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EDITORIAL  Former Homosexual Says 'No One Is Born Gay' FROM CBN.COM EDITORIAL, Jul 28 (VNN) — 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.
Now they went on to say, they included a sound bite with you saying that you could notÉyou 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. Submitted by Krsna Darsan das Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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