I share Ben Carson’s religion – but not his views on LGBT people

If you knew how the Seventh-day Adventist church handled LGBT topics – you wouldn't be surprised by Carson’s comments.

Photo Courtesy Gage Skidmore via Wiki Commons.

Earlier this week, Presidential hopeful Dr. Ben Carson put his foot in his mouth when he said that being gay is “absolutely a choice.” Then, he compounded his error by pointing to prisons “A lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight and when they come out, they’re gay,” Carson said on CNN. “So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question.”

The backlash was, predictably, swift and garnered responses many major news outlets. Immediately, LGBT rights groups objected and some conservatives like Bryan Fischer were quick to praise him for speaking what they perceive to be truth. But to their dismay, within days, Carson moved to quell the uproar: He apologized at length on his Facebook page – with some qualifications.

He writes, in part:


“I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended…”

But then he goes on to say,” there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality. We do know, however, that we are always born male and female. And I know that we are all made in God’s image, which means we are all deserving of respect and dignity.”

Carson’s apology is gracious and affirms God’s image in LGBT people (although excludes the biological reality of intersex people when saying “we are always born male and female”). Coincidentally, Carson’s usage of “in God’s image” is reflective of the title of a recent conference held by the Seventh-day Adventist Church – a denomination both Carson and I are a part of.

Carson has long been seen as an Adventist thought leader. I even read his books as a pre-teen. As a lower income person of color, I resonated with his story. But last year, I commented on his anti-LGBT statements mourning the loss of a childhood hero.

So I was hardly surprised by Carson’s original statement. They reflect the official views of the SDA Church.

The SDA Church official stance on “homosexuality” (which until 2012 called homosexuality a “disorder”) does not affirm intimate same-sex relationships. The SDA Church believes that sexual intimacy is reserved for one man and one woman in a marriage covenant. “This was the design established by God at creation.”

Beyond the official statement, all of the conferences on the LGBT community and literature that have come out in the last five years through official channels of the SDA Church mirror Carson’s comments.


In fact, many have even painted LGBT people in a worse light.

For example, Last year’s SDA international gathering in Cape Town, South Africa, devoted four days to the topic In God’s Image: Sexuality, Scripture and Society without hearing from any LGBT voices. Instead of engaging Seventh-Gay Adventist: A film about faith on the marginsIntercollegiate Adventist GSA CoalitionSDA Kinship International, or We Are SDAs – our church decided to, yet again, exclude us.

Yes, things have been much worse. Two years ago, the North Pacific Union Conference of the SDA Church hosted Gays In the Family; a presentation on familial approaches to LGBT people. Dr. Ball, a licensed therapist, insisted the majority of gay men were sexually abused and if they were to resolve that sexual trauma they would become straight. She continued to say that the “born this way” narrative is fatalistic and leads to a “gay lifestyle” insisting that “gay activists actually use that to get money from people, to fight for the gay agenda.

Just last year, an ex-gay presenter at a SDA Youth Conference said LGBT people were demon possessed. And said “if we allow homosexuals to bring their lovers into church, and we start letting them teach Sabbath school, you’re allowing demons to come in with them and to engage with your children….”

When you look at how the SDA church speaks about LGBT people, Dr. Ben Carson’s comments start to make a lot more sense.

I do believe Dr. Carson is being genuine with his comments. His sincerely held beliefs, while perhaps harmful, reflect the church He’s been a part of for decades.

But there’s one thing setting Dr. Carson and the SDA Church apart: Dr. Carson realized his mistakes, apologized for them, and promised to do better. That’s something the SDA Church has yet to do – and there’s plenty to apologize for.


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