Truth Day 17~An Influential Book

Steps to Recovery From Bible Abuse, by Dr. Rembert Truluck, has truly changed my life. I now have a solid foundation to believe that God is good with being gay; in fact God is good with anyone under any circumstances who has pledged his/her life to Him. All books I have read were not convincing enough; always lurking was the fear instilled by traditional prejudiced and judgmental religion that being gay was "unclean" and "unworthy". After all the Bible clobberers love to point to passages claiming "abomination"; every day for three years two Fundamentalists best friends had drilled into me that gay equals sin and my eternal destination was without a doubt, hell. as long as I gave my support to such a cause. I am well aware that there are huge numbers behind their way of thinking and that I am in the minority. Yet there's nothing new with that; ever since I learned to think for myself as a teen I've been in the minority. Still as I write this I'm thinking I will not win friends and influence I'm still a bit afraid of rejection, no matter how much courage and bravado I throw out there. My purpose is to be real so I will just have to deal with my vulnerability.

In my model of recovery it's a process that is self-determined and holistic where growing and learning never end. Dr. Truluck illustrates steps to recovery based on the AA models of 12-stepping; it's a time proven useful model to help people in recovery. His beliefs and insights are always backed up with clear examples from scripture in the Bible and especially the four gospels of Jesus. Since Jesus is our role model as Christians for who we most aspire to emulate, it makes perfect since to take your cues from His time on earth as recorded in Matthew. Mark. Luke and John. The rest of the Bible is not ignored nor thrown out, but the gospels are emphasized. Here is a list of the steps:

1.  Admit You Have Been Hurt by Religion

2.  Turn to God for Help

3.  Examine Your Faith

4.  Face and Deal with your Anger

5.  Avoid Negative People and Churches

6.  Confront the Scripture Used Against You

7.  Find Positive Supportive Scripture

 (Note:  No, it is not invented it is found in the Bible in its' own words.)

8.  Read and Study the Gospels

9.  Come Out and Accept yourself

10.  Develop Your Support System

11.  Learn to Share Your Faith

12  Become a Freedom Missionary

13. Give Yourself Time to Heal and Recover, Let Go and Live!

Included is information about how Jesus faced religious bigots in His time, how Jesus handled anger, how Jesus defined family. how He wants Christians to live free from fear and full of His love and hope.There's a lot to absorb here so it is recommended that you join or form a small study group to work these steps and discuss this book and the correct Bible correlations. I plan to start such a group in Philadelphia. Meet-Up groups already exist especially within Metropolitan Community Churches; I specifically found one in Sacramento, CA.

Love, faith and hope on your journey,

Deborah