I recently read your book, Born that way, afterall, and I wanted to comment on it. I hope you can read this because I went to your Facebook and invited you here.
This subject has caused so much grief to so many people that I am happy that you care about it and are trying address it.
As I understood you, what you are saying is that while God doesn't create anyone homosexual, he DOES create those who are not attracted to the opposite sex and He does so, so that they can be of service to Him. Perhaps the Apostle Paul was one such person? As I understood you, "Sam", the "star" of your book, was born a Eunuch, not a homosexual. He THOUGHT he was a homosexual because he was not attracted to the opposite sex and he became caught up in the homosexual lifestyle because he wanted to be loved and accepted and as I said, because he assumed he was gay. And he was relieved once he understood that he wasn't attracted to the same sex
As I understood you, the terms homosexual and heterosexual didn't even come into existence until a century or so ago, and what you are maintaining is that there is no such thing as a homosexually orientated person but there IS such a thing as an asexual person, or as the Bible calls them, a Eunuch. And that, indeed, they were created that way, afterall.
Unfortunately, While I can identify with "Sam" in some of the descriptions you gave, in the matter of sexual attraction, I can't identify with him. I know that I am attracted to the same sex, having nothing to do with not be attracted to the opposite sex.
I grew up in a wonderful environment. I had the best example of how a man should treat a woman with my parents. I grew up in a loving home and in an active church. I had every opportunity given to me. I was active in Awanas and Joy Club as a child. Then as a teenager, I was at Friday night youth meeting every week and Saturday Bible Study at our local Bible camp. I was probably one of the few 13 year olds with most of John R Rice's books.
And yet, as puberty hit, I was AVALANCHED with same sex attraction LONG BEFORE I ever touched another person. NO ONE had to teach me to be gay. NO ONE had to coach me or encourage me to take up that "lifestyle". It did come naturally. I was not like "Sam".
There were two different "hand holding" incidents in my teenage years that put things in perspective for me. Once at our church, we had a social of some kind where we each were to bring a date. And much like "Sam", I had a date with a member of the opposite sex. And like "Sam", I felt that I was supposed to hold her hand. I felt absolutely nothing. Then another time, we went to a fundamentalist college for Teen days and while there, we were in a circle, in a group, where we were told to hold the hand of the person next to us. It was a member of the same sex and the feeling I had was TOTALLY different. No, there ARE those who, while they can't help it, ARE attracted to the same sex, having nothing to do with confusion over not being attracted to the opposite sex. I have never been confused like "Sam" was. I, like many, have understood from day one what was up.
I went to a fundamentalist Christian college when I was young and I ended up leaving there because I understood exactly what was up. At that time, I had never touched anyone or even had never met others openly like me. But I knew. I was not confused.
I'm sure that there ARE Eunuchs as you describe (such as Sam) and it would be very tempting to go along with you and say that that must be what I am too - a Eunuch. But I know that I have always been attracted to the same sex and it has nothing to do with NOT being attracted to the opposite sex.
I believe you should celebrate the Eunuch but acknowledge that there are those who aren't Eunuchs, who if they want to remain true to the Bible, must simply abstain from desires that they had nothing to do with.
Most can't do that.
I would be interested to have you and Marty reply. I wish you the VERY best with your book and appreciate your concern and love for such people. And I am not denying that there ARE Eunuchs.
