Suddenly Different - My Coming Out Part-2

Suddenly Different - Reply to some inquiries: How I reconciled my sexuality with my faith

Dr. Dobson refuted for misrepresenting research

Ex-Gay Leaders Apologize

Excellent NEW Christmas song

Out in Nature: Episode 6

Out in Nature: Episode 5

Out in Nature: Episode 4

Out in Nature: Episode 3

Out in Nature: Episode 2

Out in Nature: Episode 1

The church has long maintained that homosexuality is "against nature".  It was easier for the church to maintain this position when they controlled the flow of knowledge to the ignorant masses.  Technology and time has changed this stranglehold on information.  The TRUTH is now OUT.  Question for the church: Where is "celibacy" found in nature?  Nowhere!  So who then are REALLY against nature. 

Video Documentary - The Right to Love - A gay family tells their story

This video documentary about those most directly impacted from hate laws toward gay marriage, will stir your soul --- well -- if you have one

A Pastor's son "comes-out" --- eloquently ... lovingly

Suddenly Different - My Coming Out Part-1

Suddenly Different - My Coming Out - The Preface

Whats goin on --- WAKE UP CHRISTIAN

19yo defends his Lesbian parents to Iowa politicians

"Adam & Eve" -- a study on origins, NOT a dissertation on marriage

Click here to learn how to answer when the Critiques misuse the Bible when they say, "God created Adam & Eve, not Adam and Steve"

Fascinating History: What the church would rather hide

Click here: Gay marriage sanctioned by ancient church

FREE and downloadable book: "What we wish we had known"

I just posted the link to a very informative yet brief book that can quickly address many points of the gay “issue” from several perspectives: 

* Scientific

 * Social

* Family Life

* Theological

To Download the FREE and Complete version of the book overview described below, copy the following link into your browser: 

For English version, go to http://pcmk.org/blue_book.pdf

For Spanish version, go to: http://pcmk.org/bluebookSpanish.pdf

Some words from the preface to this FREE downloadable book: 

"...Experience has taught us that not everyone is interested in the same aspects of this issue, so a “Question and Response” format is used. Most of us were concerned initially with the survival of our families. Some wanted to know more about the scientific perspective or social issues; others wanted to know exactly what the Bible said. Some of us did not quite understand why a gay person would “come out” or what sexual orientation is.

The Question and Response format allows readers to refer quickly and directly to those questions that most interest them The subject matter is divided into sections including scientific, social, family life and theological perspectives. 

These questions cover areas that we wish we had understood before our loved ones disclosed their identity. Like any organized society, families with information, openness and love can heal and be transformed. We hope that our experience and search will be useful to others and will open dialogue, reduce fear and estrangement among families and help in the healing of broken relationships.

The common perception that gay people are marginal, identifiable and rare is untrue. Our loved ones lead productive and happy lives. They work, live, love, pay taxes, have friendships, interests, contribute to the world and are honored by their families. Their lives are just as special and just as ordinary as ours.

Many of us grew up with the idea that homosexuals are a visible enemy from whom we must protect ourselves and our families. The reality is that most gay people are invisible because the world is unsafe for them and they are among the people we most love and respect.

The Presbyterian Church

Mt. Kisco, New York..."

Consider the index of topics covered, then click on the link in my recommend books list:

Planet earth -- our Only home. Stirs me to Believe

Famous gays

We hurt too

Imagine - A World Without Gays

Keep Your Standards High

Keep Your Standards High

Hold yourself to a high standard. To raise the quality of your reality, raise your expectations.

Refuse to listen to your own excuses. Demand integrity, commitment and persistence from yourself in all your undertakings.

Keep yourself lovingly and gratefully focused on whatever is truly important to you. Let go of any urge to be cynical, and allow your most meaningful dreams to flourish within your awareness.

Get in the habit of finding and expanding what’s best, in yourself, in others, and in each situation. Learn to see the value in moments large and small, and act to make positive use of that value.

Resist the temptation to shortchange yourself or others, or to settle for anything less than your very best. This is your unique and precious life, so give it all the respect and effort it is due.

Fill each day with richness and excellence, competence and solid, honest commitment. Keep your standards high, and seek to live such that you’ll never have any regrets.

Make it a great day!

----------------------------------------------------------

Thought of the Day

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure

are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” 
Dale Carnegie

URGENT - PLEASE take 2 minutes of your life, and help millions

Dear friend,

I just added my voice to this urgent appeal, standing for human rights in Russia and all over the world. Medvedev and Putin's party is pushing a law to vote this week that would make any mention of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender issues illegal.

The bill, being introduced as early as this Wednesday, would criminalize any book, article or speech about sexual identity and gender orientation, labeling it "homosexual propaganda". This is outrageous, and now is the time for key world leaders to speak up, we need every voice.

Will you take a minute to add yours?

Cut & Paste into your browser, and add your name: allout.org/russia_silenced

Some levity to start the weekend

A Good Salesman
A young guy from Massachusetts moves to Florida and goes to a big "everything under one roof" store looking for a job. The manager says,

"Do you have any sales experience?"

The kid says "Yeah. I was a salesman back in Massachusetts."

Well, the boss liked the kid and gave him the job. "You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close and see how you did."

His first day on the job was rough, but he got through it. After the store was locked up, the boss came to see him. "How many customers bought something from you today?

The kid says "One".

The boss says "Just one? Our sales people average 20 to 30 customers a day. How much was the sale for?"

The kid says, "$101,237.65".

The boss says, "$101,237.65? What the heck did you sell him?"

The kid says, "First, I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fishhook. Then I sold him a larger fishhook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast, so I told him he was going to need a boat, so we went down to the boat department and I sold him a twin engine Chris Craft. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the automotive department and sold him that 4x4 Expedition."

The boss said "A guy came in here to buy a fish hook and you sold him a BOAT and a TRUCK? Is that right?"

The kid answered, "No, the guy came in here to buy Tampons for his wife, and I said, 'Dude, your weekend's shot; you should go fishing.'

Australian Hockey Player Comes Out

Professional soccer player, David Testo, comes out of closet!!

Christian Parents of Gay Teens

Christian parents of gay teens --- you don't have to choose between your love and your faith

Suddenly Different - The Intro

Suddenly Different - Being Outed and How to Come-Out

Fav Video: Ricky Martin talks about coming-out on Oprah

Fav Video: Gay Rugby Player -- It gets better

Fav Video - gay guy accepted by str8 rugby team. Inspiration to gays and str8's

Fav Video: Former Rugby Star Ben Cohen Tackles Anti-Gay Bullying

Fav Video: Gay Rugby Star Gareth Thomas

My Video: Gay & Christian in the military?

To see my YouTube Channel, click here

My Writings: SET FREE

(Though often depressed, I had good days too.  Slowly I began to reject the draconian view the church held about homosexuality --- though I remained a virgin until 28 --- my spirit was beginning to embrace the idea that I was "ok" just the way I am --- gay!  I was about 15 or 16 when I wrote this poem)

Their Songs Rang Louder In Time

But I Made a Sound And I Made It Mine

So I Set My Sails

And I Set ‘Em High

I Spread My Wings

And I Spread ‘Em Wide

I Sang My Song

And I Sought My Dreams

And I Reached For The Son

On Crystal Beams

And When By Chance

I Should Fall

I Stood Again

And I Stand Real Tall

For I Seek All I Can Be

And I Know What I Am

But My Dreams Will Sail The North Winds

Before The Winter Can...

So Don’t Curse Life

For The Ups And Downs

The Highs And Lows

The Leaps And bounds

Just Open Your Eyes

And You Shall  See

A Lesson Learned

Is A Spirit Set Free

My Writings: Lonesome Traveler

(Written when I was 16 years old ... struggling to understand my sexuality and God's hate -- at least as portrayed by the church)

YOU’RE JUST A LOST AND LONESOME TRAVELER

THROUGH PRISMS OF LOST TIME...

REFLECTING LIFELESS COLORS

IN THE SHADOWS OF YOUR MIND

YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE AND DREAM YOUR DREAMS

AND CLAIM THAT YOU ARE FREE...

BUT YOUR MIND IS CLOSED, YOUR HEART IS NUMB

YOU WALK, BUT CANNOT SEE...

YOU SPEAK YOUR MIND AND MAKE NO SOUND

BUT TALK OF DAYS TO COME...

YET YOUR SPIRIT STILL CRIES FOR ANSWERS

YOU KNOW NOT WHERE THEY’VE GONE

YOU’RE YOUNG , YOU’RE WILD AND FREE

WHAT MORE CAN I GET, YOU OFTEN WONDER...

WHILE MEMORIES HAUNT YOUR SPIRIT

LIKE MOANS OF DISTANT THUNDER

YOU HITCH YOUR DREAMS ON DISTANT STARS

YOUR DRIFT ON SHALLOW HIGHS...

YOUR FRIENDS ARE ALL AROUND YOU

TILL PROBLEMS RIP THE SKY

YES, YOU SAY YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS,

IN YOUR BOLD SELF-RIGHTEOUS WAY...

YET TRUTH SHALL POINT ITS FINGER

AND DEATH SHALL HAVE ITS SAY...

BECAUSE...

YOU’RE JUST A LONESOME TRAVELER

THROUGH VALLEYS OF NO TIME

PRISMS OF NO COLOR

HAVE CAST SHADOWS IN YOUR MIND

My Writings: ECLIPSE

I wrote this odd poem when I was 14 years old.  Though devoutly christian, I saw the future very bleakly.  I knew I was gay, and there was nothing I could do about it.  I have to remain virgin; live my life doing the Lord's work and pleasing the church; then die and go to hell -- never to know intimate love with another human being --- a man.

ECLIPSe

Flowers Blooming

Birds Singing

Trees Budding

Children Laughing...Spring is Here

Wars Waging

Cities Choking

Someone’s Crying

Stuffed Men Sighing...A Busy Day

People Dying

The Sun’s Setting

Oceans Lapping

Tomorrow’s Waiting...For What?

My Writings: Autumn Leaves

(I wrote this when I was about 15-16yo.  I was raised in -- what I call -- a christian-taliban family; Very devout, and very politically active fundamentalist christians.  I was sincere and devout myself, but my spirit gasped for air as I was struggling alone, without a solitary gay friend or mentor, or a sympathetic ear from the church.  These were my torments as I tried to come to terms with my sexuality and where it left me in the grand scheme of things)

GOD HAS BECOME LIKE THE AUTUMN LEAVES...SOMETHING LONGED FOR, A DREAM, AND A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE, BUT DRY AND COLD...WITHOUT LIFE.

SOMEHOW IT ALL SEEMS SO WRONG.  IT MUST BE AN ILLUSION, BUT DAMN IT, IT FEELS SO REAL.  THE WINDS ARE COLD AND THEY CUT SO DEEP.  I’M SO ALONE, BUT WHY?  FREEDOM, WHERE DOES YOUR SUN RISE, YOUR NIGHT IS SO LONG.  STILL I SEEK --- BUT I KNOW NOT WHY!

PEACE HAS ELUDED ME.  WHAT I THOUGHT I SAW, WAS JUST AN ILLUSION.  IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY FOR ME...YESTERDAY WAS AN ILLUSION OF THE DAY THAT WENT BEFORE, AND DREAMS ARE WISHFUL MEMORIES OF DAYS STILL LOCKED IN STORE.  FOREVER IN THE MOMENT, STILL I DREAM --- BUT WHY?

IN A VOID BETWEEN MAN AND GOD, WORTHY OF NEITHER AND BLAMED BY BOTH.  ALONE, NATURALLY.  WHY DO I FEEL I MUST FIGHT?  I’LL STILL BE ALONE IN THE END...FIGHTING THESE BATTLES NOT SURE I CAN WIN.  IT’S SPITE, I GUESS...AGAINST GOD OR MAN OR WHATEVER --- (MYSELF)!?  I MUST NOT LET THEM THINK THEY’VE WON, THOUGH IT SEEMS SO SURE I’LL LOSE.  I’LL DIE IN THE EFFORT, THAN LET THEM LIVE IN THE VICTORY.

ALL THE FIGHTING AND PAIN, DISCIPLINE AND SHAME...ALONE NO LESS.  WAS IT ALL JUST A LONELY AND CONFUSED HEART CRYING OUT FOR TRUTH AND PURPOSE, AND IN THE FACE OF REALIZING A DARK AND LONELY VOID, CREATED IN DESPERATION ITS OWN IMAGE OF THE PEACE IT STRIVED SO LONG TO HOLD.

THIS “JESUS” --- ANOTHER ILLUSION!?  STILL, A NOBLE THING TO STRIVE FOR, I GUESS.  BUT DID HE EVER REALLY CARE.  WAS HE EVER REALLY THERE...AND WHERE AM I ???

I’VE GOT TO KEEP FIGHTING.  I CAN’T QUIT.  I’VE GOT TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING...EVEN IF IT IS JUST AN ILLUSION.

SO I DREAM AND SEEK, BUT I KNOW NOT WHY

Diamond in the Rough

Well -- it's official -- it's 00.02 hrs on Nov. 1, 2011, I'm 50 yrs old sitting here in South Africa, and I've just started my first blog.  Welcome to my world.

I've never done anything like this before -- not sure what to say.  Do I start at the beginning, or just jump in from where I'm at and go off on random, exciting tangents?  I just don't know -- but I know I have to do something because ever since I was a kid, I've been told I should be a writer.  And now that I'm older and have some eclectic "sea stories" to tell about life, and my perspective on things, people the world over have been pestering me to put it to "print".  Well, these days, I guess you put it to blogs or vlogs.  And so at 50, I take my first baby steps into blogdom.

I hope you enjoy the story, and the many faces of "me".  Stay tuned .. I'm still just a diamond in the rough.