NEW BOOKLET: 6 Questions Every Gay Person Should Ask

6 Questions  Every Gay Person Should Ask by Michael Tays Carter is our newest Lighthouse Trails Booklet. The Booklet is 14 pages long and sells for $1.95 for single copies. Quantity discounts are as much as 50% off retail. Our Booklets are designed to give away to others or for your own personal use.  Below is the content of the booklet. To order copies of 6 Questions  Every Gay Person Should Ask, click here.

By Michael Tays Carter

Homosexuality was a biblical issue long before it became a political one. This booklet answers six important questions about man’s existence and whether or not a God of perfect love exists. Are we only here by chance governed by an amoral “spirit of the universe”? Could it be there is a moral God who has set moral boundaries for our good—a God who loves us enough to literally save us from ourselves?

ONE: What about my Unmet Needs?
There is an Eat-Drink-And-Be-Merry-For-Tomorrow-We-Die party going strong. It is hosted by the famous “I-Have-Needs” with the popular “Get-Your-Needs-Met-Here” to greet you at the door. “Hate-The-Law” is dancing the night away with “New-Christ-Consciousness.” “Doubt-The-Bible” has the crowded room in the palm of his hand. No one wants him to leave, but he has had so much to drink he staggers, and “Easy-Way-Out” has to show him to the door. Morning comes, and the place is still packed with people who all have needs at the Eat-Drink-And-Be-Merry-For-Tomorrow-We-Die party.

Married people who cheat have needs. Drug addicts have needs. Murderers have needs. Pedophiles and rapists have needs . . . What is to stop any of us from meeting our needs as we see fit? Who cares about the idea of rebelling against a moral God or hurting another human being in order to meet our (selfish) needs? When living a pure life seems too hard, what does it matter if we take the easy way out of pain?

The Greeks had homosexual and heterosexual orgies as a spiritual offering to their pagan gods. Who is to say they were wrong? Hitler believed God was on his side as he practiced occult spirituality. Can we know for sure he was deceived?

When we feel the need to live a way the Bible forbids, it is argued that we can excuse ourselves by flippantly reasoning, The Bible must not be true in this particular area of my temptation because it seems impossible for me to overcome. It’s too hard to live the way the Bible says is “right” when it comes to who I am, so I’ll judge the Bible instead of letting it judge me! But, is this really a plausible argument against the veracity of the Bible? It certainly suited Hitler and the Greeks.

When we become addicted and can’t stop a behavior, is it just a coincidence that the Bible warns that sin can own us as slaves? We blame God when He does not take desires away in our timing, on our terms, as if God is meant to be a servant to us instead of the other way around. God, who is the only moral Lawgiver, offers a redemptive plan for mankind in His love, but the freedom, joy and confidence He offers is contingent on surrender to and trust in Him, which often means self-denial in favor of God’s will.

The creed of Satanism teaches: “Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” In other words, do whatever seems right in your own eyes. In stark contrast, Jesus taught:

Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. (Matthew 16:24-25)

TWO: Do As Thou Wilt?
The creed of Satanism is “Do as thou wilt”—do whatever you want with only your conscience as your guide. Have you been believing in Satanism without even knowing it?

Do the following quotes from Satanism describe your beliefs?

Verses from the Satanic Bible to consider for freedom to sin

“Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law”—Aleister Crowley, Creed of Satanism

“It is a popular misconception that the Satanist does not believe in God. The concept of ‘God’, as interpreted by man, has been so varied throughout the ages that the Satanist simply accepts the definition which suits him best . . . To the Satanist God, by whatever name he is called or by no name at all, is seen as the balancing factor in nature.”—The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey (p. 40)

“The day of the cross and the Trinity are done.”—Satanic Rituals, Anton LaVey (p. 127)

“There is no heaven of glory bright and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! . . . Choose ye this day, this hour, for no redeemer liveth. Say unto thine own heart, ‘I am my own redeemer.’”—The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey (pp. 33-34)

“The very word ‘devil’ . . . means ‘god.’ Satan represents opposition to all religions which serve to frustrate and condemn man for his natural instincts.”—The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey (pp. 55-57)

Verses from the Holy Bible to consider for freedom from sin

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:34, 36)

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication . . . . He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 8)

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. (Revelation 21:7-8)

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator . . . For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness . . .who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1: 24-29, 32)

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Living however we want in immorality is Satan’s way. Denying ourselves and living in purity, strengthened by His grace, is God’s way. Through the Bible, we can know the God who is far more than an impersonal spirit in the universe—the God who defeated Satan on the Cross.

THREE: What About Hate Crimes?
Violent or hate crimes against homosexuals are wrong without a doubt, but how about hate crimes toward Jesus?

Jesus warned that people would perish without repenting (i.e., turning away from their sinful lives and turning to Him in faith). If you are a practicing homosexual and Jesus Himself were here to tell you straight to your face as a gay person that you must repent of your sin and humbly turn to Him to find new life for your soul, would you call Him a “bigot”? Would you commit a hate crime against Him like the people who nailed Him to the Cross?

When anyone mocks a Christian for living a chaste life, according to the Bible, they are mocking God. Some Christians are discriminated against for believing the Bible as God’s Word, no matter how loving they are toward those who disagree. The Bible says that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus promises this, and He saves that person forever as His own. And He calls those who belong to Him His “Bride.” It hurts Jesus when a Christian is persecuted for believing in Him and the Bible.

Would you bully Jesus for telling you that you must leave your sin and pick up your cross to follow Him? Would you bully Jesus if He Himself convinced you that you were created for purity (see 1 Timothy 4:12). Would you commit a hate crime toward a Christian for telling you such a message in love?

If Jesus convinced you that God did not make anyone for homosexuality, would you say pejorative things about the Bible and hate God for His hatred of your sin? If you lived in the time of Jesus with His definition of sin, judgment, wrath, freedom, righteousness and love, would you have been among those in the crowd shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” because He convicts of sin and you “hate” such a conviction? Are you the person described in Hebrews to again crucify to yourself the Son of God and put Him to open shame? (Hebrews 6:4-6).

Will you have an open mind allowing yourself to see Jesus for who He truly is? Can you “accept Him as He is”? Jesus referenced Sodom and Gomorrah, and it was not with a compliment. He said Sodom and Gomorrah were reserved for a day of judgment in eternal Hell (Matthew 10:15, 2 Peter 2:6). This is what God said. Do you hate Him for that?

When Saul was persecuting Christians, Jesus appeared to him and said:

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (Acts 26:14-15)

What if God never made you for the purpose of same-sex attraction, and homosexuality was never meant to define you as a human being made in God’s image? Would you bully Jesus for that? The Jesus of the Bible warned that all people must “repent” or “perish”—news worthy of a hate crime that nailed Him to the Cross.

FOUR: Why Believe The Bible?
When a person claims there is no absolute truth, it begs the question, “Is that true?” There is no truth if absolute truth does not exist. The gay person may sing along to Lady Gaga, “I was born this way,” but how do we know that is true? Is truth only based on feelings? The Islamic terrorists felt they were pleasing Allah when they attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. They felt they were heading to a heaven of celestial sex with virgins as a result, but was reality based on their feelings? When Jerry Sandusky picked underprivileged children to molest and made them “feel” special before sexually abusing them at Penn State, were the children safe to trust their feelings with such a “friend”? How do we measure our worth and a true standard for living when the human conscience can be seared and feelings can be deceiving?

If the Bible is not true and holy, what is? If everyone is good, as New Age spirituality teaches, how do we explain crimes against humanity such as the genocide by Hitler against the Jews, the terror attacks of September 11th, or the “Batman Massacre” in Aurora, Colorado? Is justice for the inequalities and injustices in the world left only to chance? Are we all here by chance? Does the pedophile love his victims, just because he claims to love them while sexually abusing them? What is love? When John Wycliffe was burned at the stake for translating the Bible to the English language, was his death in vain for some silly made-up stories? How can we know we can trust the Bible?

There is no other book like the Bible. It is actually sixty-six books, and all with the same message, written over a span of fifteen hundred years by more than forty different authors from kings to fishermen. The Bible offers a salvation not based on works. What man would make up such a thing to deem himself so powerless with no capability of getting to heaven on his own merits?

Consider the Dead Sea Scrolls, which prove the Bible has stayed intact with the same message as in the earliest manuscripts. No other book has as many early manuscripts that match.

Then, there is the resurrection of Jesus. Roman guards were assigned to His tomb, yet His body still left it. Secular historians like Josephus report that Jesus appeared to over five hundred witnesses after He was resurrected from the dead, supporting the Bible’s account.

Jesus would either have had to be crazy or a downright liar for the claims He made if He was not God in the flesh. He could have never been a “good prophet” if He had claimed to be the only Savior by fraud.

Historically, Jesus fulfilled over three hundred prophecies from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

The most profound reason of all that people don’t believe in Jesus is because they love their sin and are in rebellion against a holy God. The Bible teaches that a fool has said in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1), not a highly educated scientist or professor—a fool. The guilty conscience of a fool is just one more thing to prove the Bible is true.

FIVE: Is There a Gay Gene?

Geneticists, anthropologists, developmental psychologists, sociologists, endocrinologists, neuroscientists, medical researchers into gender, and twin study researchers are in broad agreement about the role of genetics in homosexuality. Genes don’t make you do it. There is no genetic determinism, and genetic influence at most is minor.1

Below is a summary taken from Dr. Neil E. Whitehead’s book My Genes Made Me Do It!—a Scientific Look at Sexual Orientation.2 Dr. Whitehead has done twenty years of scientific research into homosexuality. His research covers more than 10,000 scientific papers and publications from all sides of the debate.

By Dr. Neil Whitehead (used with permission)

Genes:Twin Studies
These very complex comparisons of identical twins and non-identical twins definitively rule out genetic determinism. Identical twins with identical genes are about 11-14% concordant for SSA [same-sex attraction]. If homosexuality were “genetic,” identical co-twins of homosexual men and women would also be homosexual 100% of the time. In classic twin studies the genetic fraction is less than 23% for men and 37% for women and may be as low as 10%. Twin studies continue to find steadily lower genetic fractions for homosexuality as methodology improves and samples become larger. Everyone has at least a 10% genetic factor influence in his or her thinking and behavior—simply because without genes there can be no human activity or behavior of any kind. Twin studies show that individualistic reactions to chance events (in which one identical twin reacts differently from the other) are by far the strongest contributors to homosexuality. In other words, randomness is a strong factor.

To Consider:

A scan of the whole genome [genetic material] has not found any homosexual genes, unlike the case for schizophrenia (which has still only identified 4 genes linked to 3% of schizophrenia.)

From an understanding of gene structure and function there are no plausible means by which genes could dictate SSA (or other behaviors) in a person.

No genetically determined human behavior has yet been found. The most closely genetically-related behavior yet discovered (mono-amine oxidase deficiency leading to aggression) has shown itself remarkably responsive to counseling.

A genetically dominated SSA caused by a cluster of genes could not suddenly appear and disappear in families, as it does. It would persist through every generation for many generations. It is genetically implausible that many “heterosexual” genes could switch off at the same time.

The human race shares most of its genes—something between 99.7% and 99.9%. That means all ethnic groups will have most of them. This has three implications.

If homosexuality is genetically dictated, homosexual practices will be identical or very similar in all cultures. But the enormous range and diversity of homosexual practice and customs in different cultures (and within cultures) argues against this.

There would be a similar percentage of homosexuality in all cultures. But homosexuality has been unknown in some cultures and mandatory in others.

Changes in homosexual practice and behavior in different cultures would take place very slowly, over many centuries. But this is not what history shows. The decline of whole models (culturally specific expressions) of homosexuality within a century; the relatively sudden (in genetic terms) emergence of the present Western model over a couple of centuries; and abrupt changes of practice within an ethnic group, even over a single generation, are not consistent with anything genetic.

The occurrence of SSA in the population is too frequent to be caused by a faulty pre-natal developmental process, so it is not innate in that sense either. This includes epigenetic processes, i.e. influences of the environment on genetic expression.

If SSA were genetically determined, and led to same-sex contact only, it would have bred itself out of the population in only several generations. It would not exist today.

First attractions (both SSA and OSA [opposite-sex attraction]) occur on average at age 10 and are rarely “earliest memories,” meaning attraction is mostly socially induced. The spread of ages of first attraction is very large, very different from the small spread of ages for the genetically pre-programmed event, puberty.

Hormones
There have been many studies—none of which has shown any convincing strong relationship between homosexuality and exposure to pre-natal hormones, although several have shown very weak links between pre-natal hormone exposure and infant play. Studies examining effects of very high doses of female hormones to pregnant mothers show no effect on males and a dubious effect on women. Therapy changing levels of adult male and female sex hormones has been shown to affect sex drive but not orientation.

The idea that homosexuality results from pre-natal immune attack on male brain characteristics by the mother is poorly supported. In that case male testes and genitalia (having the largest cluster of male-specific targets) should be attacked but are not.

Brain Structure
Numerous older studies of brain microstructures, in the nineties, have failed to come up with replicable differences between adult heterosexual and homosexual brains.

Modern studies show male and female brains at birth are not structurally different, making the likelihood of a specifically “homosexual” brain remote indeed. The main consistently replicable difference, from about age two or three, is their size.

The environment has effects on major sexual dimorphism [the difference between the sexes of the same species] from birth to puberty and beyond.

Sexual dimorphism of the brain mainly occurs at puberty, but even so, experts still have difficulty identifying structural differences between adult male and female brains (let alone heterosexual and homosexual). There is substantial overlap.

Neuroscientists are finding that the brain is extraordinarily plastic. The scientific consensus now is that even as an adult, we are what we are making our brains even though we may not be aware of the constant ongoing process. These changes in microstructure are visible in brain scans within months.

If differences are found between homosexual and heterosexual brains they are probably the result of years of conditioning (repeated thinking patterns and behavior).

Social, Sociological
The stages of psycho-social development toward adult heterosexuality are well defined and accepted by developmental psychologists, and are so obviously learned that heterosexuality is clearly not genetically mandated. In surveys of adult homosexuals many show deficits in several of these developmental stages—suggesting that homosexuality is cultural and environmental rather than genetic.

There is a much higher occurrence of homosexuality among those who have been raised in large cities, rather than in rural areas, arguing that the environment is much more powerful than genes in the development of homosexuality.

A scientific/sociological tool, Path Analysis, has been argued to show that there is no social or familial basis to homosexuality, but rather a biological one. However, social and family paths leading to homosexuality were collectively significant, though individual paths were not. In contrast, genetic paths were collectively insignificant.

Instincts
Our instincts, such as self-preservation, hunger, and reproduction, are among the most deeply embedded and strongest impulses we have, but these are able to be controlled and even adapted. If we want to argue homosexuality is also a deeply ingrained instinct, we can also argue it should be malleable and responsive to training.

Causes of SSA
There is no one cause. No single genetic, hormonal, social, or environmental factor is predominant. There are similar themes, childhood gender non-conformity, sexual abuse, peer and family dynamics, sexual history, but the mix varies with individuals making individualistic responses the single overriding factor. Two children from the same family and social environment can interpret incidents very differently. So random reaction, if it structures itself into self-image, can become a significant contributor to homosexuality—as twin studies show. The overriding outcome is a homo-emotional focus on people of the same sex that, at puberty, gets confused or melded with genital sex. This begins to finds expression in sexual acts with others of the same sex which become habitual and often (particularly in males) addictive. . . .

DNA is a ladder of nitrogenous bases and sugars that is a recipe for proteins, not sexual preferences. But it is also a ladder of destiny, a Jacob’s ladder, and it is our choice whether angels or demons walk up and down it.3

SIX: Where Will You Spend Eternity?
Eternity is a very long time, and it is worth your time and effort to seek out answers that can affect the outcome of your eternal destination. If in having read this booklet, you want to break free from an addiction to homosexuality, rest assured that the Gospel has the power to break any bondage. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, died on the Cross offering forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who turn from their sin (repent) and put their trust in Christ. When we are born again by the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, He promises never to leave or forsake us and gives us the power to walk in peace and victory.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

[I]f thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:9-11)

To order copies of 6 Questions  Every Gay Person Should Ask, click here.

Endnotes:
1. (www.mygenes.co.nz)
2. My Genes Made Me Do It! is constantly being updated.
3. You may read more of Dr. Whitehead’s research at: http://www.mygenes.co.nz/summary.htm and http://www.mygenes.co.nz/transsexuality.htm.

To order copies of 6 Questions  Every Gay Person Should Ask, click here.