Social Principles

. . . of my religious denomination, the United Methodists. Embedded therein, and heretofore immovable, is the issue that divides much of America, even as it divides us Methodists.

"The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching."

Here's the problem. As Methodists we also believe, fervently, in what's commonly known as the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral." John Wesley himself did not use the term "quadrilateral" but he emphasized often enough in his sermons the need to 1) uphold the primacy of scripture, but temper it with 2) tradition, 3) reason, and 4) experience.

With regard to homosexuality, the plain fact is that it rarely a "practice," i.e., not a matter of choice. Except, perhaps, in exceptional circumstances: prison, long sea voyages, for example. But in normal circumstances it is, universally, a matter of biology. If you become acquainted with homosexuals, and have honest conversations, this fact becomes readily apparent. Scientists have yet to locate a "gay gene," but it is undeniable that homosexuality is a widespread phenomenon in nature, crossing species boundaries. Apart from humans it occurs among other mammals, birds, etc. Plenty of literature exists to support this truism.

I like this pronouncement in a court of law:

[T]here is little doubt that sexual orientation, the ground of the discrimination, is an immutable (and probably an innate, in the sense of in-born) characteristic rather than a choice. Wisely, neither Indiana nor Wisconsin argues otherwise.

Judge Richard Posner

7th Circuit Court

Baskin vs. Bogin, 2014

So, homosexuals are as God made them. Not a choice they made. Ask yourself, fellow Methodists -- does God make mistakes?

I believe that if you perceive a conflict between science and scripture, you should go with science every time. Science is the direct experience of God's creation. God gave us reason for a reason.