Customer Reviews

Setting Love in Order: Hope and Healing for the Homosexual

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After i read Mario's book, i was almost sorry it has the subtitle it does --- (Hope and healing for the homosexual), as i found it profoundly helpful in understanding and coming to terms with my own female/feminine identity (heterosexuality): what that really is, as opposed to what i "came to believe" about myself, growing up in a dysfunctional, abusive family of origin. With unusual candor, Mario details his personal thought life and experience with his homosexual behavior patterns and his journey from sexual/gender woundedness toward wholeness through Jesus Christ; affirming much, yet challenging long-held moral prejudices towards homosexuals, in general. Autobiographically written,his story exemplifies that "the truth," indeed, "shall make you free," and that it is indeed possible to learn how to "hate the sin," but "love the sinner," if we will but take the time to listen and hear and understand that many of us became "products" of the environments we were borne into and that our "woundedness" manifests itself in many different ways. Mario offers the untimate comfort to those who suffer -- the hope and healing available to anyone who rightly desires it, thru Christ Jesus.

Bergner's book demonstrates the need apparent in broken sexuality. For the person who longs to rightly understand the painful roots of gender identity confusion and is willing to walk through that pain to the glorious end of wholeness, this book is an absolute MUST read. While certain societal groups will seek to censor this book for daring to look honestly at the emotional and spiritual roots of such brokenness, Bergner's book pinpoints the exact center of the pendulum swing, which in this culture functions out of two extremes regarding the homosexual debate - the full and celebrated acceptance of the homosexual life as natural and even healthy, or the complete and utter condemnation and hatred of the person dealing with homosexuality. Bergner aims right to the middle of these two extremes and so ends up with the truth.

This is a great book for hetero- and homo- sexual people alike. It gives us all a compassionate framework for understanding, growth, and healing. After reading this book anyone, even the heterosexual person, will see areas of possible healing and growth in their own lives.

To anybody who identifes themself as a homosexual and is looking for a way out, this book offers loving, compasionate advice that centers on a relationship with Jesus. It will teach you how to walk with the spirit and how to open yourself up to Jesus and his wonderful forgiving love. Those who give don't like this book are frustrated persons stuck in the traps and lies of the fallen world we live in today. All everybody needs is Jesus and this book teaches how to follow HIM.

Love is disordered in so many of us, not just the homosexual, and I would recommend the passion and compassion and honesty of Mario's testimony and insights to anyone struggling with relational brokenness, confusion, and identity issues, not just those with this particular neurosis. I found much joy and communion in reading this book. It is a God-conscious book, seeing one's true self through God, not self-loathing. This book is simple and cuts to the marrow of so much of our brokenness, excellent both for people beginning their journey of healing and those well along. There were a number of areas I had previously prayed about that were brought to a further depth of clarity and release for me--for instance, sense of being, supernatural strengthening of the will that erases the "castration" effected on us by others in our past, and the habits of passivity, selfishness, and pride that can be the result of profound loneliness and isolation. This book oozes with grace; I grieved over some sins and the sins of others against me, but it was totally in God's embrace... written by someone who's obviously spent time there. Just to think about it makes me smile with peace--with the faith, hope, and love that abide.

It's very interesting to read other peoples reviews and reactions to marios book, which is all about sexual brokenness of every type - particularly heterosexual issues.

The hate reaction to this book seems to be from the very people that Mario is trying to reach out (with love - he knows what it's like, and he has suffered the pain!).

It requires a massive amount of honesty to recognise issues within ourselves. If your first reaction to this book i anger, ask yourself why?

I was a lesbian but got saved through the salvations of Jesus Christ. This book honestly tell the TRUE story of how the author became a gay but later saved by Jesus Christ. Mario's book is very touching. I started crying when I read the first 3 chapters. Now, I am the translator for this book's Chinsese version. Great book, touches my heart and my soul, and help me to know where is my struggle for my homosexuality and relationship with God. The book is a intro-level book that will lead you to take a great step into homosexual healing by God's great power and love that you will never see. The book has lead me start journey the road of being sanctifed and to the wholeness renewal life.

... at Wheaton college, which prompted me to attend the church he is a clergy member at towards the end of my years in undergrad. I would like to assure anyone who reads this book that, contrary to what I read in some of these reviews, this man is NOT "self-loathing" nor "insecure," nor is his book intended for those who are. This man is full of love and gratitude, and as a straight woman his sermons & lectures in class spoke to me in a deep way. For those of you struggling with his message, I would implore you to consider that his message applies to ALL forms of human sexuality, and it applies to those of us who are straight AND those of us who are gay.

When my husband of 20 years began having an identity crisis problem I found the information in this book to be helpful in dealing with his feelings of homosexuality. We did infact split in the end but the split was much cleaner than it might have been had I not found this book. There is an arizona resource helpline that also assisted me and recommended this book, they can be reached at 1-480-987-3979 or 1-480-831-6200, at the later number ask for Vicki.

As a psychotherapist and a Christian I have struggled with understanding and responding to homosexuality. This book has been extremely valuable in helping me to understand the psychological development of homosexuality, and I was impressed by the author's grasp of current psychological theories. He does this in a very readable, and a very kind, yet strong manner. This is an insightful book, not just for people trying to understand homosexuality, but for anyone struggling understand themselves and longing for more personal wholeness. I appreciated how the author very sensitively does not blame people for who and how they are, yet holds out hope for greater health and wholeness. He also does not overspiritualize by "letting God take care of it." He stresses that change can only come through the painful yet honest journey of exploring all of the psychological, emotional, and physical aspects that have made us who we are, and then through the hard therapeutic work of rebuilding a healthier self. Through it all, he reveals a loving picture of God who loves us how we are and also wants us to be truly free, healthy, and whole people, and is actively present with us throughout the journey.