Salvation Army Homosexuality position twisted by the media.
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THE ABC ONLINE STATEMENT BELOW
The Salvation Army in Australia is distancing itself from a statement by its international parent organisation that homosexuality is "an unacceptable urge".The gay community has criticised the church's online declaration. Church spokesman Major Bruce Harmer says its Australian arm believes the statement needs to be changed. He has denied the Salvation Army is homophobic and has appealed to the gay community not make judgements on the declaration.
"If you had a bad taxi driver, you wouldn't group all taxi drivers the same as well," he said. "At the moment the international statement is our statement, but we are working behind the scenes." He says the church's position on homosexuality is being debated internally and the Australian arm believes it needs to be changed. Major Harmer says the Salvos offer services to all who are in need, regardless of sexual orientation.
"The Salvation Army has worked for many years with gay and lesbian people through their treatment centres and welfare agencies, we have employees who are gay and members of our church who are gay," he said. "So it's easy to take one phrase and run with it, but in reality the Salvation Army is not homophobic."
THE SALVATION ARMY AUSTRALIAN TERRITORIES
POSITIONAL STATEMENT HUMAN SEXUALITY
The Salvation Army seeks to understand, accept, and lovingly minister to all people, recognising the depth and intensity of feeling about sexual identity, as well as the attendant pain and difficulties sometimes experienced in living in harmony with God’s standards.
Homosexuality is broadly defined as being sexually attracted to, having a definite sexual preference for, people of the same gender It is The Salvation Army’s belief that whilst recognising the possibility of such orientation, (the origins of which are uncertain), the Bible expressly opposes homosexual practice1, seeing such activity as rebellion against God’s plan for the created order.²
The Bible teaches³ that God’s intention for humankind is that society should be ordered on the basis of lifelong, legally sanctioned heterosexual unions. Such unions (marriages), having the potential for procreation, lead to the formation of social units (families), which are essential to human personal development and therefore to the stability of the community.
We firmly believe that obedience to God together with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, make it possible for all to live a lifestyle pleasing to Him. This may include celibacy or self restraint for those who will not or cannot marry.
A disposition towards homosexuality is not in itself blameworthy nor is the disposition seen as rectifiable at will. The Army is sensitive to the complex social, emotional and spiritual needs of all people including those with homosexual inclinations. We oppose vilification of, or discrimination against anyone on the grounds of sexual orientation. No person is excluded from membership, fellowship or service in the Army solely on the basis of sexual disposition.
Homosexual practice, however, is, in the light of Scripture, clearly unacceptable4. Such activity is chosen behaviour and is thus a matter of the will. It is therefore able to be directed or restrained in the same way heterosexual urges are controlled. Homosexual practice would render any person ineligible for full membership (soldiership) in the Army. However, practising homosexuals are welcome to worship with, and join in the fellowship of The Salvation Army.
Regardless of sexual orientation, any person who yields to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and determines, by God’s grace, to live in accordance with the Scriptural principles outlined above, is welcomed and accorded all the benefits and privileges of membership in The Salvation Army.
1Leviticus 18:22
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable” (NIV)
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders.., 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.” (MV)
2 Romans 1:23-25
“… and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 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 worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.” (NIV)
3 Genesis 1:27
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (N IV)
Genesis 2:21-24
“So the LORD God caused the man to fail into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’ ribs and dosed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (NIV)
4 Romans 1:26-27
Also highlights bi-sexual practice as unacceptable.
Approved by IHQ, November 1996.
