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Table of Contents

“You know, I’ve never really thought about it like that” is the comment I’m looking for from my readers. Most other writers defending homosexuality focus on rebutting bad interpretation of the ‘Clobber Passages’, verses in the protestant Christian Bible used by fundamentalists to prove that heterosexuality is the only sexual orientation and that a homosexual is just a sick and depraved heterosexual.

First, let me say that this book does not follow the crowd talking about Bible verses mainly, although I do touch on them sporadically. I prefer to create metaphors and ‘what-if’ articles that prompt the reader to think more philosophically about ideas having to do with sexual orientation. Toward that end, I am introducing two words (hetero-natural and homo-natural) that immediately upon typing trigger the ‘spelled wrong’ wiggly red underline on my computer. Some day that will not happen because expanded use and acceptance will bring them into our daily vocabulary. I did not create them; one (homo-natural) was actually copyrighted some time this year.

I did think of it on my own without any outside help in the morning minutes before I got up, but when I googled the word I found it was already in use. That’s fine, but I wonder if it has ever been put to as much use as this book.

Sexuality is just one trait of our personalities along with a host of other aspects of what defines us. Since the words ‘sex’ or ‘sexuality’ stimulate such a negative and occasionally hostile reaction, why not use words that take the sting out of communication — words that signify much, much more than just one trait? So, throughout this book only the two new words are ever used unless I want to address sexuality more narrowly. It might cause you a little disconnect when you first encounter them, but I am certain you will learn to appreciate the substitution. (See chapter 3 for a wider discussion of this matter.) I have not yet had much contact with people with yet other sexual identities, but I do hope that they find this book contains some helpful ideas.

Secondly, I want to thank my dear wife and gay son for their positive and helpful feedback on this project. I have turned our living room into a very messy writing studio that is beyond ‘straightening up.’ Doing so would cause me to lose the structure of my little piles. I also credit my wife with helping me to remember to tone down my language so she can understand it, thereby helping many others in the same way. “Thank you, dear. You’re right.”

Third, I wish to thank Elizabeth Oscanyan, who volunteers with Distributed Proofreading Canada, for helping me revise the book and helping me decide to make it available to the public without charge. The original version, if one wants to buy a printed copy, is available on Amazon and at major bookstores.

Bible quotations come from the New International Version [NIV] and the Revised Standard Versopm [RSV] as displayed on the Bible Gateway website.

Any names used in this publication are fictional to protect loved ones who are not in agreement with us from any embarrassment in facing their family members and friends who might direct unwanted and uninvited questions or comments to them.