Testament we read: "God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:26-28). This scripture addresses both male and female homosexual behavior without reference to orientation. The concept of orientation is, in fact, a rather recent invention of psychology that wants to say that some individuals are helpless against their basic orientation which has been genetically programmed in them at birth. The Bible does not address this situation because it sees it as irrelevant. We love all sinners, but we call all sinners to repentance and faithful obedience to the known will of God.

The dilemma that we are facing is that the phrase, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" is no longer acceptable to many. It has been replaced by a new phrase, "Love me, love my sin." In other words, "If you really loved me you would accept me fully, including my behavior." Here is where our Disciplinary statement catches in the throats of many in the church, and why they are actively trying to change it. They believe that we should not be asking people with homosexual orientation to change.

Classic theology calls for repentance whatever our sin. This repentance leads to healing and wholeness. Through the indwelling presence and regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit we are given the power to live in obedience to the laws of God. "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).

The reason the church is in this current conundrum is because psychology has replaced theology. Psychology seeks to excuse behavior based on an understanding of the underlying conditions in a person’s psyche. Psychiatrist Walter Reich of George Washington University calls this an example of "the transformation of bad into mad." In the Slate Internet Magazine he describes it as the "inclination to see bad behavior in pathological rather than moral terms." We now see sin not as bad behavior, but as an illness. It takes away the element of moral responsibility and replaces it with a need for understanding. This new approach erases moral choice and exonerates a person based on what psychological preconditions existed.

But in order for repentance to take place there must be honest confession and a willingness to turn from our sin and turn to God.

Interestingly, many secular psychologists are now recognizing the ability to change. In fact, Dr. Robert Spitzer, a Columbia University Professor of Psychiatry, who was instrumental in getting the American Psychological Association to remove homosexual practice from its list of disorders, now believes that homosexuals can be reoriented and is conducting a large study of those who have left the homosexual lifestyle.

A RECAP OF THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION

The real issues facing the church are whether we will continue to be within the historic, orthodox Christian family, and whether we will continue to be a connectional church where the Book of Discipline continues to be authoritative.

The current presenting problem of the acceptance of homosexual behavior is only the beginning of our conflicts. What most people do not seem to realize is that the agenda of the homosexual community is not just for acceptance, but full approval of their behavior, and it is the first car in a very long train. Coming very quickly are other groups seeking recognition, indeed they seem to have been given it without much asking. Already we are hearing the names of the other cars in the train enumerated. Affirmation, an unofficial United Methodist Caucus, defines itself as "United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered concerns." The naming of these other groups is coming from the mouths of Bishops, executive heads of United Methodist agencies and most others who address this issue from a pro-homosexual stance. So, clearly, the issue is not just about loving, committed same-gendered people finding approval, but bisexuals and others as well. If someone can tell me how one can be a practicing bisexual and live in a committed relationship with another person I would like to hear the explanation. Pedophiles are also pressing for acceptance and approval. There is enormous political pressure to approve any form of variant sexual practice. Suddenly we believe that we understand things in a way that Christians for two thousand years were not able to see.

Again, the question is whether we have a revealed religion which has come to us through authoritative Scripture, or whether we have a subjective, collaborative, consensual ethic. The conflicts arising over the acceptableness of homosexual practice are only symptoms of this larger issue.

Also at issue, for us as United Methodists, is whether we will continue to be a connectional system, or whether every pastor or annual conference will simply do whatever seems best to them. Do we have an authoritative Book of Discipline, or will we continue to ignore those who disregard and demean its clear intent while creating havoc in the church?

If homosexuality, which was once regarded as deviant behavior, is now not only seen as acceptable, but good, then we have lost our ethic. If we have lost our ethic, and the authority of Scripture, then we can no longer delude ourselves into thinking we are still in the mainstream of historic, orthodox Christianity. If our ethic has lost its transcendent base and has now declined to the subjective level of consensual morality; if we have lost a universal, divine Savior and the accompanying universal standard of morality and decency found in Scripture, then we are subsequently bereft of the benefits of the faith "once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). It has become a gutted Christianity which is Christian in name only.

If God is indeed evolving, and therefore his will and word are evolving as well, as the Process theologians would have us believe, then actually this God is a product of our imagination — the collective will of society. If our morality is nothing more than an ambiguous niceness, or a call to be loving toward others without any specifics, then it has no substantive value.

Our calling is to reach a culture in crisis, and to do so we must present a relevant Gospel, but the way to do that is to change our methods not our message. It is important that the church has become more open and accepting of homosexual persons, but which is more compassionate: to say that persons of homosexual orientation cannot be any different and must therefore continue to live out the impulses which drive them, or to introduce them to the power of God which is able to control and even change our natural inclinations? We have lost our message of supernatural grace. The message of the Gospel has been changing lives for thousands of years among every race, tribe and culture.

It is well documented in secular studies that change is not only possible, but that there is a large degree of success. Dr. Warren Throckmorton, the past president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, documents numerous studies showing the success of various psycho-social approaches to behavioral change among homosexuals. Dr. Throckmorton states: "Countering claims that reorientation therapies are harmful, the survey asked clients concerning psychological and interpersonal adjustments both before and after therapy. The survey respondents reported significant improvements in such areas as self-acceptance, personal power, self-esteem, emotional stability, depression, and spirituality (Nicolosi, Byrd, & Potts, 1998)." I believe we give the wrong message to those who want a way out, and we are especially giving a wrong message to young people whose sexual identity may still be ambiguous.

We were called to proclaim the greatest news that has ever reached human ears: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst" (1 Timothy 1:15).

SCRIPTURES RELATING TO THE PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY

"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22).

"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads" (Leviticus 20:13).

"No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both" (Deut. 23:17-18).

"Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them" (Romans 1:24-32).

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

"We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts*, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me" (1 Tim. 1:8-11).

"In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7).