When I first read the news report, my curiosity was naturally raised on how a Singaporean pastor would make a statement saying that "this is God's purpose - the existence of the homosexual community". It was revealed several days later that Yap had retired and he was speaking in his personal capacity. Whatever his status, it must have been a coup for the LGBT community to find a retired bishop to support their cause.
Researching the internet to find out more, I found a transcript of an address he made in May 07 on this issue. The address is re-produced here and my responses in [BLUE]:
Let me at the outset indicate the rationale for my perspective on homosexuality.
I can do no better than to quote from an official statement of The United Methodist Church in the United States that considers homosexuality as incompatible with Christian teachings and I am a Methodist. Yet it is this same Church that recognizes its "limited understanding of this complex gift and encourages the medical, theological, and social science disciplines to combine in a determined effort to understand human sexuality more completely. We call the Church to take the leadership role in bringing together these disciplines to address this most complex issue."
[Yap seemed to suggest that the "incompatible" statement came before the "limited understanding statement and the paragraph suggested that even though the Methodist leaders took this stand, there were uncertainty in the position adopted. In the United Methodist Church (UMC) Book of Discipline which he quoted from, it actually spoke about human sexuality. This complex gift is not about homosexual orientation but human sexuality. Rather than uncertainty, having bringing together these disciplines to address homosexuality as one of this complex issue, the affirmation was that the church "does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching". However the same article also stressed that "homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth... affirm that God's grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community... implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.".]
My approach is therefore a multi-disciplinary one.
Firstly, I will raise some general observations about the teaching of the Bible itself.
I quote a former colleague of mine when I was teaching at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Victor Paul Furnish, a distinguished Professor of New Testament who wrote: "Homosexuality is not a prominent Biblical concern. The earliest ethical codes of the Hebrews makes no mention of homosexual behavior. There is nothing about it in the Ten Commandments. The four Gospels record no saying of Jesus on the subject. The texts that are discussed are few and far between and not even all of these are pertinent."
Firstly, I will raise some general observations about the teaching of the Bible itself.
I quote a former colleague of mine when I was teaching at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Victor Paul Furnish, a distinguished Professor of New Testament who wrote: "Homosexuality is not a prominent Biblical concern. The earliest ethical codes of the Hebrews makes no mention of homosexual behavior. There is nothing about it in the Ten Commandments. The four Gospels record no saying of Jesus on the subject. The texts that are discussed are few and far between and not even all of these are pertinent."
[This is a weak argument. Bestality, peodopilia and necrophilia are similarly not mentioned in the Ten Commandments nor did Jesus talk about these subject in the Four Gospels records. Are we to make a similar conclusion that sex with animals, children or corpses are not condemned? The reason why these and many other issues were not mentioned was simply that they weren't of practical concerns to the people in Jesus' time. Remember that the Gospels were written to tell the good news and not to be a comprehensive list of dos and don'ts. John, Jesus' disciple, ended his book by saying that "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written."]
But what do we see in many Churches in different parts of the world today?
Homosexuality has become a major issue, much more serious than doctrine or church order. It is projected to split the Episcopal Church in the United States as well as the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury who is personally gay-affirming, has to recognize the current teaching of the Anglican Communion which is against homosexuality.
[It is sad that homosexual advocates who want the best of both worlds have invaded the churches to create chaos in the Christian world. Are these splits necessarily bad? The Protestant movement led by Martin Luther against the excesses and false doctrines of the Catholic church in 1517 and sparked the most momentous split in Christendom. On hindsight, this split helped the Catholics to re-examine their own actions and led to their own revival.]
As Christians refer to this common source of the Bible, those who are anti-gay are quick to say that the Bible says so and then close the Book. And the controversial issue of homosexuality is no longer discussed. The teaching of the Bible leads to the teaching of the Church which then becomes official, and obedience is demanded. The different perspectives arise from the differing interpretation of the words of the Bible and the teachings of the Church and its pronouncements change as we gain more knowledge and insights.
[Why must Christians who says that the Bible is against homosexual practices be labelled as "anti-gay"? Christians may be against abortion but no one label one who is against the act of abortion as one who is against the women who committed such acts. It just shows the propaganda that advocates for homosexuals go through that they cannot or will not accept Christians' opposition against the homosexual practices but not the personalities. Also, from a pastor who probably has a greater depth of theological knowledge than myself, the word "controversial" is a little strong. The issue of homosexual practices is no longer discussed in the church because the Bible is clear. Again it is not the Church that is demanding obedience but the Bible. The Bible says to love the Lord your God with all your mind (Matthew 22:37). It means that Christians need to be convinced in their mind when they choose to be obedient to God's word. Yap should give more credit to bona-fide Christians and not to assume that we are all blindly led by the Church.]
My view is that the different books of the Bible are time bound, historically related, culturally conditioned and contextually based. They are related to the time and place of the recorded events. They reflect the society and the culture at the time the books of the Bible were written. The revelation of God is mediated and translated by inspired human beings who are not infallible. We have to account for the relevancy of the teaching to our contemporary context.
[I will agree that the Bible needs to be understood and interpreted with the context it was written in mind. However, there are eternal values and temporal issues. Where it is temporal, the Bible explains it. As an example, the ritual cleanliness Mosaic laws and its sacrificial systems are no longer applicable to Christian because Jesus paid the ultimate and complete price as a substitution for our sins. Hence we need not sacrifice any more animals and sprinkle any more blood because Jesus death on the cross has made the final and complete sacrifice. Because of this, we can boldly approach God without needing to go through the ritual cleanliness routine. On the issue of infallibility of the scripture writers, it is instructive to note that Jesus equated whatever that was written in the Old Testament as the literal word of God. Not once did he cast doubts on the Old Testament the way Yap has decided to allude to here.]
The various books of the Bible are the products of writers who claim to have received the revelation from God, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, put it in writing. Their different interpretations resulted in the changing official teaching of the Church and the varying perspectives of Biblical scholars and theologians. This process continues and we have today come together to share our different perspectives and though we differ, we are expected to respect our differences.
[Yap did not give an example of different interpretation of the biblical writers and I suspect there isn't a single example that he could have quoted.]
The teaching of the Church must necessarily be continuously changing. Take for instance human relationships, we have moved from the predominantly patriarchal to more equality between men and women. In reference to health we are attributing disease not to spirit possession but to bacteria and viruses. In terms of geography even the flat earth has been rounded into a spherical one. Our world-view is ever changing.
[The patriarchal argument has always been thrown at the Christians but let me just quote 2 examples that contradict this idea:
So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. (Ephesians 5:28-29)
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. (1 Corinthians 7:4)
These 2 biblical quotations don't sound very patriarchal to me about men and women. What sinful humans decide to do should not be attributed as the fault of the Bible (ditto for the crusades, witch-hunts, inquisitions, apartheid, slavery etc).
The Bible is also not a medical or science text books but where it speaks of issues alluded to medical or science issues, there are no contradictions to the established facts and observations of the real world.]
With this as background, the Biblical view of sexual relationships is that heterosexuals who engage in same-sex acts are sinful. The Biblical writers regard all men as heterosexual and in condemning same-sex acts, they see it as men exchanging their male role to that of an inferior role of women. At that time, they were not able to distinguish between those whom we now identify as homosexual, from the heterosexual. Their view was that of heterosexuals engaging in same-sex sexual acts.
[Again, Yap decided to make a statement (italic) without substantiating it. As my previous comment, the Bible's and Jesus' treatment of women were far more enlightened during their time and even perhaps today. I know detractors will start quoting bible verses to the contrary but I will leave that to another post. Yap should also give more credit to the ancient world. Within the Jewish community, homosexuality was not an issue because God specifically spoke against it but in the Greco-Roman era, the people were far more aware and accepting of such practices. The apostle Paul himself was a Roman citizen and yet with the ability to "distinguish between those who we now identify as homosexual", he was the foremost speaker against the practice of homosexuality.]
The Biblical texts that explicitly talk about same-sex acts are few in number. The brief references are related to laws of purity, holiness, temple rituals and to the Greco-Roman culture and pagan worship. There were temple prostitutes, male prostitution and pederasty (mentoring and sex with young callboys). Jesus did not deal with same-sex relations in His teaching although he had much to say about sex, love, marriage and divorce. Homosexuality in terms of sexual orientation and long-term committed relationships as we understand them today was not discussed and not even a term used at that time.
[See my previous comments about Jesus' non-treatment of homosexuality and awareness during Jesus' time about homosexuality.]
It was much later that the term "homosexual" was used. Homosexuality as a term was introduced in 1869. It first appeared in newer translations of the Bible – Revised Standard Version in 1946 and in New International Version in 1978. Homosexuality is not originally a Biblical word.
[The Greek word used by the New Testament writers, translated by the English Bible as homosexuals, is arsenokoites (literally male-bed). A related Greek word malakos (literally soft of persons) is translated by the Bible as effeminate. LGBT argued that if the apostle Paul had wanted to refer to homosexuals, he would have used a more "common" Greek term paiderasste (lovers of boys, literally paid-lovers). The English language updates itself over time. Prior to 1869, the King James Version translated arsenokoites as "abusers of themselves with mankind". Given that arsenokoites is a masculine voice, the subsequent rendering to homosexuality is natural.
But I don't think the nuances of the Greek language is the issue and besides, I am not expert or a user of Greek. LGBT who wants to be Christians want to split hair over the specific type of homosexual practices that the Bible actually condemned and insist that it did not include loving monogamous ones by scrutinising the Greek used. If we go back to one of the verses in question, it reads "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.". Why insists on performing word gymnastics on the Greek word used for homosexuals and not for the rest? I am sure we can find specific circumstances of the other 8 traits that the Bible condemns.]
Other terms like 'heterosexual,' 'bisexual,' and ‘transgendered’ presuppose an understanding of human sexuality that was possible only with modern psychology and sociological analysis. The ancient writers were operating without the faintest idea of what we have learned to call 'sexual orientation'.
[See above on malakos for effeminate or transgendered.]
Let us look more closely at some of the Biblical records related to sexuality and how they show varying perspectives.
The law of Moses allowed for man to divorce his wife on account of some "indecency" in her. (Deuteronomy 24:1); Jesus categorically forbids it and will not man "put asunder" those united in marriage. (Mark 10:1-12); Jesus was also said to have sanctioned divorce on the condition of "unchastity." (Matthew 9:9). Yet many Christians, in clear violation of a command of Jesus are divorced and for other reasons.
Divorced people are allowed baptism, church membership, communion, ordination and re-marriage but this has not always been the case for homosexuals. What makes the one so much greater a sin than the other, especially considering the fact that Jesus never even mentioned homosexuality but explicitly condemned divorce? Yet we ordain divorcees. Why not homosexuals?
[I don't really follow Yap's line of argument vis-a-vis divorce. The sins of divorce and homosexuality are the same in the eyes of God. I hope Yap is not suggesting that divorced people who have been allowed baptism, communion etc are holding up their heads high and proclaiming that they are proud of being a divorcee and will choose to divorce again should they get married. Homosexuals want to be allowed baptism, communion etc still hang on to their homosexual lifestyles. Isn't there a big difference here?]
Take the issue of sex itself. It began with sex only for procreation which the early Christian theologians agree. When it serves to satisfy lust it is regarded as venial sin. Augustine in the fifth century said that we should mature as early as possible to the point when we can dispense with sexual intercourse.
However, the Old Testament regarded celibacy as abnormal and we are to be fruitful and multiply. And 1 Timothy 4:1-3 calls compulsory celibacy a heresy. Yet the Catholic Church has made celibacy mandatory for priests and nuns. Some Christian anti-gay demand celibacy of homosexuals, whether they have a vocation for celibacy or not. Some anti-gay people condone sexual orientation but condemn homosexual acts. Some gay and lesbians like heterosexuals have chosen to live a life of single blessedness.
[Actually the Bible is neutral on celibacy. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:7 wished that all men were single like him in the time of distress during his time but in the same breath, he recognised the both marriage and celibacy are God's gifts. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 just states that in the last days, amongst many things, some people will forbid marriages (Was Paul referring to the Catholics?). Interestingly, the Bible only explicitly condemned homosexual acts and not feelings unlike lust where Jesus specifically made the point that one has committed adultery if he looked at a woman in lust. This has led to one view that a person may have homosexual orientation but can still avoid sinning by not acting on them as Yap has alluded to.]
Leviticus 21 discussed how priests need to be morally, and even physically unblemished and must meet the requirements of the purity laws at that time. Today most of these purity laws are being ignored.
[See earlier comments on Mosaic ritual cleanliness laws.]
Far from being a Book full of bad news for gays and lesbians, I believe the Bible is indeed full of good news of God's love for all of creation - gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight alike. The Bible has no clear and consistent sex ethic and only knows a love ethic, which is constantly being brought to bear on whatever sexual mores, moral codes or church teachings are dominant in any given country, culture, or period. There is also the emphasis on grace rather than on law.
[For that matter, the Bible is full of good news for divorcees, women who underwent abortions, sinners all if they repent and accept the saving grace that Jesus freely gives. At the same time, the Bible also clearly state in no uncertain terms that "Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God".]
The medical sciences today acknowledge homosexuality as a sexual orientation, not a medical, psychological or psychiatric condition that can be changed therapeutically.
It is on record that the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders in 1973. In 1975 it then released a public statement that homosexuality is not a mental disorder. In 1994, two decades later, the APA categorically said, "... homosexuality is neither a mental illness nor a moral depravity. It is the way a portion of the population expresses human love and sexuality".
The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and other major groups of medical, educational, and counseling professionals have concluded that there exists, as yet, no scientific basis for the contention that so-called reparative, reorientation, or conversion therapies can successfully change a person’s orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. The prevailing view among therapists is that gay and lesbian patients should be helped to improve their self-esteem and to overcome the continuing stigmatization of homosexuality in many societies. However reparative therapies are being endorsed by the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, which represents a minority of psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other practitioners, and by some religions.
It is on record that the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders in 1973. In 1975 it then released a public statement that homosexuality is not a mental disorder. In 1994, two decades later, the APA categorically said, "... homosexuality is neither a mental illness nor a moral depravity. It is the way a portion of the population expresses human love and sexuality".
The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and other major groups of medical, educational, and counseling professionals have concluded that there exists, as yet, no scientific basis for the contention that so-called reparative, reorientation, or conversion therapies can successfully change a person’s orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. The prevailing view among therapists is that gay and lesbian patients should be helped to improve their self-esteem and to overcome the continuing stigmatization of homosexuality in many societies. However reparative therapies are being endorsed by the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, which represents a minority of psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other practitioners, and by some religions.
[In a lawsuit trigger-happy society where individual rights triumphs over all and where churches are brow-beaten to accept homosexuals, it is not surprising that APA has acquiesced to the militant pressures of the LGBT community.]
Recently MM Lee Kuan Yew was widely quoted on this issue: "If in fact it is true, and I have asked doctors this, that you are genetically born a homosexual -- because that's the nature of the genetic random transmission of genes -- you can't help it," he said in remarks published by The Straits Times.
"So why should we criminalize it?" Lee asked.
"But there is such a strong inhibition, in all societies -- Christianity, Islam, even the Hindu (and) Chinese societies. And we are now confronted with a persisting aberration. But is it an aberration? It's a genetic variation."
"So why should we criminalize it?" Lee asked.
"But there is such a strong inhibition, in all societies -- Christianity, Islam, even the Hindu (and) Chinese societies. And we are now confronted with a persisting aberration. But is it an aberration? It's a genetic variation."
Homosexuality is not an aberration, tendency, or inclination. It is a genetic or biological variation. It is an orientation.
We must admit that we do not know for certain the causes of homosexuality. This concluding statement in an article of causes best summarizes the situation:
"Perhaps there is no one answer, that sexual orientation, whether homosexual or heterosexual; gay, straight, lesbian, or bisexual, all are a cause of a complex interaction between environmental, cognitive, and anatomical factors, shaping the individual at an early age."
We must admit that we do not know for certain the causes of homosexuality. This concluding statement in an article of causes best summarizes the situation:
"Perhaps there is no one answer, that sexual orientation, whether homosexual or heterosexual; gay, straight, lesbian, or bisexual, all are a cause of a complex interaction between environmental, cognitive, and anatomical factors, shaping the individual at an early age."
[MM Lee has made several statements in support for the de-criminalisation of homosexual acts, the latest in a recent interview with IHT without even being prompted. How do I read this? Being the 110% pragmatic man that he is, the man always have a hard-nosed reason for his words and actions. The latest interview where he commented that Singapore will need to go the same way as China and Hong Kong did to recognise gays and lesbians showed that, in all probability, hard-nosed economics played a part. Siew Kum Hong also suggested that the LGBT community in Singapore may need to pitch the economic arguments which drew mixed reactions from the community.
Pure genetics arguments are flawed because you will always almost able to find twins who will end up with different sexual orientations. If it is nurture and not nature, then people have a choice and make his/her own decision.]
Pure genetics arguments are flawed because you will always almost able to find twins who will end up with different sexual orientations. If it is nurture and not nature, then people have a choice and make his/her own decision.]
Given this medical perspective on homosexuality how do I minister to GLBT people? Within the larger framework of my understanding of the love of God for all of God’s people and my reading of Christian ethics relating to justice and concern for the marginalized and minorities, I can only affirm and accept the GLBT community and render my service to them in whatever way that is helpful.
From my perspective, homosexuality is within the purpose of God in creation. There is a continuum of sexual relationships from heterosexualilty to homosexuality. God has made it possible for each individual to be unique and different and I affirm the diversity in God’s creation. Homosexuality is a given and not a choice.
From my perspective, homosexuality is within the purpose of God in creation. There is a continuum of sexual relationships from heterosexualilty to homosexuality. God has made it possible for each individual to be unique and different and I affirm the diversity in God’s creation. Homosexuality is a given and not a choice.
[Yap makes this baffling logical leap from the previous discussion on the genetic basis of homosexuality and admitting that he did not know the causes of homosexuality to starting the next segment that assumed that there was a medical basis to the behaviour and ended with the statement that homosexuality is a given and not a choice.]
In my experience of pastoral care to the gay community, I feel their pain and agony when they first became aware of their attraction to people of the same sex. Their experience is that it is not a phase that will go away. In the solitariness of their closets they struggle and pray. Most gay people know from painful personal experience that their homosexual inclination is definitely not a deliberate choice. Who would in their right mind choose to be gay when they know they will be relegated to a despised minority. On the contrary, they choose to wear masks and pretend to be straight. Yet opponents of gay rights choose to disregard these personal experiences and continue to portray homosexuality as a sinful choice that should be criminalised.
We are aware that the gay community has the responsibility to change the perception that the gay lifestyle is hedonistic and promiscuous. The straights have the problem of pursuing a hedonistic and promiscuous lifestyle as well. The distinctive difference rests on having sexual intercourse with the same or opposite sex.
As I come alongside them, I sense their silent pain, I see their falling tears, I hear their aching hearts. Today I feel their rising hope for they are receiving affirmation, recovering dignity and restoring pride to be gay.
As I come alongside them, I sense their silent pain, I see their falling tears, I hear their aching hearts. Today I feel their rising hope for they are receiving affirmation, recovering dignity and restoring pride to be gay.
[Though I may not knowingly know any LGBT people, I can definitely relate to the pain and agony Yap is talking about. Everyone of us must our individual and sometime unique struggles and pains. Some of us knows that some of the things we do are not right and yet for some inexplicable reasons, we continue to do them. Understanding the pain and the struggle does not logically mean that we should legitimise the act.
Why would anyone choose to be gay if they knew they will be despised? I honestly don't know. Just as I don't know why people decide to do drugs knowing that it will cause harm to their bodies or why people still want to continue to commit adultery knowing that it will destroy the family. Actually, on second thought, I know the answer to the latter questions. The Bible says we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Without turning to God, we will all seek to satisfy our sinful nature.]
Why would anyone choose to be gay if they knew they will be despised? I honestly don't know. Just as I don't know why people decide to do drugs knowing that it will cause harm to their bodies or why people still want to continue to commit adultery knowing that it will destroy the family. Actually, on second thought, I know the answer to the latter questions. The Bible says we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Without turning to God, we will all seek to satisfy our sinful nature.]
They are hearing and believing what Victor Paul Furnish said: "It accords with the most fundamental witness of Scripture that one's sexuality is to be received as a good gift of God. Moreover, this gift is to be expressed in ways that manifest the grace of God -for there is not variance in the reality of God's love, which graces and claims us, whatever the particularities of our own time and place. As for sexual relationships, God's love can find clear expression only where the partners are fully committed and faithful to one another."
Homosexuality is therefore a gift from God to be accepted. It is not a result of human sin or the fallen nature because of Adam. We all have, by the grace of God, to live out the purposes of God, straight or gay, for we are all created by God.
Homosexuality is therefore a gift from God to be accepted. It is not a result of human sin or the fallen nature because of Adam. We all have, by the grace of God, to live out the purposes of God, straight or gay, for we are all created by God.
[Finally from Yap's lack of certainty about the cause of homosexuality to stating that it is a clear-cut medical/genetic condition, we have come to Yap's final unsubstantiated conclusion that homosexuality is a gift from God. It sounds almost as dogmatic as Christians saying that homosexuality is wrong because the Bible said so.
What's my position on the call for repeal? Actually, after saying so much, I think that it will be an eventuality because Singapore is a secular nation and in the same way that the nation do not criminalise divorce or abortion-on-demand, there is no rationale for Christians to demand that homosexuality remained a crime in Singapore.
My concerns are based more on the aftermath of the repeal. As distant as it may sound and as much as the LGBT community assured that these are not in the current agenda, the experiences of US, UK and Sweden have shown the eventuality of them happening.
I will only suggest that since the Singapore government always takes a systematic and comprehensive approach to issues, we should take the repeal with all the other implications as a complete package for deliberation. This will allow Singaporeans to deliberate the full implications of what LBGT community sees as a "necessary actions to promote greater civil rights of a growing minority" on the rest of the silent majority.]
Rev. Yap Kim Hao is former bishop of the Methodist Church of Singapore and currently serves as pastoral advisor to the free Community Church of Singapore. Transcript of Dr. Yap Kim Hao's address at the Public Dialogue on Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality and Pastoral Care organised by Safehaven, a ministry of the Free Community Church, Singapore on 10 May 07. Dr Yap Kim Hao is former bishop of the Methodist Church of Singapore and currently serves as pastoral advisor to the free Community Church of Singapore.
Read his earlier longer but similar essay here.
No comments:
Post a Comment