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2nd out of 55 books
—
14 voters
Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate
by
Justin Lee (Goodreads Author)
As a teenager and young man, Justin Lee felt deeply torn. Nicknamed "God Boy" by his peers, he knew that he was called to a life in the evangelical Christian ministry. But Lee harbored a secret: He also knew that he was gay. In this groundbreaking book, Lee recalls the events--his coming out to his parents, his experiences with the "ex-gay" movement, and his in-depth study...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
November 13th 2012
by Jericho Books
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I began reading Lee on his blog, Crumbs from the Communion Table. I had found that he, a self-identifying gay christian wrote with uncommon grace, charity and ability. He is very able when it comes to describing and promoting his own ministry the Gay-Christian Network, a web-based attempt to build bridges between the evangelical (particularly) Christian community and the LGBT community. Torn is his first published book and describes how he came to terms with his own homosexuality AND his belief...more
The author of this book grew up in a Southern Baptist church, loves Jesus, and is gay.
I picked up this book (and have another on my to-read list) when gay marriage came up so prominently in the news a few weeks ago due to cases before the Supreme Court. My conclusion? Every Christian, regardless of beliefs about homosexuality, needs to read this book. Did you know that the #1 view that people have about Christianity is that it is anti-homosexual? Not that its people are sacrificial givers. Not t...more
I picked up this book (and have another on my to-read list) when gay marriage came up so prominently in the news a few weeks ago due to cases before the Supreme Court. My conclusion? Every Christian, regardless of beliefs about homosexuality, needs to read this book. Did you know that the #1 view that people have about Christianity is that it is anti-homosexual? Not that its people are sacrificial givers. Not t...more
While I may not agree with 100% of Justin Lee's conclusions in this book, it is a much-needed contribution to the issue of gays and the church. Justin tells of growing up in a Southern Baptist church and a loving, intact, non-abusive home, yet realizing in adolescence that he had a same sex attraction. He always intended to go into ministry as an adult, but being gay created a complication. The title comes from how Justin internalized the culture war surrounding him.
I appreciate the honesty and...more
I appreciate the honesty and...more
This is the story of a young man, raised in a solid Christian home by Bible believing- and -teaching parents who loved him and were good to him, who realizes some time in high school, that he is attracted to guys, not girls.
It isn't a deep theological treatise, nor does it try to explain things indepth psychologically, but it does tell the story in his own words, of someone who did not choose to be gay, who did not rebel against God, and who still is not in rebellion againt God, yet he is unden...more
It isn't a deep theological treatise, nor does it try to explain things indepth psychologically, but it does tell the story in his own words, of someone who did not choose to be gay, who did not rebel against God, and who still is not in rebellion againt God, yet he is unden...more
Justin Lee not only choose the most controversial topic of the day but his title didn’t provide much wiggle room--“rescuing the gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christian debate.” I mean if you’re rescuing the gospel from something or someone then everything about the book has got to be perfect, right? Justin starts with the war weary statistics that suggest most people identify the church as anti-gay. I’ve seen this study so many places I stopped counting. My question is always: Is that a result of the...more
No matter what your theological convictions on gay relationships, you need to read this book. If you think "gay Christian" is an oxymoron, you need to read this book. If you know someone who's gay, you need to read this book. If you don't know anyone who's gay, you need to read this book. If you think gays have an "agenda," you need to read this book. If you think the church knows how to show grace to gay individuals, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. If you are aware that the church is failing in thi...more
Justin Lee's new book Torn chronicles his journey as an evangelical Christian who realized he was gay, and the conflict between his orientation and his beliefs. Lee is calling for the LGBT community and the Christian community to lay down arms and declare a cease-fire.
Much of Lee's early experiences echoed my own: as a committed Christian, Lee was raised to believe that homosexuality is both a choice and a sin, but when he realized that he was gay, he had to revise his beliefs and come to terms...more
Much of Lee's early experiences echoed my own: as a committed Christian, Lee was raised to believe that homosexuality is both a choice and a sin, but when he realized that he was gay, he had to revise his beliefs and come to terms...more
How appropriate that I should finish this book at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing testimony on the full inclusion of the LGBT community in secular society. Lee's book is well written and compelling and every Christian should read whether your mind is made up or not. Regardless of your thoughts, he offers a view into the realities of faith and being gay. If nothing else it will help Christians see the pain the church has wrought on an entire group of people. He is more graceful to the ch...more
I enjoyed this book. I read it because I am so frustrated with the modern church and wanted to educate myself better on how to most effectively rebut the argument that being gay and Christian must be mutuallyexclusive. I am a faithful person but I do not subscribe to many of the teachings of my church, yet I hate the thought of leaving my religion behind because of my disagreements. The message of the book resonated with me because I also firmly believe that the truest interpretation of Christia...more
Well written book brings up a lot of the hard questions and shows Justin's personal story.
some of my favorite quotes
Tony Campolo- I always am uptight when somebody says…”I love the sinner, but I hate his sin.” I’m sure you’ve heard that line over and over again. And my response is, “That’s interesting. Because that’s just the opposite of what Jesus says. Jesus never says, ‘Love the sinner, but hate his sin.’ Jesus says, ‘Love the sinner and hate your own sin. And after you get rid of the sin in...more
some of my favorite quotes
Tony Campolo- I always am uptight when somebody says…”I love the sinner, but I hate his sin.” I’m sure you’ve heard that line over and over again. And my response is, “That’s interesting. Because that’s just the opposite of what Jesus says. Jesus never says, ‘Love the sinner, but hate his sin.’ Jesus says, ‘Love the sinner and hate your own sin. And after you get rid of the sin in...more
This whole book is just kind of ironic to me in some ways. I almost didn't get it, because I thought it was just a religious book and just the usual Christian stuff and as I am not a religious person, I threw it back into the promo bin at work (We get promo books for free and we can get whichever ones we want from the bin). Then I glanced back at the bin later and saw the word "gay" on it and was like, "Wait, what?" and actually read the whole subheading. Even then I was still a bit skeptical bu...more
Very important book. Here's my review on the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lillian...
Torn by Justin Lee: Gay Evangelical Writes A Coming Out Story Your Conservative Grandmother Could Love
"Raised a Southern Baptist, with two loving parents, Justin Lee didn't want to be gay. But when he revealed that he was only attracted to his own gender, the church he loved..."
And here is another review I wrote from another angle:
http://jerichobooks.com/lillian-danie...
WHY DON'T THEY JUST COME...more
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lillian...
Torn by Justin Lee: Gay Evangelical Writes A Coming Out Story Your Conservative Grandmother Could Love
"Raised a Southern Baptist, with two loving parents, Justin Lee didn't want to be gay. But when he revealed that he was only attracted to his own gender, the church he loved..."
And here is another review I wrote from another angle:
http://jerichobooks.com/lillian-danie...
WHY DON'T THEY JUST COME...more
This is an issue I have struggled with. I know that I want to follow the commandment to love my neighbor and I also know that I (with my whole heart) want to support my gay family members. I want them to find the same kind of love that I have found, and I want them to feel welcomed, rather than rejected by the church. At the same time, I struggle with the debate about sin, and how my fellow Christians respond.
Before reading this book, I had decided that loving was my command, and that examining...more
Before reading this book, I had decided that loving was my command, and that examining...more
In a Gays-vs.-Christians world, admitting you're gay makes you the enemy of Christians.
Sadly, with this single sentence, Justin Lee sums up one of the biggest issues in Western Christianity today. Or maybe the biggest. It's extremely unfortunate (or maybe criminal is a better word), that we've allowed two or three misread passages to completely overshadow God's message of love in the Bible.
Torn is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand better what's holding back the love and compassion...more
Justin Lee presents a well-organized and highly identifiable account of the complexities under-girding evangelical, Christian faith and sexual orientation. His narrative proves deeply theological without dwelling on minute intricacies of theology. Rather than putting forward an exegesis involving Biblically "split hairs," Lee tells us his personal struggle to reconcile his faith and sexual orientation, which does not involve blindly deciding "pro" or "anti" gay, but rather frames his attempts to...more
What I admire most about this book and about Justin Lee in general is how much he strives for humility in everything he does. He always acknowledges that he is doing his best to speak honestly but some questions don't have perfect and clear answers. What he has is his story and he does a great job telling it in a gentle and honest way.
Lee states from the beginning that his goal is not to argue or change minds, it's to open people's eyes. I think it's an admirable goal and a very needed one. Tho...more
Lee states from the beginning that his goal is not to argue or change minds, it's to open people's eyes. I think it's an admirable goal and a very needed one. Tho...more
This is a pretty good book, not great, which has as its primary strength the winsomeness of its author. "Torn" is not very deep in its theology or psychology but gains an immediacy by being in large part the memoir of Justin Lee, telling the story of his sexual awakening, coming out, and personal struggle with the divide between cultural evangelical Christianity and the culture of the late twentieth century LGBT community.
It would be almost impossible, it seems to me, to read this book and not f...more
It would be almost impossible, it seems to me, to read this book and not f...more
The simplest thing to say about Torn is that I would love for everyone to read it, starting with my pastors, then on to everyone in my church, and then on to my friends who don't understand why I would participate in a religious tradition so soiled by hostility toward LGBT people. Once that's said, there are all kinds of criticisms to make about the book. One of Justin Lee's strengths is his naivete, but it would be foolish for me not to acknowledge that this is also a weakness. Lee seems pretty...more
This is the book. If you are wanting to find the bridge between the Gays vs. Christians debate this is it. Sure, there have been many other authors from both sides write about the biology, the environment and the Bible. But this book, while covering all of those topics is the one that bridges the gap and reminds the Church of it's highest commandment or rule: To love one another. If you want a book that addresses the misinformation of the years of the ex-gay ministries, this is it. If you want t...more
Justin Lee was called "God-boy" by the kids in school. Everyone knew him as a Jesus-fanatic, an outspoken member of the evangelical Christian community. Yet Justin had a secret: he was attracted to men. The problem was that his Southern Baptist background considered being gay a sin, or more precisely a disease to be cured of. In this book Justin tells his story and it is an important story to hear.
As I read, I could not help but recall being an adolescent, traveling through those confusing days...more
As I read, I could not help but recall being an adolescent, traveling through those confusing days...more
Parts I liked best:
There are , of course, many single people in the world, and I'm not suggesting that one needs a spouse in order to have a happy, fulfilling life. But for those who have a spouse or don't particularly feel the need for one, it can be far too easy to offer trite platitudes about how God is sufficient, ignoring the realities of loneliness that so many single people face. After all, seeing that Adam was alone, God did not simply say, "I am sufficient for you"; nor did God expect A...more
Had the opportunity to read a proof copy thanks to BEA. So note that this review is based upon that and not on a final print copy.
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Overall, I think Lee has produced a quality book. Rather than considering the topic through an analytical, scientific, or religious lens, Lee primarily explores the topic through his own personal journey.
He is honest in his own struggles and failures. He is not particularly quick to condemn those who have reacted negatively against him, knowing full well his own re...more
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Overall, I think Lee has produced a quality book. Rather than considering the topic through an analytical, scientific, or religious lens, Lee primarily explores the topic through his own personal journey.
He is honest in his own struggles and failures. He is not particularly quick to condemn those who have reacted negatively against him, knowing full well his own re...more
This is an important book and it couldn't have come at a better time. In fact, if you don't have a close gay friend or family member who shares their life experience with you, this is a must read. Justin Lee lays it all out there, what it's like to have a wonderful, nurturing childhood with loving and caring parents, to be part of a church that serves as a second homebase, to be known as God Boy at school and want only to please and serve God...and be gay. In this book, Justin takes the reader t...more
There are very few books on "current" theological debates that I have read in the last decade that have the power that this particular book brings. I truly believe that this one is a "world" changer.
Justin Lee enters into the fray of the most fractious debate among Christians from a narrative standpoint - his narrative. He openly shares his story, his struggles and his ultimate quiet triumph.
I do not believe Lee set out with an agenda in telling this story any more than he set out in life to be...more
Justin Lee enters into the fray of the most fractious debate among Christians from a narrative standpoint - his narrative. He openly shares his story, his struggles and his ultimate quiet triumph.
I do not believe Lee set out with an agenda in telling this story any more than he set out in life to be...more
I found this book to be very important for Christians to read. We need to love as Christ loved and Justin Lee did a great job getting this message across in "Torn". His goal was not to argue our beliefs but to take a stand on how we treat each other so that the gospel is kept in the forefront of our lives.
Christians need to stop looking at Gay people with disdain and Gays should not look at Christians as anti-Gay. We need to all come together to treat each other as people first and foremost. All...more
Christians need to stop looking at Gay people with disdain and Gays should not look at Christians as anti-Gay. We need to all come together to treat each other as people first and foremost. All...more
This is a very helpful book for understanding the complexity of the Christian debate about homosexuality. It its helpful for identify what we mean when we use the word "gay" (orientation vs. action) and is a great personal testament of Justin Lee' story of coming out in a conservative Baptist setting. Though I am not gay I definitely identified with the desire to discuss the issue of how Christians can better engage the gay community, even without necessarily agreeing on whether or not homosexua...more
Full disclosure, I sort of know the author of this book in that we went to the same college and were part of the same campus organization our senior year, though neither of the ones he talks about at length in the book. However, we were merely acquaintances and I have no idea if he remembers me at all.
Our brief acquaintance does not in any way affect my opinion that Torn is a fantastic book. Justin uses his own personal experiences realizing that he is gay despite his Christian faith to address...more
Our brief acquaintance does not in any way affect my opinion that Torn is a fantastic book. Justin uses his own personal experiences realizing that he is gay despite his Christian faith to address...more
What does a faithful Southern Baptist teen - nicknamed "God Boy"! - do when he can no longer suppress the knowledge that he is gay?
Many well-intentioned voices told Justin Lee that "Christian and gay" was not an option. Yet he was not willing to renounce - or to conceal - either identity.
Justin's journey, which eventually led him to found the Gay Christian Network, makes a riveting story. But it is more than that. It shows the damage that "culture war" stereotypes can do to individual human be...more
Many well-intentioned voices told Justin Lee that "Christian and gay" was not an option. Yet he was not willing to renounce - or to conceal - either identity.
Justin's journey, which eventually led him to found the Gay Christian Network, makes a riveting story. But it is more than that. It shows the damage that "culture war" stereotypes can do to individual human be...more
Justin Lee tells his story. It's basically a coming of age story for a gay evangelical. Lee does share his account of how he's come to terms with both aspects of his identity - gay and Christian. This isn't the place to go for a thorough treatment of the scriptural and theological issues. (Lee has a chapter that focuses on this, but it's obviously not thorough or especially erudite.) Lee clearly states his view that for himself, he's able to reconcile being a married gay man as a biblical follow...more
One of the most important books any Christian, gay or straight, concerned about the current state of Christianity can read.
Lee's prose flows effortlessly as he tells us of his quest for peace of mind and his search for a place within the church. His story alone makes this a compelling read, but the book is about more than just this one man. It's about the greatest divide within Christianity today.
Lee takes the Bible seriously, and makes a theologically sound case for the acceptance of committed...more
Lee's prose flows effortlessly as he tells us of his quest for peace of mind and his search for a place within the church. His story alone makes this a compelling read, but the book is about more than just this one man. It's about the greatest divide within Christianity today.
Lee takes the Bible seriously, and makes a theologically sound case for the acceptance of committed...more
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Justin Lee is the founder and executive director of The Gay Christian Network (GCN), a nonprofit, interdenominational organization working to increase dialogue between gays and Christians and support people on both sides wrestling with related issues.
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