Dear ______,

Wow. That’s a lot of anger! I’m sorry you’ve come across some of the judgmental, lying religious people who don’t understand how passionately and tenderly God loves the people He made. There are a lot of people—some Christians, unfortunately, some just religious—who make God wince. (I know that sometimes I'm in that category as well, and I ask him to show me so I can stop doing whatever makes him wince!) SO many of the people with same-sex attraction that I know are still carrying around wounds from church and church people.

I think perhaps when you came across my article, what you were reacting to wasn’t so much what I said as the filter of what other people have said that was so hurtful. My message is that God gives hope for change, because same-sex attractions are something people discover they have, but it’s not what they are. As one man said, “Let’s not be defined by our temptations. That’s not who we are!” I completely understand that you did not choose to be gay. But since there are such people as former homosexuals, then it’s not an intrinsic part of one’s identity like one’s race. Even if it feels like it.

You say you can’t help the way you are, and I hear you. That’s why it takes supernatural help to change. Personally, I think the message “change is possible” offers a whole lot more hope than the lie that “once gay, always gay.” It’s like telling people who don’t want to be alcoholic that they’ll never get beyond their bondage to the bottle, or telling angry people that they’ll just have to get used to going through life wrecking their relationships and their lives by their explosions.

I also understand that you may not be interested in change, or might not even believe it’s possible. But if you get to the point where you find life isn’t working for you the way you had hoped, I pray that you will turn to God and his offer of new life, even if it’s only with 1% of your heart. He’ll be waiting with his arms and his heart open wide.

Sue Bohlin

© 2005 Probe Ministries

About the Author

Sue Bohlin is an associate speaker with Probe Ministries. She attended the University of Illinois, and has been a Bible teacher and conference speaker for over 30 years. She serves as a Mentor Mom and speaker for MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers), and on the board and as a small group leader of Living Hope Ministries, a Christ-centered outreach to those dealing with unwanted homosexuality. She is also a professional calligrapher and the webmistress for Probe Ministries; but most importantly, she is the wife of Dr. Ray Bohlin and the mother of their two grown sons.

What is Probe?

Probe Ministries is a non-profit ministry whose mission is to assist the church in renewing the minds of believers with a Christian worldview and to equip the church to engage the world for Christ. Probe fulfills this mission through our Mind Games conferences for youth and adults, our 3-minute daily radio program, and our extensive Web site at www.probe.org.

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