Hiding from Myself A Memoir edition by Bryan Christopher Religion Spirituality eBooks
Download As PDF : Hiding from Myself A Memoir edition by Bryan Christopher Religion Spirituality eBooks 
"Unforgettable. This book will stay with me the rest of my life." reviewer Andreams
You can't browse the news without seeing "gay" in a headline from the simmering showdown between religious freedom and gay rights, to bullied gay teens tragically taking their own lives, to churches splitting right down the middle over gay clergy. Few social issues ignite such passion. For those who see homosexuality as a choice and a sin, the notion of gay marriage is intolerable. For those who are gay, being excluded and shamed is simply intolerant.
Bryan Christopher's life has been spent straddling this great divide. As a boy raised under the blinding Friday Night Lights of Texas, one message was consistent from the playground to the pulpit "queers" deserved to be smeared. And at the dawn of puberty, a 13-year-old Bryan knew he was in trouble he was staring limply at the pages of his dad's Playboy. That's when the hiding began. And in his neck of the Southern Baptist woods, it left him with one viable option change.
"Hiding from Myself A Memoir" chronicles his extraordinary crusade from ringing doorbells for Jesus in the Castro of San Francisco to sorting through Hugh Hefner's dirty laundry as a butler at the Playboy Mansion; from drowning in the beer-soaked trenches of his UCLA fraternity house to plunging headfirst into evangelical Christianity and "ex-gay" conversion therapy.
With this raw and moving testimony, the author offers healing and a fresh perspective on perhaps the most divisive social issue of our time. Bryan's story is not a "gay" story or even an "ex-gay" story; his is a human story--a testament to the innate universal need for love.
And the things that can sometimes get in the way...
Hiding from Myself A Memoir edition by Bryan Christopher Religion Spirituality eBooks
This is really a heartbreaking book. Simple heartbreaking. The church has a lot to answer for in regards to the demonisation of homosexuals.Bryan is a devout Christian, but because he is gay, he believes that he cannot be himself, lest he lose his friends, family and the church he loves. So he tries to change and bend himself into the right heterosexual shape so that he can finally be a "normal", married and have kids. He tried to "turn" himself straight by working in Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion, enrolled in "ex-gay" programmes and listened to motivational tapes - all to no avail. He repeatedly walked away from people he had a connection with, and nearly killed himself from the pain.
It was painful to read his struggle, how he hides his true self, the deep self-loathing he feels about who he is, the frustration he felt at being created that way ... I may be a straight woman but I relate to his desperation in wanting to fit into a religious culture that demands we behave a certain way, but doing so would mean destroying ourselves slowly by not being ourselves.
The only minus point is that there are times I found his journey repetitive (he comes close to accepting himself, only to fall back into the "I know I can be an ex-gay one day" mode). Still, if anything, this does enable you to feel the exhaustion he feels.
Product details
|
Tags : Hiding from Myself: A Memoir - Kindle edition by Bryan Christopher. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Hiding from Myself: A Memoir.,ebook,Bryan Christopher,Hiding from Myself: A Memoir,BC Books,Biography & Autobiography LGBT,Religion Christian Ministry Counseling & Recovery
People also read other books :
- The Quadity Jacob I Pfeiffer 9780692818305 Books
- The Search For My Inner "I" Joseph W Macy 9781483679297 Books
- Perfectly Incorrect Why The Common Core Is Psychologically And Cognitively Unsound eBook Terry Marselle
- The Search For My Inner "I" Joseph W Macy 9781483679297 Books
- Perfectly Incorrect Why The Common Core Is Psychologically And Cognitively Unsound eBook Terry Marselle
Hiding from Myself A Memoir edition by Bryan Christopher Religion Spirituality eBooks Reviews
My son is gay. When he first came out to me, I was devastated. We were Bible Belt Christians and had raised him with all the bells and whistles that go with that. That was back in 2001. Since then, I have come to the realization that God loves my son just as I love him unconditionally. Bryan's book gives me further insight into what my son must have gone through. The agony of trying to live as dictated by the "Christian" leaders, begging God to "fix" the gay. I'm so glad my son didn't have to spend as long as Bryan did going through this. And so glad Bryan has found peace in his own life. Very, very good book.
Rarely do I come across a book I can't put down. Hiding From Myself is one of those rare finds. It's quite evident that Bryan loves the Lord with all his heart and soul, even if he doesn't fit into our preconceived idea of what a Christian is. I applaud him for his courage and vulnerability in allowing us into his world. As Christians we can be very judgmental, especially when it comes to the gay community. We all have areas in our lives we'd like to change; through this book I've been reminded of God's love and acceptance - even when it seems impossible to love and accept ourselves. This is a story you'll never forget.
I chose to read this book to better understand the world of a business partner. What I did not expect was an honest, emotional (yes I teared up, something I usually don't do) evolution of the author's psyche as he navigated life as a "not gay" man. As a conservative I could relate to the teachings of the church. However, this book opened my eyes to the struggles that Gays who are raised Christian face and how often they are tormented between spirituality and their soul as they come to know themselves. While I have always been indifferent to people's orientation, as I see the person not the orientation, I know my perspective is not common. I am going to recommend this book to many colleagues and friends as this book really opened my eyes and changed my view of the gay world. Yes the fascination and media saturation of the "look at me" attention seeking stereotypical "Gay" personas are abundant in the media in Today's age, this was not always the case. This author, Bryan Christopher is not one of those stereotypes. He's just like everyone else.....although he feels as if he has a problem. I admire his efforts and applaud his ultimate conclusion
Wow, just wow! Really loved this book! I had a similar experience, I am transgender and in the 1990's turned to a dogmatic Christian church figuring if I just knew the rules I could follow them and probably be miserable, but at the time I felt like being happy was not something I was entitled to. That being said I never could bring myself to do what the author did and confess to the pastor, pray, and so on and actively try to change his very nature. That took guts! Me I was too scared it might actually work and then who would I be? I wouldn't be myself! I did fall quickly in then out of repairitive therapy, just didn't click at all and eventually I accepted myself and transitioned. I am still a Christian and found a church that welcomes everyone as they are.
I identified with so much of what Mr. Christopher went through, the pain and bad yes, but also the crazy funny (looking back) situations you fall into leading a double life! It is Mr. Christopher's openness, honesty, and down right wonderful sense of humor that make this book a must read. I usually read in public if I'm out having coffee or lunch alone and more than once I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face! You will too! Read it!
This is really a heartbreaking book. Simple heartbreaking. The church has a lot to answer for in regards to the demonisation of homosexuals.
Bryan is a devout Christian, but because he is gay, he believes that he cannot be himself, lest he lose his friends, family and the church he loves. So he tries to change and bend himself into the right heterosexual shape so that he can finally be a "normal", married and have kids. He tried to "turn" himself straight by working in Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion, enrolled in "ex-gay" programmes and listened to motivational tapes - all to no avail. He repeatedly walked away from people he had a connection with, and nearly killed himself from the pain.
It was painful to read his struggle, how he hides his true self, the deep self-loathing he feels about who he is, the frustration he felt at being created that way ... I may be a straight woman but I relate to his desperation in wanting to fit into a religious culture that demands we behave a certain way, but doing so would mean destroying ourselves slowly by not being ourselves.
The only minus point is that there are times I found his journey repetitive (he comes close to accepting himself, only to fall back into the "I know I can be an ex-gay one day" mode). Still, if anything, this does enable you to feel the exhaustion he feels.
0 Response to "[LXD]≡ Read Free Hiding from Myself A Memoir edition by Bryan Christopher Religion Spirituality eBooks"
Post a Comment