Seventh-Gay Adventists the Movie

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.