Shawn Graves

“In my mind, choice is the basis of Christianity, but the choice is not about sexuality, it is about how we treat other people. That is the choice about which we should be most concerned.”
― David Ferguson, Christianity and Homosexuality - Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives

“As I became more open about both the abuse and my sexuality, I discovered that many people tried to link these two aspects of my life in a cause-and-effect relationship. It became frustrating for me to explain repeatedly that sexual abuse does not necessarily affect sexual orientation, as evidenced by the multitudes of straight women who survive abuse. I eventually realized that people who need a reason for homosexuality will find one regardless of its relevance. As for myself, I believe I would have been a lesbian with or without a history of sexual abuse.”
― David Ferguson, Christianity and Homosexuality - Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives

“Without going into detail, after many years I have become convinced that the biblical references to same-sex behavior were written in a situational and cultural context that does not apply to people with a homosexual orientation, and that the Bible does not give specific instruction regarding how homosexuals should live.”
― David Ferguson, Christianity and Homosexuality - Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives

“So at the risk of being a broken record, was Paul condemning people born with same-sex attraction? No. Was he condemning any and all same-sex sex acts? No. Was he condemning sexual activity, engaged in by people of the same sex, that was either exploitive (such as pederasty) or economic (such as prostitution) in nature? It would sure seem so.”
― Colby Martin, UnClobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality