Andrew Marin - Us Versus Us: The Untold Story of Religion and the LGBT Community

Andrew Marin thickens the plot once again. You can try to say LGBT people are through with religion or are not themselves particularly religious, but the findings from this ambitious study suggest there is much more to the story.

MARK A. YARHOUSE

Rosemarie Scotti Hughes Endowed Chair and professor of Psychology, Regent University

This book will shatter the predominant caricature many in the church have of LGBT folk. They are, as Andrew Marins research reveals, just like us. For those of us to whom LGBT are people with faces, this research will be received not with surprise but relief. Finally now, can we get on with seeing the other rightly, and that must surely start with the Imago Dei. This book should be read far and wide.

DEBRA HIRSCH

Author, Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations about Sexuality and Spirituality

Almost all discourse and writing about LGBTs and faith ebbs to theology and biblical interpretation. Whats been sorely missing are sociological insights anchored to research rather than opinion of the current landscape. Andrew Marin offers a profound gift to us (however you define us) that will, Im confident, lead to more understanding, more inquiry, more grace, and more love.

MARK OESTREICHER

Partner in The Youth Cartel and author of Hopecasting: Finding, Keeping and Sharing the Things Unseen

Through meticulous research and in-depth interviews, Andy Marin reveals some staggering truths about the religious beliefs and experiences of LGBT people. The results are both shocking and hopeful. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground at some of the statistics and testimonies in this book. If Us versus Us doesnt produce a radical posture shift in the evangelical church, then God help us all.

PRESTON SPRINKLE

Author of People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue

The groundbreaking research behind Us versus Us changes the conversation between the LGBT community and the church, offering new insight into how these two communities can relate to each other within one of our societys most prevalent culture wars. This book is not only timely and important but also profoundly helpful, addressing how to understand and heal so many painful experiences between religion and sexuality. Give yourself and the rest of humanity a gift; read it.

WM PAUL YOUNG

Author of The Shack, Cross Roads, and Eve

God and gays are closer than you might imagine, and the gap is shrinking every day. If you think America is doomed to a future of polarization and culture wars, Andrew Marin provides an antidote, with the hard data and human stories to back it up. This bighearted, richly textured book will shatter stereotypes and help us all think better. And love better too.

JONATHAN RAUCH

Senior fellow, the Brookings Institution

No conversation in the church is more explosive than the sexuality debate, and no voice in this conversation is more effective than Andrew Marins. These deeply personal debates often divide more than unite, but Marins sober and winsome approach summons both sides to a common table. Us versus Us is a page-turning collision of stats and stories with the power to revolutionize the modern sexuality debate. Do not miss it the church will be discussing it for a long, long time.

JONATHAN MERRITT

Author of Jesus Is Better Than You Imagined and senior columnist for Religion News Service

NavPress is the publishing ministry of The Navigators, an international Christian organization and leader in personal spiritual development. NavPress is committed to helping people grow spiritually and enjoy lives of meaning and hope through personal and group resources that are biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical.

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Us versus Us: The Untold Story of Religion and the LGBT Community

Copyright 2016 by Andrew Marin. All rights reserved.

A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

NAVPRESS and the NAVPRESS logo are registered trademarks of NavPress, The Navigators, Colorado Springs, CO. TYNDALE is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Absence of in connection with marks of NavPress or other parties does not indicate an absence of registration of those marks.

Cover design by Dean H. Renninger

The Team:

Don Pape, Publisher

David Zimmerman, Acquiring Editor

Andrew Marin is represented by Christopher Ferebee, Attorney and Literary Agent, www.christopherferebee.com.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved. In many cases names have been changed. All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental.

Photographs are used by permission of Michelle Gantner, Maladjusted Media.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data is Available.

ISBN 978-1-63146-619-9

Build: 2016-03-22 16:22:35

To Kevin Harris and all who believe in something better. Kevin, your dedication and love have changed the world. It was my honor to serve next to you for so many years.

Introduction

It was March 2013 and I was in Australia for the entire month. As much as I enjoyed one day at possibly the most gorgeous beach Id ever seen, and another visiting the Australia Zoo founded by my childhood hero Steve Crocodile Hunter Irwin, I was there for another reason. In twenty-eight days I gave forty-seven talks up and down Australias East Coast about my experiences building bridges between the LGBT community and social, political, and religious conservatives. I addressed LGBT nonprofits, universities, churches, denominational headquarters, and even members of Parliament.

The first of these talks started two hours after I got off the plane in Sydney. It was for an event connected to Mardi Gras, Australias enormous gay pride parade taking place the following day. I was going to be marching with Freedom2b, one of their countrys oldest LGBT faith-based organizations. Though quite foggy and completely jet-lagged, I thought I managed a coherent explanation to Freedom2bs national gathering about the history and impact of The Marin Foundations Im Sorry Campaign at Chicago pride parades.

That next morning I met a large group of Freedom2b members in the park where the parade begins. We were a few hours early, but the music was already pumping, the vibe was great, and everyone was in good spirits. About an hour before the march, one of the organizers tapped me on the shoulder. Youve