Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community (Paperback)

~ Andrew Marin (Author)
Key Phrases: unconditional behaviors, someone into heaven, cognizant decision, The Marin Foundation, The Big, Old Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Andrew Marin speaks with a loving, clear voice about an issue that is dividing families, churches and our nation." --Michelle Strombeck, Moody Broadcasting Network

"One of my mentors once told me, 'The hard thing about being a bridge is that you get walked on from both ends.' Thank God for those big-hearted people willing to be bridges . . . willing to suffer a lot of abuse and misunderstanding in trying to bring others together. Andrew Marin is one of those bridge-people, and he has laid himself across a huge gap to bring together people who need each other." --Brian McLaren, author, speaker and activist (brianmclaren.net)

"The evangelical church, with a few exceptions, has been stuck with three options when it comes to our thinking and action concerning the gay community. Some remain silent because they're fearful and aren't sure what they believe. Others engage in loud and acerbic speech-making, convinced that they must first address 'conclusive' biblical truth on this special sin before any possible conversation could even begin. Still others attempt to adopt a 'love the sinner but hate the sin' perspective that sounds good on paper but seems to play out in reality as distancing from those perceived sinners. Andrew Marin, thankfully, breaks through these three options with the 'Why haven't we been doing this all along?' approach of love and dialogue. Reading this book feels like Marin just called a time-out, and asked us all to sit in a circle and talk turkey." --Mark Oestreicher, president, Youth Specialties

Review

"Andrew Marin speaks with a loving, clear voice about an issue that is dividing families, churches and our nation."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Intervarsity Press (March 25, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830836268
• ISBN-13: 978-0830836260
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,915 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Gender & Sexuality
  #5 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Special Groups > Lesbian Studies
  #10 in	Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gay Love, April 24, 2009

By	Jeremy D. Myers (Otisville, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In a world that increasingly welcomes and accepts those of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual (GLBT) orientation, Christians must open their eyes and ears to what GLBT people are saying about God, the Scriptures, the church, and human sexuality. This is especially true if we want to minister among them.

Furthermore, the GLBT issue is increasingly being brought up on television and in politics. Numerous states are passing laws legalizing same-sex marriage. Therefore, it is vitally important for Christians to know how to respond to these situations, not only in truth, but also in love.

Andrew Marin is one Christian who is pioneering the way.

In his book, Andrew Marin provides an excellent overview of the absolute necessity for Christians to build bridges to those people who are in the GLBT community. As Christ took the initiative and came to us, we must take the initiative in building bridges of hope and love to others.

Thankfully, Andrew Marin is not writing theoretically, but from yeas of experience from living among the GLBT community as the "gayest straight person in the world."

The book provides excellent insights and guidelines for working alongside and developing relationships with people in the GLBT community. For example, Andrew advises the four of the most important things Christians can do are (1) love, (2) listen, (3) don't judge, and (4) seek friendship and conversation. Also, he recommends we stop saying "Love the sinner; hate the sin" and referring to those in the GLBT community as "homosexuals." Both, he explains, are derogatory.

One helpful feature of the book is the answers to the five main questions that are on the minds of most Christians. The questions are:

1. Do you think that gays and lesbians are born that way?
2. Do you think homosexuality is a sin?
3. Can a GLBT person change?
4. Do you think that someone can be gay and a Christian?
5. Are GLBT people going to hell?

I imagine that as you read this short review, one or two of these questions crossed your mind as well. I believe that Marin provided some excellent answers to these questions in his book. Sadly, I don't have room to reproduce the answers here...so I guess you'll just have to buy and read the book for yourself.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars yes, it is all about love, June 2, 2009

By	Afdhere Jama, author of ILLEGAL CITIZENS (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

first of all let me say that i'm a muslim, and a happy one at that. i truly connected with, however, the spiritual love that is present in andrew marin's message. i think the reason i can feel so connected to this christian message is that i have met many gay christians or former christians who felt so spiritually alienated by other christians. and here is a straight man working in the gay community to bring love. talk about being a pioneer. and his message is not a blind love for the gay community, either. i love that andrew marin is able to bring a balanced, real, straight (no pun intended) message full of love to people on both sides on this issue. he covers a lot of particular issues in his book. he deals with the subject of coming out. he talks about the political, stigma, and the shame glbt people experience in the culture. he talks about the fact that we are all seeking validation, all of us - queer or straight. and then he launches his program of how to reach the community, how christians can bring the love back-- so to speak. can you feel the love?

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and inspiring, April 14, 2009

By	J. Franklin (Mishawaka, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Andrew Marin has done a fantastic job of providing the Christian community with a better jumping board into conversation with and interaction with the GLBT community. Most Christians I know aren't uncompassionate toward the GLBT community, but they have no idea how to relate to them without feeling like they're compromising their own beliefs. Andrew provides his own testimony of following Jesus' example of incarnational relationship and ministry to those who are different from us, oppressed by society, and often condemned by the church at large. The book will scare you and encourage you. Something has to change in the Christian-GLBT dynamic, and Andrew has provided a path to a better, and I believe more Christ-like, way to engage.