1. GLBT Christian Resources     "Stranger at the Gate" Mel White, an evangelical minister and former ghostwriter for Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and other prominent leaders of the religious right, here describes his half-century-long struggle to accept himself as a gay Christian. Deeply angered by the recent gay-bashing tactics of his former clients, White says he could stand to ``be a ghost no longer''; after years in the closet, writing for others, he finally had to tell his own story. "What the Bible Really says about Homosexuality" Believing that the translation of the Bible they use consists of the inerrant word of God, some Christians cite a handful of passages to justify their condemnation of homosexuality. But historical biblical scholarship holds that these believers' conception of inerrancy is naively based, for English versions of the originally Hebrew and Greek scriptures are rife with problematic translations. Some scholars further maintain that the supposedly antihomosexual passages are not blanket condemnations... The Word is Out A lively collection of 365 meditations that explodes fundamentalist misconceptions of the Bible's stance on homosexuality and offers inspiration to lesbian and gay Christians. Richly written, evocative, and often surprising, this book reinterprets the Scriptures to offer meditations comprised of a brief Bible selection, insightful words of reflection, and a short prayer/affirmation. The Church and the Homosexual Father McNeill's outstanding work, which convincingly establishes that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality, has brought comfort to thousands of gay and lesbian Christians since its original publication in 1976. In this fourth edition, the author calls on the Vatican to make a public act of repentance for its homophobia. "Blessed be that John McNeill's courageous classic is available again."--Carter Heyward, Episcopal Divinity School. "Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? The book is informative, spiritually and mentally, about homosexuality. It shows that one's sexuality and one's walk with Christ need not be mutually exclusive, and in many cases, CANNOT be mutually exclusive. For homosexual christians, the book shows the unconditional love of Christ, regardless of sexuality. For non-homosexual christians, the book is an inspiration on how they should "love" all their brothers and sisters in christ, regardless of sexuality. Living in Sin "I call upon Christian leaders in all traditions to respond and act with intelligence rather than fear. If Christian leaders cannot do this, then all churches will discover that ignorance, no matter how sanctified with pious words, is still ignorance and the voice of the church will be ignored as irrelevant" John Shelby Spong.     2. General Christian and Religious Studies   How to listen to God Helps you discover the joys of being an obedient listener and offers biblical guidelines to help you distinguish God's voice from all the other voices around you. Stanley shares personal lessons in listening from his own life. The Great Divorce C.S. Lewis's Divine Comedy: the narrator bears strong resemblance to Lewis (by way of Dante); his Virgil is the fantasy writer George MacDonald; and upon boarding a bus in a nondescript neighborhood, the narrator is taken to Heaven and Hell. The book's primary message is presented with almost oblique tidiness--"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'" "The Celestine Prophecy Find out for yourself why virtually everyone you know has this book, described as an "adventure in pursuit of a spiritual mystery", on their coffee table. Left Behind The reigning kings of Christian fiction, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have rocketed to the top of Christian bestseller lists with the first six volumes of their Left Behind series, novels about the seven-year period of end-of-the-world tribulation suggested by the biblical book of Revelation. This special gift edition includes the first six hardcover books in the series: Left Behind, Tribulation Force, Nicolae, Soul Harvest, Appolyon, and Assassins. The Everlasting Hatred: The Roots of Jihad Best Selling author Hal Lindsey explains how, on September 11, an ancient fight-to-the-death conflict exploded on the shores of the U.S. Though most Americans didn't realize it, we were already involved in this struggle. A struggle driven by a hatred that goes back over 4000 years. Islamic fundamentalism's purpose is to replace the Judeo-Christian world order with an Islamic world order. Every American needs to understand the enormity of the threat we face -- and why. In the aftermath of 9/11 most Americans are asking: * Why do most Muslims hate Jews? * Why do Islamic fundamentalists hate the United States and call it "The Great Satan?" * Why did Islamic terrorists sacrifice their own lives to kill Americans? * Do Islamic fundamentalists have access to weapons of mass destruction? * Could Islamic terrorists imperil the survival of the United States? * What light does Bible prophecy shed on this? * Does the Koran call for violence and conquest? * Are the Islamic fundamentalists an aberration of the Muslim religion, or are they - as they claim - the "True followers of Mohammad?" Secrets of the Koran: Revealing Insight into Islam's Holy Book Don Richardson plows through all the niceties and cultural caution surrounding the subject of Mohammed, violence and Islam, and unleashes a powerful - yet honest - assessment of the Koran and the writer of Islam's holy book. Blunt? Yes. Honest? Yes. Easy to read? Not always. Necessary? Absolutely. This book is so refreshing! Richardson may not pull too many of his punches, but in most cases, I am relieved that he does not. Is he critical of Mohammed and Islam? Most definitely. Is he hateful toward individual Muslims? Absolutely not. A common myth is that Christianity, in it's biblical teachings, is equally as violent as Islam and the Koran. Simply not so. All one has to do is read both books to see that, since the reign of King David more than 2,900 years ago, the Old Testament never advocates violence as a solution for holy retribution. And in the New Testament, you will not find ONE verse wherein Christ or the disciples advocate murder and mayhem as a solution or justification for wrong-doing. One cannot say that about the Koran. Please read this book for yourself. Though you may not agree with everything Richardson has to say - or the way he says it- I believe you will find the facts here quite eye-opening. Living Buddha, Living Christ If you have always assumed that Christianity and Buddhism are as far apart philosophically as their respective founders were geographically, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. In this national bestseller, Zen monk and social activist Thich Nhat Hanh draws parallels between these two traditions that have them walking, hand in hand, down the same path to salvation. In Christianity, he finds mindfulness in the Holy Spirit as an agent of healing. In Buddhism, he finds unqualified love in the form of compassion for all living things. And in both he finds an emphasis on living practice and community spirit Zen for Christians In Zen for Christians, author Kim Boykin— who has personally experienced the gifts of Buddhism in her own Christian faith and has taught this subject in a variety of settings— offers Christians a way to incorporate Zen practices into their lives without compromising their beliefs and faith The Gospel Reloaded: Exploring Spirituality and Faith in The Matrix Chris Seay and Greg Garrett take a significant risk in seeking to draw parallels between evangelical Christianity and an R-rated, culturally significant movie, but their risk was worth it. While drawing criticisms from both within and from outside of Christian circles, the authors strived to redeem the worthy aspects of the Matrix. This choice to interact with contemporary culture proved a noble effort, garnering several media exposures from mainstream sources such as Publishers Weekly and USA Today. In the words of another review, "The movies call us to seek and find--to ask of our own lives what's real and what's a mirage. 3. Same-Sex Marriages The Male Couple's Guide A practical and straightforward guide that explores the personal, familial, and professional intricacies of life for male couples. Provides a comprehensive guide to the social, legal, financial, emotional, familial, and professional issues of being part of a male couple, offering advice on dating, commitment, sharing a home, children, health, and more. The Essential Guide to Lesbian and Gay Weddings Although same-sex marriages are not yet legal anywhere in the United States, more and more lesbians and gay men are seeking the right to validate their unions. This wittily written, well-organized, and creatively laid-out guide offers historical background and practical suggestions covering all aspects of the event, from what to call it to wording the invitations, buying rings, and booking the honeymoon suite. Acknowledging the inherently political statement of the act as well as personal degrees of coming out, the authors provide sensitive counsel by encouraging the couple to present a positive (not defensive) attitude to the heterocentric world, keeping their own priorities foremost and making sure the entire process remains fun. Based on their own and others' experiences, they offer many imaginative ideas for a wide variety of successful ceremonies. A resource directory, suggested references, and index (not seen) contribute to the usefulness of this timely guide. 4. Gays in the Military   Military Trade After producing three very insightful books on their quarry, Zeeland provides his readers with an equally intriguing, ocassionally disturbing, and often very funny look at the hunters - the "chasers' of military men. Zeeland examines what motivates these men (and, at last, one woman), but unlike his previous books, in which many of his interviews were fascinatingly intimate portraits of friends, lovers, and acquaintances, Zeeland for the most part steps back and lets these chasers tell their own tales without deeply challenging their motivations and assumptions about the military and military men. Masculine Marine: Homoeroticism in the U.S. Marine Corps In The U. S. Marine Corps dissects the complexities of military hypergender. Steven Zeeland elicits astonishingly candid responses from a diverse sampling of Marines to questions about aspects of this rarely documented subculture. Their answers shed light on homoerotic bonding among Marines, hazing and institutional violence, sexual stereotypes of Marines in gay culture, how gay Marines reconcile their sexual identity with the ethos of "hard" Marine supermasculinity, Marines in all-male pornography, how Marines feel about being viewed as sex objects, and male attitudes about women in the Marine Corps. Interwove throughout The Masculine Marine is the author's own personal narrative of how he came to know Marines. The Masculine Marine is a ground-breaking, seminal work that will be of great interest to the gay community and the student of the contemporary military subculture. Barrack Buddies and Soldier Lovers: Dialogues With Gay Young Men in the U.S. Military Gay servicemen are obliged by bitter necessity to keep their sexual orientations a closely guarded secret. But now, 16 soldiers and airmen, all in their 20s, reveal stories of their sex lives in the armed forces. Barrack Buddies and Soldier Lovers is a voyeuristic glimpse into the secret lives of gay GIs, touching on many of their concerns. Sailors and Sexual Identity: Crossing the Line Between "Straight" and "Gay" in the U.S. Navy The author talks with young male sailors about the ways their social and sexual lives have been shaped by their Navy careers. He finds that the imagined boundary between gay and straight military men is actually a movable line. Interviews with both gay and straight sailors explore issues such as the sexual charge to the Navy-Marine Corps rivalry; the reality behind sailors' reputations as sexual adventurers; men's differing interpretations of homoerotic military rituals and initiations; and how sailors view being seen as sex objects. Glimpse of Hell James Caan and Robert Sean Leonard turn in topnotch performances in this true-life story of the events surrounding the fatal explosion aboard the USS Iowa battleship in 1989. Was it an accidental case of negligence or a deliberate act of sabotage? When the deaths of 47 sailors on an ill-fated training exercise are blamed on a single despondent gay crew member, the ship's hardened Captain (Caan) supports the Navy's official position in order to s ave face. But a skeptical lieutenant (Loenard) with a different theory risks his own reputation - and his career - to discover the truth behind the tragedy. Conduct Unbecoming Shilts's collage of historical research, interviews, and U.S. military documents (both public and confidential) portrays in detail the vital role that gay men and lesbians have always played in the armed forces, and painstakingly--and painfully--exposes how homophobic and often irrational government policies have demonized them through lies, witch-hunts, and antigay purges. As he did in And the Band Played On, his documentary history of the AIDS epidemic, Shilts takes large issues and histories and renders them into readable, understandable narratives 5. Coming Out and Growing Up   Beautiful thing This absolute winner, based on a stage play by Jonathan Harvey and adapted by him, is a kind of enchanted, urban slice-of-life tale about a gay teen, Jamie (Glen Berry), who is in love with the boy next door, Ste (Scott Neal). Hampering Jamie's progress on the romantic front is his fear that his mother (Linda Henry) will find out, as well as concern over complicating Ste's existing problems. Trevor tells the story of a fourteen-year-old gay boy's voyage of self-acceptance. The film's humor owes a great deal to HAROLD AND MAUDE: several of the film's funniest scenes are paraphrases of Harold's staged death scenes in the earlier film. The humor aside, this is a very tender and humane film. Trevor (wonderfully played by Barsky) is a sensitive young man who is being raised by parents who might just as well be perfect strangers - a state common among gay kids. That Trevor is gay seems obvious to everyone but Mom and Dad - the kid adores Diana Ross and Broadway show tunes, for gosh sakes! Trevor has to endure the rejection of the object of his first crush as well as the rest of his schoolmates. But Trevor is nothing if not resilient and it is his strength of character that gives the film it's spirit. Boys Life 2 After the comparative success of Boys Life, four more budding filmmakers were invited to share their talents in a quartet of unorthodox--and very different--20-minute stories about being a gay male in the four corners of America. When a Kid is Gay From its title, When a Kid Is Gay sounds like a self-help guide for stressed-out parents of gay kids, a step-by-step program on what to do ("(1) do not panic, (2) stop panicking"). In actuality, this sensitively but realistically made special is a testament to the strength and determination of teens and young adults who are slowly but surely finding their way out of the closet. Growing Up Gay Growing Up Gay and Lesbian is one of my best education videos in my video library. I highly recommend viewing by parents, teachers, preachers, students and anyone wanting to be edudcated on this issue.I have used this video in a number of workshops addressing anti-gay climate in schools.John Myers ... Director of Operations and Programs The Coalition for Safer Schools of New York State 6. Freemasonry   Freemasonry Freemasonry describes itself as "a science of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". This book is a clear example of that definition. All Masons, and even non-Masons, are free to make as much or as little of Freemasonry as they wish. MacNulty's Jungian approach is an interesting new expression of mystical Freemasonry. Deep mysticism or self searching, however, has never been of interest to the majority of Masons, who get a lot out of their Masonry in other ways. Even if you have no taste for the "woo-woo", this book is worth it just for the pictures. Lost Keys of Freemasonry This book is awesome! If you are a mason, or soon to be one, then this is for you. This book covers a lot of ancient things regarding the craft that I have never read anywhere else. If you are interested at all in the history of this great fraternity then this is a must for you're collection. I couldn't put it down! Buy it, you won't regret! Symbols of Freemasonry There are over ten million freemasons in the world. The supposed power of their occult network is often feared, and yet freemasonry is not a closed doctrine. Richly illustrated, Symbols of Freemasonry provides a synthesis of one of mankind's oldest existing secular brotherhoods. It is designed both for the initiated and for newcomers interested in gaining a better understanding of this fascinating but often misrepresented society