Loma Linda University Reaffirms Support of LGBT Individuals

Spectrum Website
#1

In what is becoming a common forum for proclaiming policy changes, President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning to announce a ban on transgender individuals in the U.S. Military.

In response, the Loma Linda University School of Public Health re-shared the February 2017 edition of “Notes from the President” to its Facebook page. “Notes from the President” is Loma Linda University Health’s monthly newsletter from President Richard Hart. In this particular note, Hart shares his views on how we should relate to LGBT individuals, and specifically addresses the unique challenges transgender individuals face.

Talking about LGBT identities

Fasten your seat belt. This issue is a tough one — but one we need to get out on the table and discuss.

Even that list of letters —LGBT — is new, unknown to some, and still changing. The term represents a broad group of people with various sexual identities and expressions — lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — covering all the way from same-sex attraction to gender dysphoria (previously called gender identity disorder). LGBT is the broad title used by many in today’s world, to which some now add Q, for queer or questioning, and I for intersex.

Few issues have divided religions, cultures, society, and especially families, more than this one.

As an academic health sciences center, Loma Linda University Health serves individuals representing all aspects of the LGBT spectrum, for we are called to meet the world where it is. It is critical that we understand, treat and support everyone whom we encounter, regardless of their hereditary, cultivated, assigned or self-assumed sexual identity. That is what we do as health professionals. It is what our code of conduct expects of us. I don’t think anyone can argue with that. And in this meeting, this dialogue, we come to know LGBT people as individuals facing their own struggles and pathways through life.

As with so much of our knowledge in medical science today, our understanding of sexual identity is rapidly changing. When I was in medical school, we were taught that homosexuality was caused by an overbearing father, or was it the mother? Now we know that besides the few clear cases caused by abnormal X or Y sex chromosomal expression, there are many more genetic variations that modify various hormonal pathways and result in a broad spectrum of psychological and physical changes.

What used to be a “binary” view of gender — you are either male or female — is now considered by many a “non-binary” model, where there is a whole spectrum of sexual identity and expression between the typically understood male and female ends of the spectrum. These variations make sexual identity and practices difficult to understand, accept and navigate for many. For example, we have biological boys at birth with the strong and persistent sense that they are really girls “trapped in a boy’s body,” and vice versa. This comes so early in life that it cannot be considered a choice they are making but rather an internal identity caused by their particular genetic code and its expression.

As I have tried to get my mind around such fundamental questions, one of the most helpful books I’ve read was recommended by a church committee on which I serve. The book is “Understanding Gender Dysphoria” by Mark Yarhouse, a Christian psychologist trained at Wheaton University. As one reads through the many case histories he shares, you have to be filled with both confusion and compassion for the huge dilemmas many people find themselves in as they seek to understand and deal with their sexuality/gender identity. The January 2017 issue of National Geographic, titled “Gender Revolution,” tells stories from around the world detailing how different cultures have treated these individuals. This is clearly not just a Western phenomenon, but part of the entire human experience.

This new reality and understanding now presents us with the need for a major paradigm shift in our relations with each other. How do I relate to someone who is different from me in such a fundamental way, yet deserves my care and friendship as much as anyone else? My own interactions suggest that most LGBT individuals are not trying to stand out, or fly a flag — they are longing to be accepted as a part of the human race and community they find themselves in, fellow travelers on this earth, just like the rest of us.

Yarhouse suggests that transgender individuals have three choices for understanding themselves and how to live their lives — as the traditional (to identify with one’s birth anatomy), as understanding one’s self to have a disability (a variation from normal) or to see oneself as representative of the great diversity in the world. What we know with certainty is that the emotional stress on LGBT individuals, particularly those dealing with transgender issues, leads to a very high suicide rate. Higher than normal rates of depression and social isolation are also widespread among others identifying under the LGBT umbrella.

Now, hang on, I know all about the Bible texts that talk about sexual variations, their sinfulness and results. But I also know that Christ Himself spent His time on this earth reaching out to individuals who were marginalized during His day — prostitutes, lepers, the lame, blind, demon possessed, tax collectors and the poorest of the poor. While the Bible doesn’t give us a specific story about Jesus relating to an LGBT person, individuals under this umbrella would certainly fit into His lexicon of those deserving His compassion and care. The question of causation asked of Him about the blind man — “Who sinned, this man or his parents?”— seems very pertinent here. Christ’s answer — “Neither, but to glorify God” — acknowledges His acceptance regardless of causation.

So what are we to do? What am I to do? What is Loma Linda University Health to do when LGBT individuals seek out our campus as a place of understanding and healing? They are certainly here, some we know about and I am sure many we don’t. Do we accept or reject? Do we brand and watch, or integrate and care? It seems to me the old acronym WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) comes to bear here as we acknowledge each individual as a child of God. It seems to me that this is not a time for judgment, but rather a time for acceptance, a time for offering emotional support during a difficult journey. What better role can you and I play than to relate to LGBT individuals as part of the family of struggling human beings to which we all belong?

Respectfully yours,

Richard Hart, MD, DrPH President Loma Linda University Health

Alisa Williams is managing editor at SpectrumMagazine.org. Image Credit: SpectrumMagazine.org If you respond to this article, please: Make sure your comments are germane to the topic; be concise in your reply; demonstrate respect for people and ideas whether you agree or disagree with them; and limit yourself to one comment per article, unless the author of the article directly engages you in further conversation. Comments that meet these criteria are welcome on the Spectrum Website. Comments that fail to meet these criteria will be removed.

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://spectrummagazine.org/node/8129
#2

Thank you to Dr. Hart for modeling true leadership, compassion, and basic human decency. This letter, and its re-posting yesterday as a small gesture on a difficult day for the entire LGBT community and their friends and family but especially our transgender siblings, is a small ray of light right now. Thank you.

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#3

It is the ignorant and uninformed who are so quick to judge; sadly, too often they claim to be Christian interpreters of Scripture. Yet in Jesus life as recorded we have the perfect example: Do not judge but demonstrate love and compassion.

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#4

“Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” 1 Pet 2:17

For this time…is this verse only applicable for intolerant, bigoted, ultra conservative Republicans?

Did anyone from Loma Linda, including Dr Hart, personally ask President Trump as to the details and advice he received to make such a decision?

So many in SDA circles overuse MATT 7:1 in their attempts to invalidate accusations, rebuke, chastening, criticism yet…is there any chance at all that someone is knee jerking here???

Anyone having stress or anxiety as people on Earth approach the tribulation/time of trouble?

Are not mass murderers, serial rapists, child molesters, Jihad/ISIS terrorists…Ted Wilson, LGT doctrine advocates, EG White supporters all children of God too?

Andrew,

Was it possible for Jesus to save Earthlings by avoiding the cross? He asked for it.
is it possible for all humans to be saved…or even all SDA members?

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#5

There is an example of how Jesus dealt with a marginalized individual who was being accused by the religious leaders of the day. They even quoted a clobber text to Jesus, “Moses says that we should stone such as these.” This is the story in John 8 where’s the leaders brought a protitutue to be stoned.

Jesus did three things:

  1. He dismissed the religious leaders who were doing the condemning, as they, according to the law, had no standing to do as they were doing. The one that should have come before the court was the husband of the accused.

  2. He refrained from condemning her: “Neither do I condemn you.”

  3. He told her to abandon her previous way of living. “Go and sin no more.”

So does this agree with Dr. Hart’s program of acceptance?

Yes and no.

  1. Jesus did not do away with the law regarding adultery and protitution enumerated in the OT. In fact, he referred to them as binding when he said that she should go and sin no more. Those laws still stand even today, including the injunction against homosexual behavior.

  2. He did not condemn her for her previous actions. That is the big deal in this whole story. Jesus DID condemn some while here on earth. The religious leaders were his main target, because they did not show mercy. However, Jesus did not downplay the law, even saying to them when they paid tithe on herbs that they should have done that, but not neglected the weightier matters, justice, mercy and faithfulness.

  3. So when would a prostitute deserve condemnation? Certainly Jesus did not condone prostitution, for he told her to stop her way of life. So when should we condemn such a one? That is the question that Hart does not seek to answer. But Jesus does. We are to have mercy, but to seek justice as well. And wisdom is knowing where that line is. There is no question that a practicing prostitute should be condemned. She is working as an agent of the devil, and is clearly breaking the law of God. Think of the high class call girls. And she is destroying herself and making herself unfit for heaven. But some women have fallen Into this because of poverty, and some girls have been kidnapped and forced into this. So we must temper justice with mercy as Jesus has said. The most difficult and delicate actions we ever have to take are to condemn those who deserve it, and have mercy on those that do not.

  4. If by “Acceptance”, Hart means to support gays and transsexuals in a promiscuous life style, then he is clearly missing the mark. Jesus did not support the life style of the prostitute. If he means that we should care for such as patients, that in not a problem. I own a rental business, and have rented to gays without asking questions. But if he means we need to accept their behavior as acceptable to God, he has stepped over Jesus’ admonition to go and sin no more.

Transexualim, “Gender Dystopia” remains a diagnosis in the most up to date psychology manual. Therefore, it is a divation from normal. It seems such an individual is confused, and needs treatement rather than support. But of course, one has to deal with the politics, not just the illness. I might add that those born with ambiguos genitalia and are assigned a gender and operations are done to conform the body to that gender, that 85% are satisfied with the results.

I might add one more thing. I don’t think there are any good stats on gay suicide. Orientation is not on death certificates, and that is how we determine cause of death. The certificate will say suicide by gunshot wound etc. Hart should have known that.

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#6

Allen Shepherd, you state:

If by “Acceptance”, Hart means to support gays and transsexuals in a promiscuous life style, then he is clearly missing the mark.

The majority of gay and lesbian couples I am acquainted with, are LEGALLY MARRIED under their state laws,
and are leading respectable productive MONOGAMOUS lives.

So their lives are no more "promiscuous " than the many similar straight, heterosexual, married, monogamous couples I know.

In my eignty one years on this planet, I have observed NUMEROUS heterosexual family members/friends/.acquaintances who had adulterous/extra-marital a affairs, including many babies born out of wedlock.

So the heterosexual population is not immune to "promiscuity "

I deeply resent your inference that gay/lesbian Adventists couples are in a "promiscuous life style " , when so many hetero friends are sexual sinners.

You need to apologize for this demeaning and denigrating comment!

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#8

Don’t you think you fit perfectly in your description?

Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery: “GO AND SIN NO MORE”. So Jesus DID JUDGE, several times. His disciples also.
Try to tell to a LGBT person “go and sin no more” and you will be considered a “hater” and a judgemental person, worthy to be lynched.

Jesus cast out the demons from the demonized people, even when He knew others will be upset.

Jesus was compassionate towards sinners who admitted their sin and wanted to change.
Jesus rebuked with strong words or even strong actions (like when “He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.”) people who didn’t feel remorse for their actions and people who were proud (like in “Gay pride”). So don’t try to make a Jesus in your image and liking.

“Commitment” to a sin and to a deviant behavior doesn’t make that sin acceptable and less sinful.
LEGAL doesn’t always mean MORAL.

In that passage, the condemnation meant giving a sentence and applying a punishment. It’s not that Jesus didn’t condemn the sin.

No. The accusers didn’t follow the law, which stated that both man and woman should be brought to be judged. Remember that they tried to catch Jesus violating the law of Moses, to have a reason to arrest Him. But they didn’t arrest Him, because Jesus didn’t violate the law.

The Bible says in many places that we ALL will be judged. Also there are many passages in which we are told to rebuke sin. So the meaning of that passage isn’t the one you want. Read the whole passage.

Why do you think God gave that laws and punishments, since there was no one without sin to apply them? Again, you are wrong.

ONLY?? How many verses should’ve been? There are more than six verses, anyway. One example:

[Jesus said,] “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.” (Matthew 19:4)

This is the only sexual relation accepted by God: between a man and a woman, in marriage. ALL OTHER VARIANTS ARE EXCLUDED. So there was no need for Jesus, God or other Bible writers to write something about every possible deviation and perversion.

So, for everything you don’t want to obey, you have this excuse? “But it’s written “only” x times!”

Only biased gays and pro-gay people think that.

There are many other commands and laws besides the ten commandments.

The suicide rates are much higher than in the rest of the population, even in countries where LGBT people have all the “rights”, since a long time. For example in Sweden. So the cause is not “social stigma”, but a mental disorder. People with other severe handicaps or social condition don’t commit suicide.

Yes, it’s a call for compassion. Not for acceptance as normality, not for acceptance or condoning the behavior, not for acceptance of “marriages”.

P.S. President Trump’s decision was a small step towards sanity. I know it wont last long.

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#11

One of the things I would do by God’s grace is to pray for these people and continue to show them God’s truth all in a Christian manner also with love. Being supportive of the LGBT individuals does not mean that we endorse homosexualtiy, rather it means that we love them and treat them as we ourselves would want to be treated were we in their situation.

There is no sin or practice which the power of God cannot stop or change completely. It is beyond our comnprehension how God can or would do it, but I know that with God, all things are indeed possible. Lets continue to pray and encourage the members of the community to know God and experience His power in their lives!

With men,this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

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#12

Does God not value nothing more than the freedom of each one of His children and He will ultimately not use His power to interfere with what everyone of us decides to do with his/her life? I think this is what Jesus Christ came to show during His life death and resurrection!

#14

I am so tired of the story of the prostitute being used by so many against gays. To have your very existence likened to that of a prostitute is very distressing. Of course he told her to “Now go and sin no more>” She was a prostitute. He wasn’t going to tell her "you can go back to work now."
Allen, do you ever hear the subject of support for gay people, beyond thinking about a sex act?

I am very glad to read these supportive words from the head of LLU.

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#19

Does anyone besides me ever wonder about the male party who participated in this act of adultery? Did Jesus consider him any less guilty? It seems obvious that only the woman was condemned to stoning because that was the culture of the day.

I think the whole point of Jesus’ actions in this story is “Judge not less ye be judged.” Since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, who will cast the first stone?

There are only six verses in the Bible which reference homosexuality. And with some of those there are questions about translation as well as context. There were only ten Commandments, none of which reference homosexuality. And Jesus summarized the ten into two: love God, love each other. I don’t see how making such an issue out of other people’s private lives, when they are causing no harm to anyone, is following any of those commands.

Dr. Hart said “… we know that besides the few clear cases caused by abnormal X or Y sex chromosomal expression, there are many more genetic variations that modify various hormonal pathways and result in a broad spectrum of psychological and physical changes… These variations make sexual identity and practices difficult to understand, accept and navigate for many. For example, we have biological boys at birth with the strong and persistent sense that they are really girls “trapped in a boy’s body,” and vice versa. This comes so early in life that it cannot be considered a choice they are making but rather an internal identity caused by their particular genetic code and its expression.”

I read this as a clear and concise call for compassion. It should relieve our minds of the burden of judgement. Science is making great strides in understanding the complexities of human behavior, but only God can trace perfectly from cause to effect.

Also, Mr. Shepherd, you questioned Dr. Hart’s statement about suicide rates in the LGBT community. He said “What we know with certainty is that the emotional stress on LGBT individuals, particularly those dealing with transgender issues, leads to a very high suicide rate. Higher than normal rates of depression and social isolation are also widespread among others identifying under the LGBT umbrella.” While you are correct about what is on a death certificate, there are clear stats about suicide ATTEMPTS in this group, and I believe Dr. Hart simply surmised that the rate of success would be higher as well. “Research on completed suicides in sexual minorities is preliminary. Members of the LGBT community have higher rates of all-cause mortality, and those living in areas with a higher degree of social stigma towards homosexuality tend to complete suicide at a younger age.” Hatzenbuehler, ML; et al. (Feb 2014). “Structural stigma and all-cause mortality in sexual minority populations”. Soc Sci Med. 103: 33–41. PMC 3818511 Freely accessible. PMID 23830012. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.06.005.

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#21

Bravo! Thank you, Dr. Hart.

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