Homosexuality

WHEREAS, On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage thus frustrating the will of the people who, on March 7, 2000, voted in favor (61.4%) of Proposition 22 which affirmed, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists historically have supported religious freedom and its related political ideal of a "free church in a free state," and affirm that the First Amendment statement on religion applies to the workplace in the sense that employers and employees should be free from governmental interference or coercion as they freely express matters of religious conviction; and

WHEREAS, Scripture speaks of the God-given rights of conscience and the freedom of dissent based on moral and religious principles (Daniel 1:3-17; Acts 4:5-20; 5:17-32); and

WHEREAS, President Obama has promised repeatedly to repeal current law (10USC654) and to change policies that prevent normalizing the open presence of homosexuals in the armed forces; and

WHEREAS, The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff has told Congress that he favors normalizing the open presence of homosexuals in the military because he thinks it is morally “the right thing to do”; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has frequently expressed alarm about the consequences of pornography upon the moral, family, and social life of our nation and the dramatic rise in the availability of pornography; and

WHEREAS, New applications of media technology have produced new opportunities for obscene communication through media such as "Dial-A-Porn", cable television and various obscene video cassettes; and

WHEREAS, Federal government agencies have demonstrated an increasing tendency to issue grants to groups, organizations, and institutions which promote sexual immorality; and

WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control has recently joined this trend, issuing a $25,000 grant to the 13th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference; and

WHEREAS, The Bible reveals God's design for humanity, organized around the institution of the family; and

WHEREAS, Scripture reveals that human sexuality is a divine gift declared good in His sight and meant for the enjoyment and fulfillment of men and women within the sacred institution of marriage, and only within that institution; and

WHEREAS, Scripture condemns any abuse of sexuality, including premarital sex, adultery, rape, incest, pornography, promiscuity, prostitution, and homosexuality; and

WHEREAS, From the beginning, the Bible establishes the basis for sexuality by declaring that human beings are created in God’s image as “male and female” (Genesis 1:26-27) and that “a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24); and

WHEREAS, Jesus answered questions about marriage by reaffirming this male/female and “one flesh” creation pattern for sexuality (Matthew 19:4-6); and

WHAT EVERY TEEN SHOULD KNOW
Educational programs geared to teens through USY, Ramah and our congregations should give the following messages, within a broader educational context dealing with issues of sexuality in general:
1. All people are entitled to be treated with human dignity and respected as unique individuals in all programs, institutions and congregations in the Conservative movement.

CONCLUSIONS
1) We consider the desire for same sex erotic activity to be a רצי like any other רצי. There should be no discrimination against anyone based merely on the presence or absence of such feelings.
2) Everyone has an equal obligation to observe the law, whatever the content of a person’s רצי may be. We recognize that observing any law will be more difficult for some than for others; people for whom observing a law is more difficult deserve our understanding and support, but their greater degree of difficulty does not absolve them of responsibility.

V. CONCLUSIONS
A. Piskei Din: Legal Findings
Based upon our study of halakhic precedents regarding both sexual norms and human dignity, we reach the following conclusions:
1. The explicit biblical ban on anal sex between men remains in effect. Gay men are instructed to refrain from anal sex.