Should we discriminate on the basis of sexual

orientation in Adventist schools?

By Sunil Sarkar, August, 2013

Introduction

The Adventist education policy today is in between two opinions whether to

adapt or to discriminate an individual or a group of individuals on the basis of
sexual orientation emerging public policy. According to Adventist Education
(2013) God created human beings after His image that fell into sin and He reclaims
them from their sinful condition redeeming through education (Para. 1). Sexual
orientation is defined as an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual
attractions to men, women, or both sexes groups and a persons sense of identity
based on those attraction, related behavior and membership in a community
(American Psychological Association, 2008, p.1) like gays, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgender (GLBT). Every human is sinner, all of us need transformation from our
sinful nature learning through education and none of us should suffer the negative
effect, hatred or isolation. Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of
different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or
sex (Google, 2013). Adventist education should cater the needs of those students
who are practicing or predisposed to perversion with the goal to redirecting them to
Gods original sexual orientation.

Basic arguments on the basis of sexual orientation and discrimination

Recently in many Adventist schools various form of sexual orientation are

emerging due to biological factor, socialism, secularism, cultural relativism and
universalism which have been forming minor sexual groups who are discriminated
because of their identity, gender and behavior. United Nations following the
universality, equality, non-discrimination and anti-discrimination of human rights
declared:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights... all people
including LGBT are entitled to enjoy the protections provided for by
international human rights law, including in respect rights to life, security of
person and privacy, the right to be free from torture, arbitrary arrest and
detention, the right to be free from discrimination and the right to freedom of
expression, association and peaceful assembly (United Nation, 2011, p. 4)

The United Nations public policy on sex orientation and protection of

human rights is a pressure on the religious denominations as they are struggling to
understand the factors to control their education systems, moral living and
socialization through religious policies and laws. If the Adventist educational
institutions decides not to discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation it will
bring greater challenges for the children, teens, youth and adult to maintain the
code of Adventist philosophy on sexual behavior. The effect of sexual rights,
religious behavior and possible way for the Adventist education are described
below:

Public rights VS religious rights

The public policies are in conflict with religious policies in regard to the
acceptance of sexual minority groups like GLBT. Many religious institutions today
are facing the commonalities of human rights legal issues along with the public
institutions on the basis of sex orientation as the number of GLBT are increasing in
the religious communities. After facing many legitimate questions of different
countries, cultures, religions and philosophies United Nations decided to accept a
universal root to address the issues on sexual orientation (United Nations, 2011, pp
4- 11). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) has taken a stand to
protect against discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin and
other status recognize that protection against the discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation is necessary for human anatomy (Yecies,2011, pp.789-792).
The reason for GLBT seeking for human rights in any religious institution can
have biological or behavioral, genetic or environmental basis which need to be
considered without any discrimination (Felson, 2011, pp. 1-4). Even if the morality
disapproval of religious institutions assails the acceptance of GLBT, it should have
a ground to provide help and support to restore in them the true image of God
through education (White, 1952, p.20).

Morality VS sexual behavior

Even though the traditional religious moral value system opposes the basis
of sexual orientation of individual or minor groups in their schools, churches and
communities; it is a high time to contextualize the behavior of the religious groups
with the individual or minor groups behavior even to change them. The prejudice
is formed after the traditional religious practices among a group of people as they
strongly influence on the behavior of the individuals till they change them like the
group in which individual opinions are not important as groups opinions
(McLeland, 2008, pp.104- 106). We need to emphasize our core moral values
practicing through religious socialization as it impact on our family socialization
and the socialization of individual behavior regarding sex orientation. Felson
(2011) research shows that, Jewish and secular families are more likely to have
homosexual attraction, identity and behavior due to their family socialization rather
than people from conservative protestant homes (p.1). I believe that Adventist
education, home values and lifestyles will be a great help for many people of
secular world not to become gays, lesbians or bisexual. It will also provide hope,
healthy living and values for the transsexuals or eunuchs instead of discrimination
or casting odd feelings on them.

Conviction VS conversion

For many centuries it is a hard task to change sexual orientation which

historically been static and applied among the people of our denominations,
cultures, and countries (Beckstead, 2012, p.122). American Psychological
Association (2008) seeks for a comprehensive view on the practical ground if it is
possible to change or control the attraction of sex orientation (p.). The method of
converting non-heterosexual orientation is not yet available, sexual reorientation is
spreading internationally and a realistic viewpoint will help the future societies to
live positively with such attractions ( Beckstead, 2012, pp 121-125). McLeland
(2008) quoted Schamma (2006) that even in the case of American slavery, the
religious leaders used spiritual texts to support both slavery and abolitionists
position"(p.104). And today we clearly value that the discrimination on slavery
was a very shameful activity of our ancestors on individuals and minor groups. The
discrimination on slavery bios included variables like race, ethnicity and socio-
economic status; and the discrimination on sexual orientation bios may includes
different variables like gender, spouse and culture; yet all bios are needed to be
removed from any religious groups to lead all human to God. It is possible to
change a gay or lesbian with prayers, meditations and education. However it will
be a challenging and responsible task for religious to accept and help the grief of
sexual minorities to benefit the future society.

Why discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation

Many people believe that Christian organizations should discriminate on the
basis of sexual orientation, because the secular, liberal and conservative
organization and societies today are not ready to face effect of acceptance of sexual
orientation. If religious institutions make a decision not to discriminate on the basis
of sexual orientation many attacks will come against the religious values, ethics,
principles and philosophies. If Adventist schools accept GBLT it will be hard to
predict the culture of the future community. The GBLT will surely need a different
policy like nudity laws and gesture conduct laws to be accordance with Adventist
common school policy.

Secular and Christian societies

The equality Act 2010 public law protects the GLBT not to be despised
tortured and suffered by the common people (Bennetts, 2011, p.44); however
church morality made no provision to receive GLBT, accepting or getting
acquainted with them. The public law ensures the GLBT are not discriminated in
their employment place and enjoy the hospitality, goods and services like all other
common people (Bennetts, 2011, pp.44-45). After all the consideration of human
rights of secular societies is accepting the GLBT on the basis of sexual orientation;
but Christian societies due its moral standards, biblical principles and marriage
laws are not yet ready to accept the presence, approaches, behavior of GLBT. If
any Christian educational institutions accept the GLBT, many students, teachers
and administrators will be shocked, confused, in risk and have great challenges to
maintain the moral, social, religious and cultural life of the schools. Adventist
education till today did not take any position sex education and sex orientation as it
is not biblical to tolerate and go with. However, I feel that GLBTs are exceptional
cases and we must have exceptional policy to accept them to change their lives.
The Adventist schools can ensure Christian values in them, than they themselves
follow secular values.
Public policy and religious policy

The denominational religious policy to lead conservative, liberal, secular and

special interests groups need to adjust with the public policy to be united in a
community. The Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical and other Christian churches are
yet to take political position about the denominational lay opinion on the public
policy of sex orientation for the special interest group without changing the
traditional structure ( Van Geest, 2008, pp.335- 347). The Christian denominations
must have a policy for special interest group which will not change the
denomination but the denomination will change the small groups and their
interests. The theological orientation denominations must be flexible in adjusting
sexual orientation public policy equally for the main and special interest groups.

Cultural relativism and universalism:

Due to cultural diversity various dimensions of sexual behaviors, customs,

rituals and rights are observed by several small groups which have diverse
approaches and complexities. United States have been rejecting cultural relativism
law rights due to its complexity in approaches, and United Nation accepted the
universal human right law accepting its universality of international sexual
orientation rights for the special groups( Lau, 2004, pp. 1-4). The church cannot
decide on rationality of universality but it has directed theological foundations
which believed present there from the creation of the world.

Adventist environment and challenge:

It is important to psychologically train the minority special groups about the

ethical principal to create sexual minority affirmative environments" ( Bahr, Brish
& Croteau, 2000, p.271) in the religious denominations.
 a qualitative study on 37 gay and lesbian Seventh-day Adventists
evaluating their home environments and journeys in trying to reconcile a
lesbian or gay sexual orientation with an identity as Christian. Findings offer
contextual information regarding the participants experience growing up in
Adventist families and Adventist churches whose religious beliefs prohibited
homosexual behavior. Findings highlight various strategies participants used
to resist homosexuality, including several change strategies that appear
unique to Christian gay and lesbian persons (Drumm, 2011, p.1).

The sexual orientation is in contrast with religious authorization of the SDA

church. The Adventist education and boarding school system can be reason for a
person to turn to be a gay or lesbian as same sex live together in the dormitories. A
SDA gay stated in an interview that Seventh-day Adventist education was another
important factor for participants, on stated that the greatest influence on my
development as an Adventist was probably the fact that I attended SDA schools
from first grade through master (Durumm, 2011, pp.3). Another person searched
for a church affiliated change ministry program like reformed homosexual
ministry and was a victim to become gay on a residential treatment by a pastor who
was an Adventist ( Drumm, 2011, p. 5). So, if the SDA education and campuses
accept the GLBT many similar stories and issues are yet to happen which may
change the environment and culture of a traditional SDA school.

Reasons for Adventist School not discriminate the sexual orientation

Public institutions as example

Many companies in America are following the public policy non-

discrimination of GLBT on human right along with the United Nations human
rights policy. The organizations made corporate policies to be flexible and
adjustable with the gays without discriminating them. Religious denomination
need to have a separate policy to lead the special groups along with the majority. If
the conflict arises as gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals increases with
stronger basis for sexual orientation and identity enhancement and the religious
objections are also grows bigger. ( NeJaime, 2012). This way the Adventist
education system can be a medium of cure and help in this situation as it will have
a better policy to create in human an image of God.

Mainstreaming possibilities

It is important to accept the GLBT as a huge number of people are facing the

need of mainstreaming of sex orientation in the churches, schools and job places.

Pollack (2007) stated that the "sexual orientation and religion can coexist in the

work environment and be fairly dealt with when orientating, training and

supervising employees...regardless of his or her sexual orientation or religious

beliefs. " (p. 179). After Adventist schools make a decision not to discriminate the

basis of sexual orientation, it needs to follow strategies to make it functions for the

humanity and for the kingdom of God. Mainstreaming is a very important topic for

all secular, liberal and religious organization. Much more education, acceptance,

non-discrimination and anti-discrimination policies are need to be to co-operate

with special groups of GLBT so that the diversity, productivity and orientation

issues will be resolved from our school to be fair to everyone (Sexual orientation,

2002). The secular schools and organizations are taking a step ahead to help and

give rights to the special group GLBT. If the people of secular companies are

being inclusive, how much more inclusive we should be towards to one another
having different basis of sexual orientation. Adventist schools must start making

special, fair and strategic policies for them to win their soul for Jesus.

Adventist Philosophical- Redemptive approach

Redemption is in the purpose of education. God sent His son Jesus to

preach, teach and help the revelation of God so that we can be saved from our
sinfulness following the truth. The aim of true education is to restore human
beings into image of God as revealed by the life of Jesus Christ (Adventist
Education, 2013). Adventist educator must be redemptive in nature to help every
human being from their sins regardless of gender, race and tribe; and lead them in
the light of the truth of Jesus. Adventists educations should help to preach the
gospel to every nations, tongue and people. We must not hesitate to teach gays,
lesbians, bisexual and transsexuals the love of Jesus that they may over come and
able to learn to resist over their temptation by the power of His spirit.

Conclusion

The different view of laws, politics, cultures and religions on sexual

orientation and its discrimination leads us to God to seek for the guidance of Holy
Spirit about the strategies we should use for effective Adventist education to attain
this controversial issue of accepting the special group with different sexual
orientation. Just the way United Nations discover the law not to discriminate and
protect the LGBT on the basis of sexual orientation from the law cases, so did
every law was formed, revised and implemented for Gods revelation, common
good and human rights. Every religious education system must be open regarding
upcoming social trend issues to be effectively attaining help for the weak, needy
and sinners. Adventist education must foster the rights and freedom of every
human being leading them to Jesus with the power of Holy Spirit. When it is about
Adventist education we must not rely on ourselves but rely on Jesus for His
guidance. He wants to save every human being. Education and redemption are one.
We are Carnal by nature as the people who seeks for sexual orientation. Church is
not a house of the saints but hospital for the sin sick soul. Adventist educational
institutions or community must not to discriminate the special group of GLBT, nor
should they label them or call them sinner. If Jesus would discriminate us because
we are sinner, than we would not have redemption. He came to save us in this
world to even though He has to offer his life on the cross of Calvary; He made us
righteous by his Grace. We being a follower of Jesus cannot discriminate any
people regardless of race, sex, age, gender or any other distinctiveness. To control
the overt actions of minor odd sexual group the church can follow the
governments nudity laws and legislation not to offend the common citizens.
Adventist education can firmly uphold the denominational policy to control its
inhabitants to fulfill the purpose of God. At the same time change the life of the
people those who deviated. Adventist education must be inclusive in nature and
must not discriminate the basis of sexual orientation in our schools, colleges and
universities.

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