The Conscience & Justice Council formed around 7 years ago. It is a collection of SDA individuals, (mostly PARL directors) who share an interest in progressive social and cultural issues. Under the guise of promoting religious liberty they often promote social justice causes. Based on the provided reference, the organization was active in 2018, as evidenced by their convention held from September 13-16, 2018, in Houston, Texas.
This presentation on LGBTQ+ by Olive Hemmings is from the 2023 Conscience and Justice convention which took place on September 28-30 at the North American Division.
Hemmings says, near the end of her presentation:
(1:14:42) “They face challenges in the world because their gender does not match their orientation. Put yourself in somebody else's shoe just for a little minute. That's what we're asking (Matthew 7:12). We're not asking you to agree with anybody's lifestyle. Don't bother with the texts, they already read all those Bible texts. They have already read that. That does not solve the problem that they really have. Because the problem is a problem of their being. It's not a Biblical problem they have.”
Au contraire. Moral failure is defined by the Word of God, and when we violate God’s moral standards and creational distinctions, we invite many consequences into our life. LGBTQ+ is most definitely a “biblical problem.” And fortunately, the Bible has the solution to moral failure and axiological rebellion against His creational distinctions. There is hope, through repentance and cleansing.
As we have written before, 95-99% of PARL directors in Adventism are polilibs (even ones from Australia). Funny how that happens. Surely some sort of neutrality is preferable? You would think that the PARL environ might mirror the American culture and be a blend (conservatism and leftism). But, no, not in the last three or four decades. It’s all left. And they are the biblical authority, according to themselves.
Questions
Are these PARL individuals hired because they are left-leaning, or does the position move them left? Does the Adventist ethos just plain tilt politically left? Did our founders anticipate and promote this tilt? Since most cultural left issues run counter to the Bible, it doesn’t follow that our founders would have that tilt (abortion, LGBTQ+, DEI, CRT etc..). How does it happen?
Discuss!
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