| The gay bar scene or high risk promiscuous sex... | | | | having a greater love for family or friends than |
| Is it so happy-go-lucky? Something so sweet and | | | | for God (Mat. 10:37).Therefore, the Bible clearly |
| wonderful we'd "wish you were here?" Or is it | | | | reveals that various forms of love and feelings |
| actually something you wouldn't wish upon your | | | | are wrong, that certain human relationships are |
| worst enemy? Is it simply a matter of being | | | | forbidden and condemned (Lev. 18), and that true |
| well-adjusted? Or resigned? What's so gay about | | | | love must be consistent with God's character and |
| it all anyway? Who ever dreamed up that label? | | | | commandments (1 John 5:3). Any other "love" isn't |
| What about truth in advertising? Some want their | | | | from God, but from Satan who is (such) "love!" |
| money back. Were they sold a line? Is | | | | He's the clever counterfeit; the snake who |
| homosexuality a victimless crime? What about | | | | confuses the issues and twists the truth. It's |
| their minds? Aren't they victimized? When they | | | | precisely because God is Love (1 John 4:8) that |
| refuse to even "think straight" - aren't they | | | | He wants to protect us from those Canaanite |
| denying themselves the opportunity to change? | | | | customs, perverted practices, and harmful ways |
| After all, isn't the brain the biggest sex organ?God | | | | that would ultimately undermine our land and lives |
| has provided for proper sexual satisfaction in | | | | (Lev. 18:30).Still, some would angrily question how |
| marriage; but there's always that allure of the | | | | anyone could allow some old-fashioned Book to |
| unknown, the forbidden zone. It arouses our | | | | dictate their lives; after all, it's thousands of years |
| curiosity, attempts to lower our resistance, and | | | | old! But who would argue that the time-honored |
| seduces our weakened will. In such a state, | | | | commandments against murder, or prohibition that |
| intoxicated with lust, we could engage in a deadly | | | | protects private property or safeguards marriage |
| liaison and only discover later what a fatal | | | | and minds, or upholds honesty and virtue and |
| attraction it really was (Prov. 5:11). "You play, you | | | | being content are outdated? They're tried, tested, |
| pay" (Prov. 6:27). Don't let a one-night stand be | | | | and true. Naturally, it's easier to accept something |
| your fall. But isn't that the main purpose for going | | | | as long as it doesn't hit home or step on our toes. |
| out to the bars? And if there's any such thing as | | | | It's still typical, "A man (or woman) convinced |
| gay community centers, they'd have to be THE | | | | against his will is of the same opinion still." Don't |
| BARS! They're the familiar haunts, pick-up joints, | | | | waste your time confusing them with the facts |
| and popular retreats; everything from your local | | | | (Mat. 7:6; 15:14).This booklet's intention is to make |
| dive to those pulsating places that are practically | | | | the plain truth about homosexuality known and |
| cities under a roof - something for everyone.The | | | | available. It's to assist those who really want to |
| bars - hallowed be their names - are a place to go | | | | consider what the Good Book has to say. |
| when you're bored, a welcoming-wagon for the | | | | Obviously, this is a very sensitive subject. If |
| new kids on the meat block, and somewhere to | | | | someone does become convinced or converted |
| let your hair down and unwind, enjoying the | | | | to the truth - great!More power to them. But if |
| company of your substitute family. The gay | | | | others choose to continue in their contrary |
| lifestyle definitely revolves around these dark | | | | lifestyles, dying for sex rather than living for God |
| dens of iniquity. Such a polluted environment | | | | and His Kingdom - that's their choice. God gives us |
| naturally encourages drug and alcohol abuse | | | | all the prerogative to do as we please, but He |
| ("communion"), sexual abuse in a casual way with | | | | strongly recommends and encourages us to |
| careless partners ("confirmation"), and verbal | | | | "choose life" (Deut. 30:10); an even more |
| abuse (Prov. 4:24) in an overflow of raunchy talk | | | | appropriate message considering the high risk of |
| ("fellowship") and gossip - jes' dishin' the dirt...."Out" | | | | AIDS. It's so difficult to TRANSCEND HUMAN |
| On the TownYour first experience "out" on the | | | | RELATIONSHIPS - but we must, if and whenever |
| town (with the boys) could be exhilarating - or | | | | it's necessary (Mark 10:28-30).Living Responsible |
| bizarre! You might see wonderful men dressed to | | | | LivesIs the first "gay" decade of 2,000 fulfilling |
| kill, or hunks in tank tops and T shirts; enter a | | | | prophecy? The "last days" are supposed to be |
| wet jock-strap contest or watch gyrating male | | | | reminiscent of earlier times, "as it was in the days |
| strippers, or view the make-believe world of | | | | of Noah," and "as it was in the days of Lot." How |
| make-up queens trying to steal the show, a | | | | was it in days of yore? Just like today. |
| different person on stage.... Then there's the | | | | Apparently, ignoring the dire need to make drastic |
| games people play, the vicious backbiting and | | | | changes in their lives, they conducted "business as |
| hair-pulling of the young and breastless, or the S | | | | usual" and fiddled about or got carried away with |
| & M (stand & modeling) crowd who love | | | | less important things (Deut. 32:47; Mark 4:19). It's |
| themselves and lots of mirrors. Quite a carnival | | | | recorded that they ate and drank, got married, |
| atmosphere.But it kind of puts a damper on your | | | | and went to work everyday - until they were |
| evening's fun when you go into bars and find | | | | consumed by their burning desires and swept |
| yourself greeted by pornographic posters (trying | | | | away by their sins (Luke 17:26-30).What's wrong |
| to get across the point about "safe-sex"), or see | | | | with eating and drinking or working? We might |
| a fishbowl or platter filled with assorted colors of | | | | very well wonder. Didn't God create us with an |
| "life-savers" (condoms); or to order yourself a | | | | appetite and a thirst, as well as a need for |
| strong drink and notice AIDS donation jars staring | | | | physical exertion? Yes, but certain tastes, desires |
| you down: L'Chaim suddenly becomes more | | | | and relationships should be nipped in the bud; not |
| personal. And then there's the endless ads in all | | | | allowed to grow or develop or take root (Jas. |
| the gay mags about HIV testing, "understanding | | | | 1:14-15)! Many things are good of and by |
| doctors" who'll screen you in private, surgically | | | | themselves, and not wrong, but God's imposed |
| remove your hemorrhoids, laser your anal warts, | | | | conditions, restraints and guidelines for us to live |
| counsel you about your problems, ad nauseum. | | | | by.We're meant to enjoy those foods that God |
| Makes you eager to jump in bed, eh? Or run | | | | has blessed and offered us (Lev. 20:25; 1 Tim. |
| scared! But welcome to the real world - the good, | | | | 4:5), and even have an occasional drink, if we |
| the bad, and the ugly. But jump from bed to bed | | | | want. The Bible condemns gluttony, not eating; |
| until we all drop dead? Is that what life's all | | | | drunkenness, not drinking; greed, not need. It's |
| about?Isn't it stupid to keep playing this deadly | | | | what we do with what we're given. And we are |
| game (of Russian roulette) until someone doesn't | | | | instructed to work and be productive, but we're |
| shoot blanks? DEATHBED takes on a whole new | | | | also commanded to remember the Sabbath |
| meaning. The next time you want to get "laid" - | | | | (seventh day) to keep it holy. It's |
| hope that it's not in a grave! So what if you can | | | | counterproductive to become too busy earning a |
| trick with every Tom, Dick, and Harry if you | | | | living, that we neglect learning how to live (2 Pet. |
| become just another name on the AIDS quilt (a | | | | 3:18).Although we're at liberty to do almost |
| "grave-blanket"). Don't sell yourself short (John | | | | anything, within reason (Gen. 2:16-17), we're to |
| 8:36; Heb. 12:16).Eventually, the wear and tear, the | | | | remember that we're held responsible for how |
| abuse of your mind and body, is going to take its | | | | we handle ourselves and manage our new-found |
| expensive toll. All of the cheap, mechanical, | | | | freedoms (Ga. 5:13). We're not to abuse our |
| meaningless, sexploitation has got to affect you. | | | | privileges (1 Cor. 8:9), but be careful not to get |
| How could you not become desensitized? If you | | | | caught up in things that could too easily get out |
| deviate from the strait and narrow, how can you | | | | of control (2 Pet. 2:20). A night of good, clean fun |
| not get lost? If you forget or pervert the original | | | | can quickly degenerate into an atmosphere of |
| purpose of sex, how can you escape confusion? | | | | "just like the old times." We're entitled to time-out |
| You'll condemn yourself to wander in your sexual | | | | with the boys (or girls), just don't let your |
| bewilderment, experimenting with everything since | | | | diversion become an obsession (1 Cor. 6:12) - as |
| "anything goes."Look around you the next time | | | | my mother once warned me!Keep Your Head |
| you go out (if you haven't had enough of that | | | | Above Your Heart!Is it - as some would charge - |
| tired crowd and empty scene). From drag-queens | | | | being cold and cruel, even inhuman, to be in |
| to muscle men, welfare alcoholics to executives | | | | control of your mind and emotions? Isn't it rather |
| on cocaine; the homosexual world is as diverse | | | | mature to exercise proper self-control, sick and |
| and perverse as the "straight" world. Some men | | | | tired of giving in to compulsion? Isn't it judicious to |
| acting like women, some women acting like men; | | | | carefully cross-examine every thought, thereby |
| worlds in collision, an identity crisis, suicidal | | | | destroying the defense of our death sentence, |
| tendencies - but have another drink, what are | | | | commuting it in Christ (2 Cor. 1:9; 10:4-5; 1 Cor. |
| friends for?Are "gay" people really so happy? Or | | | | 11:31)?Doing what just comes natural or seems |
| just putting on a front? Beneath the smiling faces, | | | | normal might excite Nietzsche; but it's not good |
| love and laughter, you'll too often find broken | | | | enough for God. God wants us - mere mortals |
| hearts and lost dreams. And although the clubs | | | | made out of matter - to come to resemble, think |
| are usually full, there are too many empty | | | | and act like Him. "Like Father, like Son." Why? Is |
| individuals who are lonely and aching inside; but the | | | | God on some big ego-trip and wants a bunch of |
| show must go on, drinking and dancing, until | | | | clones to come along for the joy-ride? No, but |
| another burnt-out dawn....One-Night StandsAnd | | | | because it's the only way that'll work. He ought to |
| what are one-night stands, really? Other than | | | | know the secret for living happily ever |
| quick sex with "no strings attached," it's a cheap | | | | after.Mankind, after all, was created in the image |
| counterfeit of what we're actually looking for: true | | | | of the Godkind, and shares the awesome |
| love, undivided attention, special affection, and | | | | potential to become composed of God's Spirit - |
| sincere compliments. We're starved for love and | | | | after we've developed His characteristics (1 Cor. |
| yet dying from "fast-food." What we're really | | | | 15:53). God's eager to award us all the Diploma of |
| hungry for is some "good ol' home-cookin'!" But | | | | Divinity after we've finished the course of |
| once you've lost your looks (if you ever had any), | | | | conversion (2 Cor. 3:18). Therefore, instead of |
| you won't have to worry about any more | | | | just doing what comes natural - we're to do the |
| "strangers in the night" - unless you're able and | | | | supernatural! As Christian individuals, we're to turn |
| willing to pay them for their time and trouble.The | | | | the other cheek instead of busting their jaw; |
| bar-scene brazenly worships at the altar of youth, | | | | forgive rather than fume; pray for our enemies |
| and devotes itself to the beauty that's only | | | | rather than swear revenge. We're continually |
| skin-deep. Everyone else is thrown on the human | | | | called to be different - in contrast, not conformity, |
| heap, scrapped and abandoned. Of course, there's | | | | to this world (Rom. 8:29).Tough-LoveThere is a |
| some "hope" for these discarded lives: they can | | | | time and a place for "tough-love." We're not to |
| join the lonely hearts club of dashed hopes and | | | | show the "mercy of fools" for welfare frauds or |
| lowered standards. The only requirement is to be | | | | lazy bums (2 Thes. 3:10), or have compassion on |
| desperate and dateless. If I've overstated this | | | | cold-blooded murderers or hardened criminals, |
| case, it's only to emphasize the point that sex | | | | despite their many appeals (1 Sam. 15:32-33; Rom. |
| sells - and without your youth and/or looks you're | | | | 13:4).We shouldn't refuse to use corporal |
| flat broke. It's twisted values, but reflective of our | | | | punishment (Prov. 13:24). It might hurt for awhile, |
| troubled times.Happy and in Love?Many gays will | | | | but hopefully the lesson (that actions have |
| protest that God is a "God of love," and they | | | | consequences) will last a lifetime (Prov. 19:18; |
| think that as long as we're happy and in love - | | | | 23:13; 29:15). It could keep them out of worse |
| how could something so right be so wrong? They | | | | trouble later (Ecc.8:11).We're also not to allow our |
| feel God couldn't condemn such relationships and | | | | emotions for loved ones to lead us to hell (Deut. |
| wonder how anyone could think He would. But | | | | 7:3-4; 13:6-9), or wrong relationships to get in our |
| mortal thoughts and opinions aside (Prov. 14:12; | | | | way. Despite the grief of saying goodbye, and the |
| Isa. 55:8), if there is a Creator God, and if the | | | | pain of tearful separation (2 Sam. 3:14-16; Ezra |
| Bible is His Instruction Manual for mankind, we'd | | | | 10:3), you've got to do what you've got to do. |
| better base our beliefs solely on what's revealed | | | | Why make it any more difficult? Don't |
| within its pages. Faith must have a foundation | | | | procrastinate and prolong your misery. Get it over |
| (Rom. 10:17).If the homosexual argument that "as | | | | with and get on with your life! We don't have time |
| long as we're happy and in love" is valid, couldn't | | | | to waste in no-win situations (Ephes. 5:16).We |
| the same defense be made to sanction | | | | shouldn't try and be more understanding and |
| incestuous relationships? Or premarital experiences | | | | tolerant than God, but refuse to even associate |
| or adulterous affairs? Do we always know what's | | | | with a Church member who's living in sin without |
| best for us? Couldn't we be like grown-up | | | | any apology or shame (1 Cor. 5:1-2, 9-13). And we |
| teenagers who think they know everything, when | | | | should NEVER entertain any notions about |
| in reality they don't?Hasn't it been said, and true | | | | ordaining such people!Of course, we shouldn't cop |
| at times, that "love is blind?" Is it just a matter of | | | | a self-righteous attitude (Ga. 6:1), but realize the |
| feeling happy? Can't feelings fool us sometimes? | | | | prayerful purpose is to help restore everyone to |
| Isn't that why family and friends have cautioned | | | | their senses (knowing that ongoing sin results in |
| us to "keep your head above your heart?" Is all | | | | an eternal separation). If and whenever such a |
| love proper? Are all affections good and healthy? | | | | person "comes to" (Luke 15:17, 20), he's to be |
| What about being "lovesick?" Shouldn't there be | | | | welcomed back with wide-open arms (2 Cor. |
| some form of standards to judge by or criteria | | | | 2:6-8). A little love can go a long way (as Mama |
| for character? Isn't there any game plan? Hasn't | | | | Evans used to say), and encourage us to do even |
| love too often been confused with lust (2 Sam. | | | | better - rather than give up. But sometimes the |
| 13:15)?Satan is "love!"If we look into the Bible (not | | | | situation calls for "shock-treatment" (tough-love), |
| Freud, the latest sexual survey, or some kinky | | | | as well as private counseling. "Different strokes |
| report), we'll find that it does condemn: the love | | | | for different folks," so to speak (Luke 12:47-48). |
| of vanity (Ps. 4:2), of simplicity (Prov. 1:22), of | | | | The moral of this story? Don't get blinded by the |
| excessive sleep (Prov. 20:13), of religious lies (2 | | | | light: the glitter of "love," the hot-flash of emotion, |
| Thes. 2:10), illicit sex, improper lovers, and "foreign | | | | and the gleam of relationships (2 Cor. 11:14). The |
| affairs" (Ezek. 23:11, 17, 22; 16:37), of evil (Micah | | | | going price for fool's gold is too high to pay. Walk |
| 3:2), drunkenness (Hos. 3:1), self-righteousness | | | | away. It's not worth it.David Ben-Ariel is a |
| (Mat. 6:5; 23:6), of money (1 Tim. 6:10), this | | | | Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond |
| present world system and its ways (1 John 2:15), | | | | Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on |
| spiritual darkness (John 3:19), the kick-back of | | | | the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical |
| wrongdoing (2 Pet. 2:15), of ourselves in an | | | | articles help others improve their understanding of |
| unhealthy way and of cheap thrills (2 Tim.3:2,4), | | | | that troubled region. Check out the Beyond |
| violence (Ps. 11:5), strife (Prov. 17:19), and even | | | | Babylon blog. |