I attended my first gay and lesbian film festival today. I paid my $10 and sat down in the theater to watch the documentary Seventh-Gay Adventist.
You may be asking, “How in the world did you end up at a gay and lesbian film festival?” If you knew me as a kid, teenager, and young adult, you would know that I have always liked girls. Not only that, I continue to be happily married to my beautiful wife and have no desire to change gender teams.
It just happened that the pro-homosexual documentary was being screened at the Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. How do I know the film is pro-homosexual? Well… I attended the screening for myself today and saw the facts with my own two eyes.
Before we were allowed to enter the theater, the attendees had to stand out in the warm New Mexico sunshine. I overheard a group of people talking about Adventist stuff and introduced myself. From what I learned, most of the people in the group were ex-Adventists or fringe-Adventists. One lady had attended one of our Adventist academies (all four years) and was now openly gay.
When the doors were opened, I was greeted by Stephan and his wife Deanne. Their daughter is very cute. I hunted down the manager of the screening to ask a few questions. I wanted to know if “all” the movies in the film festival were pro-homosexual or if some of them took a neutral or negative stance. The nice lady made it very clear that only pro-homosexual films were allowed in the festival. One of the film festival volunteers told me the gay community receives enough negative pressure and did not need it in the film festival.
Ok… ok… ok… Let me get to the screening of the film.
The film was put together very well. The quality of the camera work, directing, etc. was good. It is the content of the film that I have a problem with.
Seventh-Gay Adventists is about three homosexual couples and their struggle to remain connected to a church (denomination and culture) that does not permit homosexuality.
Couple #1 – Two young men and their journey with faith, family, and a wedding. David comes from a family of Adventist pastors. His father is a conference president and his two brothers are ministers. He spent his whole life in the Adventist church and schools. He wore Union College and Adventurer tee-shirts throughout the film. Interesting fact: I was the photographer for David’s brother’s wedding.
Couple #2 – Two ladies, their children, and the stress of finding a church home. This couple’s story talked a lot about trying to find a church family that accepted them for who they were. They eventually found the Worthington Adventist Church in Ohio. Even though the pastor and church leaders knew these ladies were in a homosexual relationship, they were allowed to be a Sabbath School teacher, Adventurer Club Director, and serve on the church school board.
Couple #3 – Two men – An ex-pastor who struggles to get back into the full-time ministry. The main character in this couple use to be an Adventist Pastor in Brazil. The film producers and ex-pastor tried to make it sound like he was fired from his full-time job as a pastor because of his desire to be a homosexual. As the story unfolded, I learned that this ex-pastor, who once had a wife and father of two children, had an affair with another man while he was working as a minister. The relationship went bad and the man told church leaders about the relationship.
In the story of the two ladies… I have to wonder why an Adventist pastor and church leadership would allow an openly gay couple serve in the role of Sabbath School teacher, Adventurer Club Director, and school board member. Their argument is that no one else would step up to fill the roles. This is not a good enough excuse. If church members are not stepping up to fill important ministry roles, then there is something wrong with the leadership.
I saw a lot of fear and tears. Instead of listening to the voice of Holy Spirit trying to draw them to Him and His amazing love, they cried about not being accepted for who there were. Was my heart hurting for these individuals? YES! It was sad to see them cut themselves off from their family, friends, and church. I could see and feel their pain, but know that God will not compromise His truth to make exceptions for open rebellion.
The question is… Will this film impact Adventists in a negative way? In other words, will the film cause some Adventists to become supporters of the homosexual agenda?
There was a Q & A session at the end of the screening. One young man in the back of the theater spoke up by saying that he use to be against homosexuality and now, because of the film, he was ready to be in favor of homosexuality in the Church.
The producers are showing this film in every Adventist college town and anywhere else there is a large Adventist population. Hundreds of Adventists are seeing the film… the tears and unBiblical reasoning, and those who are not grounded in the Word of God could begin to believe the lie.
Adventist leaders everywhere need to keep this film from being advertised in our churches and schools. We need to teach what the Bible says about how homosexuality is a sin in a Christ-like way.
I believe every Adventist church should be safe for sinners, no matter what their sin is (we are all sinners). God is love and His love is powerful enough to conquer all sin. Homosexuality is a sin against what God created in the beginning. If we put our faith and trust in Jesus, he will save us from ourselves.
Chantal
October 12, 2012
Amen – I love homosexuals and know they suffer- but their “condition” is just that, a condition, that they were born with. I don’t believe most gays choose this way of life, as I used to work in an industry where their presence was constant- I had many gay buddies, whom I discussed this with.
Accepting them is not a problem but keeping God’s precepts are paradigm first and foremost !
Chantal
Brett Denman
October 12, 2012
It took a lot of courage to attend that movie screening. Well done. It all comes down to A. desire to do God’s will or B. desire to do your own. The obvious choice is A but very difficult if you don’t have a true love for Christ.
@Skip…your parents must be very proud of you. God bless.
Hunter
October 13, 2012
For another perspective, check out my blog,
http://www.hunterrileysexeducation.com
Hunter
October 13, 2012
Reblogged this on SEXed and commented:
Hmmmm. This is one person’s experience at the Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I can’t say I agree, what do you think?
Kathleen
October 13, 2012
It’s either right or wrong. We must call sin by it’s right name. I have many “gay” friends and I love them for who they are, not what they are. They love me even though they know I don’t agree with their lifestyle. God help us all.
Ken Lytle
October 13, 2012
@ Kathleen – Well said! I have gay family and friends… I also love them for who they are, not what they are. I don’t preach at them and treat them like any other person in my life (with respect).
gwalter
November 26, 2012
I was inspired by the film – feeling hope that our church is starting to feel compassion for broken people.
tegan
November 26, 2012
maybe you should take a lesson from your jesus. the gays are the kind of people jesus would have loved and accepted. it was the unloving church whom he condemned.
Terence Weldon
November 26, 2012
Ridiculous, ignorant commentary. The ex-pastor in #3 was not fired because of his “desire”” to be homosexual – he was fired because of his desire to live honestly and with integrity. We do not “choose” our sexual orientation, any more than we choose to be left- or right- handed (which shares many of the same features. There was a time when left -handed people were treated in the same way, and forced to write with their right hands. Today, we no longer say “It’s OK to be left-handed, just don’t write left-handed”. So why do some people still insist that “It’s OK to be gay, just don’t do gay”?)
Our sexuality, like every other part of our body and emotional make-up, is a gift from God. The Good Book tells us, “The truth will set you free”, and “Tell the truth in love”. In asking why these people have not simply listened to the spirit, you overlook the simple possibility that perhaps, this is precisely what they have been doing. God does not want us to live a lie. For those of us who know they are made in God’s image – and also gay, when we listen deeply t0 the voice of the Holy Spirit – that is precisely what we hear: living the truth of who are are is more honest than living an ex-gay lie.
Ken Lytle
November 27, 2012
Knowing Jesus and being like Him needs to be first and foremost in our personal and church lives. With that said, we need to remember that Jesus wants us to know what sin is, to repent, and turn from our selfish (sinful) ways. Homosexuality is not God’s will for humankind. God created one man and one woman who were made physically and emotionally for each other. Men were not created for each and women were not created for each other. We need to humble ourselves be God and let Him heal us according to His will.
Lorelei Cress
December 2, 2012
The people featured in this film were clearly devoted to God, and in intimate relationship with Him. They explained in the movie how they had pleaded with God for years to change them, most of them going through multiple programs designed to “heal” or “convert” them – but God has not chosen to change their desires or “heal” them. What right do you have to sit in judgment on them and decide that this is their choice, in spite of it being clear that they tried extremely hard to change this, even contemplating suicide? I can’t imagine anyone seeing the film and not perceiving that God is clearly working in their lives – but not on this. Obviously, as Shari (sp?) said in the film, it’s not His top priority.
Anthony Stokes
December 3, 2012
I think the second paragraph clues in to the author’s agenda. I’m really not sure why the author felt a need to assert his heterosexuality and how happy he is having a beautiful wife, other than to prove he’s not “one of them.” I also found the “gender teams” comment indicative that the author truly has no idea of understanding toward issues of gender identity or sexual orientation (which are two vastly different issues).
The film highlights the spiritual walks of SDA people who are actively gay. The choices of “sexual reparative therapy” (aka “pray the gay away”) and celibacy are not explored, largely because a dearth of material already exists on those subjects. And the conclusions reached in the film have been eye-opening for many viewers. That those conclusions upset the author really isn’t shocking, given his admitted (lack of) understanding regarding how homosexuality works.
My green eyes, while “abnormal” in a world of brown eyes, are not unnatural. I would venture to say the same about one’s hair color, skin color, right- or left-handedness, their gender identity, and their sexual orientation. I would not pray for God to heal me of my green eyes, because they do not need to be healed. They should be appreciated in a diverse world. While the film does not actually go so far as to take my position, the film does take the position that diverse people crave a spiritual path, and the film simply lets us see where those paths lead.
Tim
May 2, 2013
People may be “born” with tendencies or desires, however, that is not justification in and of itself to disregard Biblical laws and principles. In the same way, it is not Biblically acceptable for a person to attack or kill another person because that other person made them angry. Is it fair to say an individual should refrain from acting out in revenge because it is not the right thing to do nor a Christian-like behavior? Furthermore, would a truly converted individual want to act in a manner that is explicily prohibited in the words of the Bible and their divine convictions? What about the young man who feels a strong desire to shack up with a young lady in order to help her pay the bills? Are his actions justified because of his natural borne desires and tendencies? I would interject that living free in Christ does not give a license to live and openly celebrate a lifestyle in opposition to God’s law. On the contrary, it is God’s law that frees us from the grasp of satan. Each person must look inside themselves and ask who they are glorifying, Christ or self. This may be a hard question to truly answer. Nevertheless, reconciling our internal feeling by discounting the words in the Bible does not make it “right.” It would be more honest to openly disregard the Bible and the church if one truly chooses to follow their own desires regardless of what they are or how they acquired them. We cannot change God in order to make Him fit the image we “want” Him to fit. He gave us the Bible so we could make a choice to love and follow Him. Sometimes we have to sell our riches and closest possessions to follow Him; it isn’t easy in real life. To often we are guilty of trying to fix problems ourselves and blaming God when we fail. This applies to changing our lifestyle as well as “converting” others by ourselves. We should never forget that the same God who made heaven and earth and all things there in is the same God who has the power to work in our lives and change us. The same God who had the power to heal sinners as documented in the Bible has power to heal us, too, if we ask Him and submit our lives to His will. People may be offended by my beliefs that are contrary to their desires, however, I am offended by those who discredit the awesome power of the God I love in selfish attempts to uplift themselves in the eyes of themselves and their communities. Jesus died to save us even though is his human feelings wanted to live. In doing so, Jesus put the will of His father before the desires of His flesh.
Ken Lytle
May 4, 2013
Thanks for sharing Tim… great words to live by.
Brett Denman
December 7, 2012
Skip what are you talking about, man? Can i have the 2 minutes of my life back it took me to read your rubbish? Maybe you would feel more comfortable being a mormon because you do not speak as a Christian.
Lauren
December 12, 2012
I think one can judge the author of this commentary because of his assertion of being “not one of them” (not being homosexual or condoning same sex relationships). IMHO he is being clear on where he stands in general on this issue. While I believe we should love and respect people who identify as being homosexual as we should all people in humankind that Jesus loved enough to die for, based on my own study, the Bible is pretty clear in regard to calling out homosexual practices as sin. Now before you write me off as being an “intolerant gay hater”, there are other things also which the Bible calls out as sin, which even as Christians, we ignore and let slide in practice — lying, cheating, stealing, lustful thoughts/actions, etc. With God sin is sin, there are no grades of sin. If we cherish lying we come to the same demise as one who cherishes homosexuality. As humans because of sin our moral compass is realigned to what God originally intended by accepting salvation and walking daily with Him in relationship. Proverbs 14:12 says that there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it ends in death. We must accept the truth made plain in the Bible and then ask God what we should do with that truth. He will show us and He will show us how to do it with love.
Brett Denman
December 14, 2012
Amen Lauren. Thank you for bringing some light into this conversation. God bless.
Elaine Dodd
February 12, 2013
I am very heterosexual, but I have to add a resounding “amen” to Chantal and Lorelei. This movie is not trying to convert anyone to homosexuality.
Robin Lakari
April 28, 2020
1. Is oral sex a sin in marriage?
2. Can different sexual positions applied during sex in marriage?