I greatly respect Marin and appreciate the effort imonk has put forth in an attempt to ensure the success of Marin’s work.

If Marin can reduce rampant evangelical homophobia, good for him (and us gays), but his portrayal of gays in his book (which I have read) was deeply irritating to me. I did not see myself and the many LGBT folks I know and love–the majority of whom had some version of a Christian upbringing–in the people he portrayed. He systematically refused to portray any gays who were happy, well adjusted and secular. Instead, he fell back into the old missionary trope of broken, sad gays who really are longing to be just like him: Christian. Perhaps he had to portray gays this way for his (straight) evangelical audience to have sympathy for them, but to me, it belied a certain arrogance that comes with refusing to believe that others could lead hold radically different beliefs than yours and lead very different lives that are nonetheless happy, fulfilled, ethical, and deeply meaningful. Perhaps my basic beef is with exclusivist Christian soteriology and the attitude it breeds among some Christians about the possibility of happiness and fulfillment among non-Christian people.

Lest I be the needlessly aggressive gay atheist interloper, thank you iMonk for hosting a civil discussion and working to fight evangelical homophobia. I do hope that my secular gay voice may offer a different perspective as well, and I apologize if I breached the bounds of civility in my above comments.

If you want to be put everyone who disagrees with gay marriage in the same bin, go ahead. I get death threats…. fairly regularly, but I’ve decided that’s the nut case fringe. I’m assuming that the people who come to this blog and say “Thanks for being different and promoting a civil discussion” mean it sincerely.

I’ll take the love (which has been shockingly absent from Christians toward gay folks for about two millennia), but please keep the Christ-pointing to yourselves. You lack any credibility to do among LGBT folks and best I can tell, your good news for LGBT folks is to be sexless and single, which most of us will take a pass on.

If it’s Marin or Fred Phelps, I’ll gladly take Marin, but I mostly wish that Christians would leave LGBT folks alone. Also, Marin consistently refuses to say whether or not he thinks it’s okay for gay folks to be sexual with each other. He lets Christians think that he’s trying to “witness” to gay folks and get them to convert (and presumably stop being gay and/or having gay sex). He lets gays think that he is the rare evangelical who actually approves of homosexuality (though he refuses to say this).

Hence, I accuse Marin of being a two-faced self-promoter, telling everyone what they want to hear. But there’s so much anxiety in the evangelical world about growing acceptance of gay folks that there’s surely plenty of money and fame to be had in his racket.

Glenda, I’m one who believes that homosexuality is wrong, but I think that question you ask above is an excellent one.

I’m grateful for Michael bringing this book to my attention. I’ve read it, recommended it to others, and gotten my local library to purchase a copy.

Marin never compromises that he believes homosexual behavior to be wrong, but his focus is always on compassion. I’m not hurt when people tell me that they believe homosexuality to be wrong. But I am hurt when people who have barely studied the issue assume that the answers are obvious and that of course I must know that what I’m doing is wrong. I don’t know; I’m searching. As with many issues, the more I study it the more questions that arise.

It hurts when I’m reduced to a sin. I’m “that lesbian.” The church doesn’t seem nearly as concerned about my lack of love for others or about the doubts that plague my relationship with Jesus. Why is the most important thing about me my sexuality?

It hurts when people tell me all I have to do is to decide not to be gay any more. I have no more idea of how to do that than to fly. How many Christians would still be in church if being a Christian meant THEY had to be celibate and to never have a partner to share life with?

It hurts when I come to church struggling, but there’s no one safe enough for me to talk with.

Marin doesn’t ask for compromise — only compassion. Trust that God is big enough to teach us and change us in his timing and his way. Please provide safe relationships where gays can explore and discover what God is about.

what does the gospel of Jesus Christ say about homosexuality, and by extension, to homosexuals ? Yes, I know they are much more than a collection of sexual preference and expression…..the question still stands (for me at least)

not making this a sermonette, here, but how we minister with and to the GLBT community will be shaped by how we answer this question, among others.

the shed blood upon all of us broken, lost coins
Greg R