Former Homosexual Says 'No one is born gay'

CBN-700 Club ^ | 7/21/03 | Lee Webb

[apackof2]

Former Homosexual Says 'No one is born gay'

CBN.com – Stephen Bennett is a former homosexual, who lived the "gay" lifestyle for 11 years. Today he's married and has two young children. He's also a born-again Christian who has a ministry to men and women who want to be set free from homosexuality. Whenever he's invited to appear on television news programs, though, Stephen says most won't let him tell his story truthfully. And they won't let him say that he's a former homosexual. He recently spoke with Lee Webb on The 700 Club.

Lee Webb: Stephen, I wanted to get into this interview that you did with CBS. They interviewed you on tape for a segment on same-sex marriage that appeared on one of their CBS Sunday morning programs. And I want to show our viewers how they identified you and your wife.

Let's look at that, it says that 'Stephen and Irene Bennett…say they will never endorse same-sex marriage for religious reasons.'

Now they went on to say, they included a sound bite with you saying that you could not…you said that homosexuality was wrong, but that's all that they said. Why do you say that that was the wrong way to identify you.

Stephen Bennett: Because the reason they brought me on to the show was to share that I was gay. They were doing a piece particularly on gay marriage and they wanted to understand our perspective. And as a person who is a former homosexual I wanted to tell the truth about the homosexual lifestyle.

I said to them specifically, 'I am living proof that there's no basis whatsoever for any kind of legislation equating homosexuality with heterosexuality.' For the fact that I was gay. I lived the gay lifestyle until I was 28 years old, probably for about 11 years. Well, with over 100 men sexually, many of whom are dead today from AIDS. I've buried countless boyfriends in the ground because of AIDS.

I was in love with another man who was going to be my partner for life, until a Christian woman showed up at my door one day with a Bible and said that I could be set free from my homosexuality. That was back in 1990 and my life has never been the same again.

Webb: And none of that was included in the CBS segment.

Bennett: None of it whatsoever. And I shared my Christian testimony just for, maybe about two or three seconds, because I know when dealing with the secular media most of the media does not want to know about the Christian response. So we were able to bring a powerful, powerful message of deliverance. How no one is born gay, how people can completely change. But again the media is the major conduit today of the gay agenda. They are out there pushing their false agenda, that number one, a person is born gay, and number two, that no one can change, for example, just as a person cannot change their race or skin color. But I said to the producer at CBS and the interview, 'you will never have a former black man on your show, but today you have a former homosexual.'

Webb: Now, later on CBS responded to this by saying, 'look we were just looking for someone to represent the religious right.' Is that the way they portrayed themselves (to you).

Bennett: Not once, not once. They brought us on there particularly to hear a person's view who was a former homosexual. Again, I am living proof that homosexuals can change, that no one is born gay. We need to equate homosexuality with that of drug addiction or alcoholism. They are destructive behaviors that we would never encourage people to continue a life in -- we need to say the same exact thing about homosexuality.

Webb: Now unfortunately, this is not the first time this had happened. You say it even happened at Fox, which typically is considered a fairly conservative network.

Bennett: My friend Bill O'Reilly. I was brought on to the show to talk about homosexuality, as well as its effects on America's children, how it's being promoted. Unfortunately it turned out to be a debate about Bill O'Reilly and his theology. He did not receive me very well and unfortunately Bill O'Reilly is a bit confused on this issue. He came out in full support of gay rights last year.

All we want to get across to America is for people to understand the mainstream media is not giving them the truth. Thank God for people like CBN and other organizations who are out there sharing that no one is born gay. And especially through the power of Jesus Christ people can change completely. I am happily married now today for over 10 years to a beautiful woman who knew me when I was gay, who was praying for my salvation. I no longer am living a lie. I was playing house with my boyfriend back then. I have the real thing today. I may not be the mostly masculine person in the world, but, you know what, I don't need to be. I'm a man in God's eyes, in my wife's eyes, I'm the father of our two little beautiful children today. Jesus Christ has changed my life completely. He has taken a story that was a nightmare and turned it into a fairy tale and I am just so grateful to Him for doing that.

Webb: Stephen, the Supreme Court of Massachusetts is set to rule on same-sex marriage. Tell us why you think it would be a bad idea for America.

Bennett: You know, again, the only thing I can say is I am living proof that there is no basis whatsoever for any type of legislation equating homosexuality with heterosexuality. These people need to realize that change is possible. Encouraging someone to continue in a lifestyle that is false, that is a deception, is not going to do them any good. Giving them every right, it's not going to do anything. What they're looking for is that acceptance inside. And they feel that by getting acceptance from the states and government and everybody else, maybe homosexual people can find that acceptance within themselves and I tell you that will never, ever happen.

Webb: You have a ministry to homosexuals around the country. You speak to churches. You know when we interview homosexuals they appear to be happy, they say this is the lifestyle they want to lead but you have noticed something under the surface, haven't you?

Bennett: When I was living the gay lifestyle I portrayed that I was happy. I was in love with my boyfriend, had great gay and lesbian friends. But the problem with that was is that deep down I knew something was wrong. Again I firmly believe that no one is born gay, that homosexuality tragically happens early on in the childhood. For me it was a broken relationship with my father that was reconciled after I became a Christian. I love my father dearly, he loves me and I was able to move on from homosexuality to healthy heterosexuality. And what we want to share with men and women is when we go out trying to reach the homosexual for Christ -- is that God loves them. The Gospel is the most important thing that we can reach these people with, so we need to let people know that God loves the homosexual but he hates the sin. And homosexuality is a sin in God's eyes. And that is my heart's desire. And I'm sorry but I've got tunnel vision on this issue. We want to reach the homosexual for Christ in America and make a difference in this country.

Webb: Stephen, you mentioned earlier that you're now married. Your wife Irene and your two beautiful children are in the audience with us right now. Why don't you introduce your children to us.

Bennett: That's my beautiful wife Irene, and I'm very prejudiced, the most beautiful Christian woman in the world. And these cute little cuties, my little girl Chloe, born four years into our marriage, and my little boy Blakey. He was born on Chloe's birthday, Jesus gave her a little brother for her birthday. So this is what God's done for me. God has just turned my story into a fairy tale and I'm just so grateful, I just want to serve Jesus Christ all of my days now and share the truth that no one is born gay and through the power of Jesus Christ homosexuals can completely change.

Webb: Stephen Bennett, thank you for telling your story today. We appreciate it.

Bennett: Thank you so much.

For more information on Stephen Bennett and Stephen Bennett Ministries please visit his web site at http://www.sbministries.org/.

[Jorge]

...the only thing I can say is I am living proof that there is no basis whatsoever for any type of legislation equating homosexuality with heterosexuality. These people need to realize that change is possible. Encouraging someone to continue in a lifestyle that is false, that is a deception, is not going to do them any good.

Homosexuals like to categorize their "orientation" as genetic, in attempt to manilpulate both the public and the church into accepting homosexaulity.

They claim they were born that way, "they can't help themselves". And therefore everybody must accept homosexuality.

Many people who are not familair with the true nature of sin and the state of man's heart actually fall for this nonsense.

This might work for the world, but should never work for Christians.

All of us are lost and our perceptions are distorted by sin, which is why we need to trust God's Word. Not our feelings and certainly not the testimony of men when it comes to moral behavior.

Christians however have no excuse for remaining in sinful behavior..let alone having the arrogance to call it a "gift from God".

In any case, nowhere does the Bible teach that having an "orientation" of any kind toward sin makes us an exception to God's laws. This applies to both Christian and non-believers.

Those who truly believe God's word on sin will never accept the "orientation" argument as justification for homosexual conduct.

And those who do so have much bigger problems than where they stand on homosexuality.

[austinTparty]

'you will never have a former black man on your show...

I thought he DID have Michael Jackson on already...

[Kevin Curry]

Any so-called "discrepancies" are the discrepancies of honest men and women reporting what they remembered from each witness' peculiar vantage point. Anyone who has ever interviewed multiple witnesses to a crime or accident scene has seen this fallible but entirely honest filtering at work.

I would be much more inclined to suspect dishonest manipulation if the accounts wholly lacked discrepancies and were in lock-step agreement on every minor point.

[nmh]

"Since Catholicism teaches that sodomy is a mortal sin, and is condemned in the Bible, what can your point be? Since Catholicism teaches that Scripture is the inerrant, inspired Word of God, what can your point be? Since priests who are sexual abusers are unfaithful to Catholic teaching and unfaithful to Scripture, what can your point be?"

Really? Is it okay only for priests to engage in sodomy and molesting kids? While everyone else must refrain? The leaders of your church appear to have different standards for different people. As for those priests, like any other sinner, they are unfaithful to God not a "church". The church is the body of believers and all believers have to answer to God, not a "church" for sin.

As for O'Reilly he defends homosexuals. This does stem from his Catholic teachings.

If you are a Catholic I am happy to hear that you believe that Scripture is the inerrant, inspired Word of God. That's unusal. Sola Scriptura is typically ridiculed by Catholics and they typically don't believe it is inerrant.

[NoCmpromiz]

Unless. maybe it would be Michael Jackson. Oh wait, he's not a former black MAN...

[NoCmpromiz]

You mean there are no former alcoholics?

[foreverfree]

bump

[Clint N. Suhks]

If a female baby is exposed to male hormones, she can come out pretty butch.

Not true, if a female is exposed to abnormal amounts of androgens she will develop an intersex disorder. You’ve been reading too much homosexual propaganda.

For instance, women who carry male babies and have a lot of stress during their pregnancies are more likely to give birth to kids who grow up to be gay.

Did your “old wife” tell you that yarn?

[NoCmpromiz]

OK, let's check your research. How many years after the ressurection of Jesus were the New Testament documents written?

[Clint N. Suhks]

If the argument is that homosexuality is learned or a preference and not genetically inherited, just ask an alcoholic if he is ever a former alcoholic.

Given enough time, muscle and money, I could make you an alcoholic, heroine addict, porn addict…ect. ect…

But anyway can you show me the genetic marker for homosexuality, alcoholism and heroin addiction please?

Case open!

[Clint N. Suhks]

It is also not childish to point this out if you are trying to maintain that the bible is inerrant.

NONE of your atheist cites proves any error. What are you talking about?

[Clint N. Suhks]

BUMP

[Clint N. Suhks]

I appreciate your post.

[meia]

OK, let's check your research. How many years after the ressurection of Jesus were the New Testament documents written?

Most scholars say that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written about 40 to 70 years after the death of Christ.

[meia]

NONE of your atheist cites proves any error. What are you talking about?

These are scripture quotes. I wouldn't classify them as "Atheist Cites." But to address your point, all of them cannot be correct, so one or more of these particular passages must be wrong. Hence, there is error.

[Woahhs]

That's not the only way people could be "born gay." Genetics are one possibility, but another is if the baby was exposed to certain hormones while in the womb. If a female baby is exposed to male hormones, she can come out pretty butch. Different hormones can have different effects. For instance, women who carry male babies and have a lot of stress during their pregnancies are more likely to give birth to kids who grow up to be gay. That doesn't seem to have anything to do with genetics, but nonetheless would result in a child being "born gay."

My, your just a fount wishful conjecture, aren't you?

[Clint N. Suhks]

I wouldn't classify them as "Atheist Cites."

Hehehe…Who’s conclusions and analysis are used here? That would be the atheists and your endorsement of them.

Stories of the resurrection of Jesus differ. They differ on whether it was one (John 20:1-8), two (Matthew 28:1), three (Mark 16:1) or more (Luke 24:10) women who went to Jesus' tomb.

OK so let’s look at your very first cite and see if it holds water. First of all Luke 24:10 is about who went to see the apostles NOT who went to the sepulchre. This is a lie from the get go and impeaches the rest of your atheist spin.

Second, the accounts in John, Mark and Luke are about Mary Magdalene and that’s consistent in ALL verses, who she was with was unimportant, to say they “differ” is yet another lie. If three people told a story about what YOU did playing basketball and one said you made a dunk, and another said you made a dunk off the pass from Kobe and the third person said you made a dunk off the pass from Kobe against Shaquille is there ANY “difference” in what happened??? Of course not.

Since your atheist cite is so easily debunked in their very first sentence the rest of your atheism spin/spam isn’t worth the time to challenge. You have NO faith; I feel sorry for you.

[DearAbby]

You are entitled to your opinion about the Bible. You should research the Levites. They were responsible for ensuring that every word of the Bible came down the centuries true. If one jot or tittle was wrong, they burned what they had written and started over.

God inspired men through His Holy Spirit to write down His living word. Read Isaiah, Daniel. They are the prophsey books. What was written has come true in the New Testament. We are living in the end times, just as was prophsied by the writers of the Bible.
Are you saved by the shed blood of Jesus? I hope so.