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We salute Metropoli
tan Community Church of
Cocoa, Florida this
month. Our Sermon is
contributed by Rev. Alex
Kurjack, Pastor.
■\*Push-Button God”
By Rev. Alex Kurjack
Have you ever been in
a jam or bad straits?
Have you ever felt alone
or helpless? Did you
say a prayer and ask God
to help you? And He
answered your prayer,
didn’t He? He pulled you
through.
Good old God to the
rescue. Right on! Thanks
God! See you around
next time I’m in a bind.
He’s like the vacuum
cleaner or the garbage
disposal -- a useful appli
ance for getting rid of
life’s dirt. When He’s
done His job we turn Him
off just as fast as we
turned Him on. That’s
our “modern” concept of
God: A benevolent some
thing, somewhere that
awaits our beck and call
and then disappears when
no longer required.
And we - like it that
way because we are a
society used to con
veniences. It’s a push
button world, complete
with a push-button God.
How much easier and
more pleasant life is that
way. Church? That’s not
in anymore, is it?
And yet, when we re
flect upon the agony and
humiliation our Christ
suffered on that terrible
cross, how can we help
but feel shame for the cal
lous way we treat Him
today?
Isn’t it time we started
giving our God just a
tiny bit of consideration?
Is it so much to remember
Him a little more often?
He asks very little of-us,
and even if we had it
to give, the whole world
would not be sufficient
repayment for God’s love.
I AM GAY AND WHY
by JOSE GAYE
“For many years I
thought I was the only one
in the world! “This re
action as expressed by
CN is a typical experience
of most young gays, a
feeling of isolation, a
feeling that he alone has
this problem.
CN has been gay since
first experimenting with
other boys at five or
six years of age. But
until he was about 16
he was alone and scared,
afraid that he was diff
erent. At that time he
met a young serviceman
and the bond with the gay
world was formed for CN.
It was the beginning* of a
beautiful relationship
which was broken only
when the serviceman was
transferred. “We still
correspond and someday
we’ll meet again,” said
CN.
CN then entered the
service, partially inspi
red by his experience but
more so from his desire
to leave home. “My
father was a bastard”
said CN candidly, “ a
real S.O.B. who was al
ways right, always the
rigid disciplinarian who
dispensed the punishment
as ordered by my mother.
Even today we cannot sit
down and talk for more
than two minutes without
butting heads.”
CN found no warmth
in his mother either who
was in his words, “a
dominant woman who ran
the household like a staff
sargeant.”
Leaving home at 17,
CN was left with a lot
of hang-ups, as he faced
the conflicts of life in the
service, he became pro
gressively aggressive as
he shucked off the reti
cence of adolescnece.
When he entered civil
ian life, he was able to
adjust both to the straight
world where he worked
and the gay world where
he found his niche. Today
he no longer leans on
anonymity but is making
his way fearlessly as an
admitted Gay. His motto
is “Out of the closet and
into the streets.” As an
open Gay, I take some
knocks and slams, admit
ted CN, but I know what
I’m doing is right and
emotionally and mentally
I’m a well adjusted, self
sufficient individual.
What is your story?
Would you like to share
it with fellow gays. Each
of us needs the inspiration
of what others have done.
Send in your story for this
column in c/o Atlanta
Barb.
The Barb 5
TO THE EDITOR
We Welcome your letters
to the Editor. The Barb
is your newspaper, now
serving as “AVoice For
The Gay Community.”
Use it to tell your story.
Send all letters to: Letters
to the Editor c/o The
Barb - P.O. Box 82543
Atlanta, Ga 30354.
Dear Editor:
I have been reading the
Barb for about six months
and enjoy it. It seems to
improve with age, as the
saying goes with good
win.
Why did you discontin
ue the Body Building
column by Ray Martin?
His column was very in
tersting since I am into
weight lifting and body
building. The answers
he gave was so honest and
to the point.
L. G. Bassr
Athens, Ga.
Dear L. G.
Thank you for your
letter regarding the Body
Building column. The
reason we discontinued
this column was because
Ray Martin was offered
a iqovie contract in Holly
wood. He left last month
for California. Our loss
is certainly their gain.
Editor.
Dear Editor:
Last month while in
Chicago, I picked up one
of your newspapers in one
of the bars there, and
being originally from At
lanta, I was particul
arly interested in your
front page article “Inman
Orders Investigation On
Harassment Of Gays.” Is
this really true? If so
Atlanta has come a long
way since I lived there.
I would also like to
compliment the column
“Gaying To The Movies.”
S.W. certainly gives good
reviews.
Mark
Steele, Mo.
Dear Mark:
Yes, it is true that
Chief Inman ordered in
vestigation on harras-
sment of the Gays, "how
ever we get reports that
entrapment is still being
used by the Police. We
believe that steps
are being taken to cor
rect this, and that our
rapport is improving.
We are glad that you
enjoy reading the Barb,
especially Gaying to the
Movies. S.W. is one of
the best.
Editor.
Dear Luv Lee
Ad vice To The Love lorn”
Remember To vote For The
Candidate Of Your Choice August 13th!
Dear Luv Lee,
My problem is a ser
ious one. I have been
with Tom for nearly 3
years now. I know him
like a book. Lately he
has been sneaking off until
all hours of the morning,
and the phone will ring and
if I answer it, the other
party will hang up or just
stay on the line without
saying a word. Tom has
never done this to me
before. What shall I
do? Sometimes I want to
kill him.
Cheated On.
Be A Barb
Re pre se native
Earn cash in your spare
time and have fun doing it.
Be a Barb represenative in
your area. We are looking
for a few “good” men to re
present us in your city. If
you are interested contact
the Barb by writing to: P.
O. Box 82543, Atlanta, Ga.
30354.
READY
TO
HELP.
T
Training to serve the
country. And ready to use
that training to help our
neighbors.
THE ARMY RESERVE.
OUR JOB BEGINS AT HOME.
Dear Cheated On,
My advice to you would
be to confront Tom with
the situation. He evid
ently is “Tom Cattin”
around. Settle things once
and for all. Keeping
iquiet and fuming inside
lean be dangerous, and it
doesn’t help. Killing him
is a little far fetched,
and even though he may
deserve it, a Jury
wouldn’t see things that
way.
Dear Luv Lee,
Are you Gay? Could
I possibly meet you
sometime? I’d love to
love you.
An Admirer.
Dear Admirer,
I am flattered. In an
swer to your questions,
#1; I have been. #2 You
probably have and #3 my
hubby takes care of that.
But take heart, I hear that
Liddia is unattached at
present.
Luv Lee.
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THIS IS THE MESSAGE OF I
METROPOLITAN
COMMUNITY CHURCH
Sundays at 2:00 and 6:30
872-2246 f
800 NORTH HIGHLAND AVE. j
HILAN THEATRE
m-