Sean Major-Campbell | LGBTQ+ subject a gas lighter for the Jamaican Church

SOME QUESTIONS and concerns arose from the column on Sunday, May 7, calling for more positive sensitivity towards LGBTQ+ youth. It is always interesting to see how the subject is a sure gas lighter in the Jamaican church context. People will ignore every other subject and remain silent until this matter is raised. Mind you, the questions are helpful and facilitate a necessary conversation.

“If it is that a child decides that they would prefer a homosexual relationship after they have grown up and seen it then that is their decision but what is happening is that there is a push and a pool to get students to venture into the abnormality.”

In this broad subject area of human sexuality, an important truth is that people do not wait until “they have grown up” to decide about their sexual orientation. During their biological and psychological development, most people have a good sense from puberty what their attractions are. They do not choose to have crushes on the opposite or same gender. It just happens.

“It is important that the family structure is maintained.”

Which of the family structures are you thinking of here? Extended, visiting, nuclear, single parent, other? Jamaicans have always known various family structures. It is not the family structure that serves children best. Instead, it is the effective and functional context of that structure in terms of love, care, and support.

“Are you telling me that Anglicans do not condemn the LGBTQI+ lifestyle?”

My column is not necessarily a representation of what Anglicans do or believe. Suffice to say that Anglicans are not a monolithic group. Independent thinking is encouraged, and the voice of conscience is respected. On the matter at hand, LGBTQI+ is not a lifestyle. Gender and sexual diversity issues are simply realities within human experience.

“Where is God in all the LGBT talk?” Well for starters, God has no gender. When you think of it, God would not require a gender identity nor biological sex. As such, God would also lack a sexual orientation. Whether in the LGBT talk or otherwise, God is love.

Another concern was stated thus:

“They (homosexuals) were known to be travelling in threes and holding on persons to prey upon them. They were known to seek out the vulnerable and recruit them into Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Thanks for sharing this information. Did you ever report the matter to the police? While we are aware of many Jamaicans over the years wanting to migrate to more economically progressive countries, I was never aware that anyone would think that Jamaicans would have an interest in migrating to Sodom and Gomorrah. Was there an offer to cover air fares and so on?

“As a pastor you should be promoting conversion therapy.”

Since conversion therapy has been identified as bearing negative characteristics inclusive of being harmful, ineffective, discriminatory, and inhumane, it also fails to advance the interests of human dignity for everyone.

“Christian counselling with fasting and prayer can change these alphabet people.”

It is unethical to introduce fasting and prayer to the context of professional counselling. It is also inappropriate to further negate a group of people seeking to be represented as fellow human beings, by calling them “alphabet people”.

“Based on your column on Sunday, I was wondering how you treat with Christians in common-law unions? (By the way, I always share your column widely with others)”

I would treat Christians, as with any other group of people, in the same way. People should not be judged on the basis of their marital status. However, to be more direct with your question, I expect Christians to honour their unions, whether legal or common-law. They should understand that it is love that gives purpose and makes a union worthwhile (not a ring and marriage certificate). Thank you for sharing Family and Religion articles.

“Do you agree with these women who wear suits that make them look like men?”

It is not my place to agree or disagree with what women choose to wear. Gender norms are not first informed by law nor morality. Gender norms are social constructs. People should actually be free to wear anything they wish to wear so far as they are adhering to a required dress code for an event or context for which they previously had the information.

Thanks to all who facilitate discussion and conversation. Let me know what your pastors and Bible study groups are saying. Let us keep the sharing alive. Send questions and comments to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com

Father Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights and justice for all.

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