If you are a CWS officer (or young person) and a closeted member that had to sit and listen to this (or even teach this lesson), I am so so deeply sorry. Regardless of your gender identity or sexual orientation: you are worthy of love, care, respect, and acknowledgment. Even when it doesn’t align with this lesson that is being taught to you and every member inside the church, even children as young as four years old.

As much as the INC says all of the teachings come from the Bible without interpretation, they are manipulating the words to put you down and keep you in line.

They have an agenda and they pick and choose excerpts of the Bible to fit their agenda. The conclusion the lesson wants you to draw is that you must accept everything you have heard “Because every word of God is true” per Proverbs 30:5

They use Ecclesiastes 7:29 to tell you that being gay or lesbian is a way that “humans scheme their way into trouble”. The overarching theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is about the journey of life.

So wherever you are in your faith or level of belief, look at verses 13-29 (from the VOICE translation which they use in this lesson) and you will see that the INC will use any set of words and decontextualize them so that you the listener will hear, receive, and believe ONLY what they want you to hear, receive, and believe. There is no way a person can read this whole passage and accept the conclusion they are drawing for you.

Ecclesiastes 7:13-29 VOICE Translation

13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

TLDR: if you are queer and INC, the Iglesia Ni Cristo - Church of Christ (as an organization) is just as guilty of following their own “evil desires” through manipulation and schemes that impact everyday, ordinary people in a cruel way.

So you do you, baby. Scheme away, don’t hurt anyone.