 "Unbelievably bad advice" | 2007-09-16 |
| - Reviewed By dumond13 |
| Thinly disguised as compassionate counseling for parents, this is another in a long line of books shoveled out by religious zealots. This book uses discredited research and advocates dangerous and harmful tactics to try and force your child out of being gay. Buy any book by Wayne Besen on the subject for a thorough dismantling of these crackpot theories. Then buy Now That You Know for a truly appropriate and positive resource for learning how to respond to your son or daughter's coming out. |
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 "Well-rooted in scripture" | 2007-02-14 |
| - Reviewed By marcosh |
First a response to English Major, who claims in his/her review that there is no Biblical basis for Christianity's opposition to homosexuality. The clearest teaching of the Bible is that homosexual behavior is both unnatural and damaging--Romans 1:26-27 & 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul argues that those who engage in homosexual activity (again note that it is not those who are tempted with homosexual feelings, but those who become "offenders" by indulging those feelings) will not enter the kingdom of heaven. That's a pretty strong claim. Now, there are those who will say that homosexuality as practiced today is "natural" and "wholesome;" however, if the Creator calls it unnatural, then it's unnatural, and if it might land someone in eternal punishment, that seems to be damaging. If nothing else, doing something that is outside of God's will is clearly going to be something that causes spiritual damage to a person's soul.
Now, regarding this book. I think it is a must-read for anyone struggling with the issue of homosexuality in the family. It takes a very compassionate and rational approach to the subject and provides many helpful insights on how to approach the subject with the family member in question. It understands correctly that the best thing to do is not alienate the person but rather bring him or her back to "reality" so to speak, back on the path that leads to a higher spirituality and true happiness.
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| "Someone they love? Not supported by the facts" | 2007-01-02 |
| - Reviewed By sandy_cat |
Someone they Love? I don't think so.
I am not impressed with the authors' so-called Christian objections to homosexuality. True the old testament does speak against it, but in the same place the Bible also speaks against eating shellfish.
Where are the support groups to "cure" the eaters of shellfish? or to cure those who commit the sin of Divorce?
Jesus spoke not one word about homosexuality.
But he did have something to say about Divorce: Mark:10:4-12.
My question to the authors is: as Christians who follow the teachings of Christ, shouldn't you be more concerned about the sin of Divorce than the sin of homosexuality? Jesus says "whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her"
The true reason for this book I think, is the cultural hatred and fear of homosexuality, not conern for it as a "sin". There is some evidence that those who most hate and fear homosexuals, are themselves deeply tempted by homosexuality, are themselves attracted to those of their own sex.
As Jesus also mentioned: "thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
One chapter of this book that I did almost like was the one on childhood sexual abuse, with some reservations. They have included much of the most progressive information.
However, the implication that sexual abuse "causes" homosexuality, I disagree with. Many many straight men and women were sexually abused. Ninety percent of prostitutes and women in prison were also sexually abused. Not all are gay..
They believe that there is no legitimacy in being homosexual and will use any "facts" to support this idea even if there is no logical link.
They use the testimony of people who have joined Exodus, a support group for people who want to "stop" being gay. They don't consider any testimony of homosexuals who are happy and living stable and productive lives. Nor do they include stories of the many openly gay Christians. |
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| "A Lifeline of Hope" | 2006-11-13 |
| - Reviewed By pastelblue7 |
| How do you handle it when you learn that your child, parent,brother or sister, close friend, etc.is struggling with homosexuality? This book is a lifeline of hope for families faced with the shock and grief that comes when someone they love makes such a disclosure. |
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| "Life-affirming" | 2006-07-07 |
| - Reviewed By dg1261 |
| What a wonderful and timely book for the 21st century. The authors are to be congratulated on the clarity and strength of their vision. I can't wait for the next edition, which I believe includes help for black people who want to turn white. |
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| "A firm and loving book" | 2005-12-15 |
| - Reviewed By kknapp44 |
| This book shows parents (or others) how to love people who choose a gay identity when the parents disagree with that choice. It walks the fine line of speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) to someone who is promoting homosexuality. It is well-written, has good ideas for ways to keep communication going, and above all seeks the best for the person who espouses the gay identity. |
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| "Oh, no..." | 2005-04-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2F3KN3BHXA6U0 |
This book inaccurately addresses the topic and supports false ideas. I don't see how anyone can read a book like this and take its themes seriously; especially when coupled by all its discrepancies between fact and fiction, starting with the foremost and largest falsehood...
Sexuality is a predestination, and for all but a very small few, never changes!
This book defends a falsehood and therefore lies to its readers. I would not recommend that anyone waste any part of their life reading it, especially young or otherwise adults struggling with their own sexual identity, because many of the aforementioned are rendered unstable by our society and resort to hoping for any chance of changing themselves. A book like this could only destroy people who are insecure about their identity.
What our world needs right now is a book about recognizing homosexuality and embracing it, instead of rejecting its truths as this book does. |
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| "Sensible, Honest and Compassionate" | 2004-06-02 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| This is an outstanding guide for concerned people who find out that their loved one (child, spouse or friend) has embraced a homosexual identity. Anita Worthen is the mother of an HIV-positive homosexual man who has struggled with her feelings about her son's sad situation. Bob Davies has himself left homosexuality. The two of them write in a knowing and understanding way about this topic. Their approach offers hope and healing for both the homosexual and his or her family and friends. The authors weave personal vignettes with sound advice, backed up by both religious and secular resources. I highly recommend that you read this book for yourself. With all due respect, some of the negative reviews you will read here are blatantly dishonest. One reviewer asserts that Anita Worthen advises parents to kidnap their gay children. But in fact, Mrs. Worthen advises AGAINST such a drastic step. She mentions "kidnapping" her son as an emotionally inappropriate action to have taken. Mrs. Worthen also recounts about how she attempted to maintain a close relationship with her son and male partner, cooking meals for them on a regular basis when illness made it hard for them to care for themselves. It is very disappointing, but also revealing, that the negative reviews of this book are so misleading and dishonest. |
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 "Love and cruelty" | 2004-03-02 |
| - Reviewed By typee22 |
| This is a delicate subject which has interested and concerned me for some time now. I've always found it difficult to know how to respond when I find out that someone is gay, and it's even more confusing and potentially devastating if it's someone close to you, like a family member or someone you love. Acceptance would be one straightforward option, if it weren't such a challenging concept in the context of "family", or someone you "love". This book's emphasis seems to be in trying to make the gay person realise that they can change, and then applying whatever pressure is necessary to make them do so. This is all very well, but in my experience gay people are usually very reluctant to change, and even claim that their gaiety is something they're born with. We more melancholy members of society can find such attachment to gayness disconcerting, and it's therefore understandable that members of a morose family would want to undermine any gayness in their midst at whatever cost. Some would say that people of all temperaments across the whole range of emotions, from ecstatic elation to suicidal depression, just have to accept each other and get on with things the best they can. However, this doesn't take into account the fact that, as highlighted by this book, love often necessitates cruelty, especially where excessive gaiety is concerned. |
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| "SOMEONE I LOVE IS GAY" | 2001-03-23 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| After learning that my daughter was leaving her 4 young children and a very loving husband to persue a lesbian relationship, I was devasted. Nothing can take away the terrible pain this has caused in family members, friendships, and fellow missionary friends and associatiates. Her dear husband recommended this book to me and it was a lifesaver for me. I still hate that this terrible thing has happened but I am now able to understand something about which we are dealing. I would recommend this book to anyone going through this painful discovery. |
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