Sep 10
10
Brad Cullen
Controversial? You Bet!
PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE ARTICLE POSTED SEPTEMBER 9th entitled: You Cannot Have Faith and You Probably Don’t, Unless…..
Ryan posted something yesterday that was drawn from my comments in an e-mail exchange with a reader about “church.” Ryan’s e-mail to me said, “Hey there, I put this up on ‘Brad on,’ might be a bit controversial?” My response was to the effect, “What else is new” …and gave him a good-humored jibe about the provocative picture he had inserted toward the end of the article.
STOP! If you consider yourself to be a follower of Jesus, whether “straight” or “gay,” I implore you to hold tightly onto some words of SPIRIT that came through the mouth of Jesus: “Be careful that you do not judge others, for in the same manner that you judge others you will be judged.” I (Brad Cullen) have had to learn the practicalities of this lesson the hard way. Keep an open mind by telling your perfect SPIRIT-PARENT, “Daddy/Mommy, I want to do what you want me to do, I don’t want to read any further unless I am led by YOU!
Now then, if you are led to keep reading… here is a preview of an actual exchange between two dear friends and I that was included in an interview, quoted below (originally from Leapfrog with only the names changed):
“I’ve got a question, Brad,” Ray asked, “do you believe that all homosexuality is caused by demons?”
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “I believe that we (all) miss God because we try to hide. We try to hide because we don’t believe God will accept us the way we are. In both your cases, you were desperate enough to want God no matter what. Homosexuals are just like everyone else. So busy justifying their lifestyles that they shove God aside. People who are addicted to religion do the same thing. In that sense it is probably all caused by demonic influence.” [(all) and underlining added here for emphasis]
Keep in mind throughout this article that the way to avoid judging (and thereby being judged) is to call out to SPIRIT-PARENT …help!
This morning I awakened to the memory of an acquaintance in Alabama who, with his wife, started and maintained what became a large “charismatic” church. They used Treasure Chest as a discussion medium in their small group, in-home ministry. They had asked me to speak at their church. They had a fairly large segment of homosexual members (almost one hundred, total, as I recall, among a membership in the thousands). Both he and his wife totally embraced Jesus’ command to not allow themselves to be called or refer to anyone else by any title that implies spiritual authority or superiority.
I was originally introduced to this couple by the President of their denomination, who was trying to get them to stop encouraging homosexuals to join their church and wanted me to help him “straighten the couple out.” You want controversy, Ryan? I’ll give you controversy.
I confess that this couple would be close friends of mine if I lived in close proximity to them. At this stage in my life, however, I would neither attend their church (nor any other) nor accept an invitation to even speak there (or any other) …even if I lived next door! But how I endorse this couple, so beautifully filled and empowered by SPIRIT for what they were called and chosen to do. My comment to all three (the President of their Denomination, and the couple), when they tried to get me into their argument about whether people who were openly homosexual should be welcomed into the church, my response was to the effect that I neither was called to have church or even go any longer; and, in fact, I have obeyed the command to come out of her altogether, therefore, don’t get me involved in what was turning out to be a quite heated argument between the three of them.
Here is an excerpt from Leapfrog which I think adequately spells out my views: Controversial? Read on, dear friends, read on.
Writer, Jeanne Stockwell, interviewing Brad…
JS: You brought up the idea that apparently the original language does not specifically refer to God as “Father,” but could just as easily be “Mother” as well. This was a shock initially and I began to realize how steeped I was in my own religious preconceived notions. Frankly, Brad, I have never thought of myself as a religious person. I have tried to go to church, but it has always been a negative experience for me. I believe you have helped me see why!
The question I have is two-fold. First, you seem willing to allow that God has a feminine side as well as masculine. It doesn’t seem to bother you one way or the other. Why? Second, if it is no big deal to you one way or another, why do you make an issue of it? I have a confession to make. My idea at the beginning was to interview several people who have “offbeat” and provocative thinking about religion…simply to make an interesting and readable series. I’ve gotten stuck on your story and have taken on ownership because I want it to be read—both because of my selfish inclinations as a writer and because I believe your story should be told. From the beginning of my research I have found that you provoke religious people into shock and it seems to be your primary intent. Why?
BC: Well, Jeanne, look who is being provocative now. You are provoking me to think. I’m hung up on wanting to think through and answer the latter part of your question…. So, before getting off on a tangent that will make me forget the first part, I’ll take first things first.
The word in the original translated as “Father” means initiator of spirit life. I’m going to make a stretch here that I don’t usually talk about except one on one. We’re not talking about the progenitor of a human body, but of the spiritual side. But if we were talking about the human side, it takes both the male and the female to reproduce. Both are equally important in that process. Both have different functions.
In religions predating Christianinty God is a Woman
Why do we resist a Perfect Parent having both male and female attributes? If we look at ourselves individually, which parent had the most influence in what we have become? As I continually deal with people in business and in spiritual matters who want some objective third-party advice, it never ceases to amaze me that they discount the influence of one parent or the other. An absent father, for example, strongly influences his child by his absence. Does it have to be negative?
It does not. Children are amazingly resilient beings, and the absence of a father or a mother is just part of the ultimate molding process. I made a decision to let my children verbally know that I loved them. I told them so continually. Why? Because my own dad never said the words and I was 30 years old before it finally dawned on me that he did love me. Talk about insecurity! So I determined to tell my kids. In retrospect, I am a product of that seeming lack of reassurance of love during my formative years. I am comfortable with who I am as a person today—so the obvious question then is, so what? Are my children any better off for my having continually told them that I loved them? I don’t think so. In fact it probably cheapened the word. I tell everyone I love them because the Father (Mother) in me does love everyone and I simply cannot help expressing it.
Here’s the thing. My mother had all kinds of faults, as do I. My father had all kinds of faults, as do I. I forgive them and I forgive me. Our physical parents are not the issue. Jesus introduced God as a perfect Parent of our spiritual side and specifically said that there was neither male nor female in that realm. “Mother” and “Father” are human terms that have no relationship to God—other than the fact that, whatever we lacked in our upbringing, we can get fulfilled on the spiritual side of things. This equals reconciliation with everyone as well as God and we can quit resisting either male or female and just accept both.
I am going to get into a touchy area, but it is my experience. One of my favorite people from the past was a lesbian. Mary had more mature and practical fatherly/motherly advice for me in my early 20s than any man or woman has ever provided. Mary and Agnes were raising a teenage boy when I met them. He was very well adjusted and received some excellent advice from Mary about how to deal with his girlfriend!
Homosexuals have never been a problem for me. Because gay men knew I was not judgmental of them (even though repelled personally about any such involvement of my own. It was a simple matter for me—I prefer girls! I, therefore, was not hung up about any homosexual tendencies that might be prevalent at some level in me—so what?), friends would bring them to me to be healed of AIDS. Here’s the part of my story that gets touchy and there goes some more of your audience, Jeanne! Believe it or not—here is my experience and it is the truth. Those who got “delivered” from AIDS got delivered from homosexuality. In each incident those who were delivered also were delivered from the hatred of their fathers. [Brad’s note: Some gay men, with whom I’m acquainted, have an excellent loving/accepting relationship with their earthly dad …therefore, the point being made extends only to those who did hate their fathers and needed to be freed from it — and were]
Is this wrong? Say's who.....Are you sure?
Obviously I have a little osmotic training from having spent a few years working with my psychiatrist friend about unresolved “Oedipus-rex” complexes, the gender identification problem that supposedly is at the root of homosexuals and like so many other problems—that in itself is just the mask for a deep-seated spiritual problem. [added note: Some gay men with whom I have been involved in counseling have no gender identity problem – I’m not inferring anything by this, just feel the need to set the record straight.]
Why get into this? Not sure, just felt like I was supposed to …resisting “mother” or “father” in God is our own inability to see that God is neither and both. By the way—and this is an important part of the equation. As a result of deliverance a formerly gay man of my acquaintance hooked up with a formerly bisexual woman whom I also knew. The role reversal was amusing, enough that they were able to laugh at themselves. They had invited me over for lunch as they wanted to discuss a problem they had. As I approached their little log house in the country, I saw Joan, a petite and very attractive blonde outside in a flannel shirt, distractingly tight faded jeans, boots and a shovel, digging a trench for a septic line for their country home. Meanwhile, Ray was inside preparing our meal.
I made a comment that she looked like she was hard at work, and I almost collapsed in laughter when she said, “Yeah and if I could get my faggot husband out here to help me, I could get it done.” She laughed as she put down the shovel and told me to go inside. She said she had to go around back and take off her boots before coming in or Ray would kill her.
We had lunch and just generally chit-chatted about the beautiful countryside and how they liked the area and their new home. When we finished, Ray said he just wanted to clear away a few things and suggested that Joan and I take our coffee into the family room and he’d join us in just a minute.
Joan and I continued the general chat until Ray came in and sat down with us. He started right in, “The reason we asked you to come by, Brad, and I’m sorry we didn’t invite you before, just because we love you.” …I waved it off and he continued, “Joan and I have a few problems and we kind of hoped that you’d help us sort them out.”
“I’ll try,” I said.
“Here’s the deal, as a homosexual I was always the aggressor and quite active. I enjoy sex with Joan, but sometimes I feel that all she wants to do is use my body.” I asked Joan how she felt about it. “Brad, if you want to know the truth, I honestly just can’t get enough of Ray. It’s funny, because I was only moderately active when I was a ‘Bi’—but now I sometimes want to devour him.”
“You both realize, of course, that you two are a classic case of cultural male—female role reversal, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Ray said, “we’ve talked about it. I complain because she won’t help around the house…and she gripes because I won’t help her overhaul the engine in the tractor, for heaven’s sake.”
“Are you comfortable with it?” I asked.
“More or less,” Joan answered frankly. “We’ve talked about it some and are kind of concerned that maybe this is a mistake. I mean we both admit to temptations about our former sexual orientation.”
Real or Fantasy?
“I’m curious,” I said, “are you really tempted or just have occasional fantasies?”
“You flat-out amaze me,” Joan said. “The reason I paid any attention to you in the first place was that for a straight guy you never seemed to judge sexual stuff. Yet I was so amazed when I was delivered that my whole orientation about sex and all the excuses I had been making were just that. Ray and I love each other and all in all this is a good marriage — and yeah, just occasional fantasies, when he won’t put out.”
“But,” Ray chimed in, “we’re a little concerned that maybe we need further deliverance.”
“Have you prayed about this?” …their silence was their answer. “Can I share something with you guys?”
“Sure,” Joan said, and Ray just barely nodded his head.
“You are both delightful. I do not sense any demonic activity at all. I only wish that most married couples I get involved with were as open as you two are about what is going on inside. I also think your comments to each other are hilarious. Joan made the statement outside, Ray, that she wished her faggot husband would come outside and help so she’d get the trench done.”
Ray put the back of his hand up to his forehead in mock dismay and said, “How dare you, Joan!” I convulsed with laughter all over again and they joined in.
“Here’s the key. Pray about this stuff. Holy Spirit will guide you. Sex is such an individual thing. The biggest thing homosexuals get delivered from is their need to justify what they do. Getting rid of self-justification is what gives us freedom.
“We all miss God continually. The antidote to that is just to recognize that we all are in a state of sin, beat on our chests and move on under the guidance of Spirit.”
“I’ve got a question, Brad,” Ray asked, “do you believe that all homosexuality is caused by demons?”
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “I believe that we miss God because we try to hide. We try to hide because we don’t believe God will accept us the way we are. In both your cases, you were desperate enough to want God no matter what. Homosexuals are just like everyone else. So busy justifying their lifestyles that they shove God aside. People who are addicted to religion do the same thing. In that sense it is probably all caused by demonic influence.”
“In other words,” Joan said, “it’s okay that I work outside and Ray works inside, right? Is it okay if I want to rush in the house and attack his body?”
I just laughed and said, “Talk to God, Joan, talk to God.”
Is this where you go to talk to god?
This is funny, Jeanne, I got so wrapped up thinking about Ray and Joan and gender identification and all that stuff that I forgot the second part of your question. I had to go back and reread it — and here I was, all anxious to answer it and didn’t even want to get into the mother/father issue.
Okay, I’m looking at my motives for trying to shock people. I really don’t think that is my intent consciously or unconsciously. I guess, what I think about it is inconsequential. I do it; and I certainly don’t do anything to change my behavior, so in that sense I guess it is my intent to shock. I mean, looking back at telling the story about Joan and Ray, if that isn’t a shocker, what is? Was it necessary to tell? Of course not — but I bet I’ll get comments from some readers that the story set them free. It’s just the way it works. [Another Brad’s Note: This story has evoked much comment that it was, indeed, the catalyst to bring many people into a far broader and deeper relationship with God.]
Am I justifying my proclivity to shock? Knowing human beings as I do, the answer is: probably. Jeanne, I could play around with all kinds of introspective questions. For example, one answer is maybe I do it as an attention-getting mechanism. So what? Holy Spirit, you lead and guide here; should I stop or continue? The answer is if it shocks it shocks. If it soothes it soothes.
The truth sets us free. For some it is soothing love and for others it is a slap in the face. If the truth ultimately frees us, how it does its job depends upon the recipient.
In Freedom,
Brad
Need clarity about this issue? Listen to this and find out how: Poscast 26 September 9 2010 Does God Love Gay People too?
[…] Continue reading here: Does God Love Gay People too? – Connect Now! […]
In 2001, I had a visitation by the Holy Ghost, and for 30 days I was given some most incredible information about issues that mankind has struggled with for many generations. One of the issues deals with homosexuality. It was explained to me where homosexuality comes from and how mankind is to deal with it.
In the Bible, we see where the sons of God were breeding with the daughters of man. Apparently, when the rebellion took place in the spiritual world, and Satan and his followers were cast to earth, they were all cast to the physical realm as males. It wasn’t the daughters of God breeding with the sons of man but the other way around. There is no gender in the spiritual world. So when the fallen angelic beings were cast to earth from an environment that has no gender to a place where there is gender specific humans and those non-gender beings bred with humans it REALLY messed up the perfect design that God had originally created.
We know that humans are sometimes born with partial or full blown sexual organs of both sexes. This is where the problem originated from and has continued ever since.
Scripture tells us that the incredible warriors of old,(I mean, if you kill 700 dudes with the jaw bone of an ass there has got to be something different about you), came from this breeding of fallen angelic beings. Scripture also tells us that the civiization of the giants,(Goliath and that huge population of giants), also came from that very same breeding process.
The ability to divine also came from that very same breeding process but that is something to be discussed in later comments. All disease and human imbalances whether they be physical or mental have originated from that process of these angelic beings breeding with the women of the human species.
So what this all boils down to is that we DO NOT have the right to judge people for how they behave. We do have the right, as human beings, to judge behavior, but we do not have the right to judge others.
I know this is a hard concept for some to understand. But, there is a world of difference in judgement of others and judgement of behavior. We all sin(miss the mark) in many different ways but I think it is essential that we don’t judge others for the fact that we do not know or could possibly understand why that individual has “missed the mark”
Negative spiritual entities have as one of their goals is to get us to judge others. It is made very clear in scripture that we should tend to our own affairs and let others develop their relationship with God or whatever you chose to call the creator of all, in their own fashion.
So, does God love homosexuals as much as heterosexuals? YOU BET!
I’m confused. Are you saying that God loves homosexuals but expects them to change and not have sexual relationships with others of the same gender?
Or are you saying that there’s no difference between gay or straight as long as the relationship is honourable?
Thanks for asking Sharon, I don’t think God expects a person to change their relationship unless it is dishonoring the persons purpose and path.
Some gay people are straight and some straight people are gay but all that is not relevant, what is relevant is the relationship you are having with Source. The point we are making here is to get past the judgment and get on with the relationship with Source.
Sexual relationships are only a problem if they pull you away from your Source. Gay or Straight is not part of a relationship with Source.
I want to weigh in on this one… just to agree with Ryan that it is irrelevant. The point I was making in the podcast is to stop being afraid to go to Dad …put everything on the line and ask what will be for my better good… and keep pounding until you know — the breakthrough isn’t that Dad is resisting… the breakthrough we need for change is usually that we are holding onto something that IS irrelevant to Dad and are trying to justify it to ourselves.
Great discussion of an explosive issue. Of all the people i know only a small handful have healthy relationships. Who do we(heterosexuals) think we are to throw stones at gays when we have hangups as well. Thanks for talking openly about this. I praise the Father/Mother God for being mercy and love. All the Best.
Thanks for your comment James Steeck! Right on point. None of us are in a position to point fingers at anyone else. It is hard to understand how we can miss Jesus’ clear words that judging others only brings judgment on ourselves.
Brad