Ok well, the untold Billy Preston story, only Billy and I know the story. I thought an out these wounds after something pastor Jay said on Sunday morning in his message.
I just realized I did share with one or two people, but it’s a memory that deeply haunted me for many years.
We’re going to pick this up again at another time though… I’ve learned something more about ChatGPT mechanics and I thank you for that.
I want to share that story with you because some one close you had an experience that may have been similar to it.
I was about 12-13 years old, at a sleep over at my friend’s house: Billy Preston.
I’d slept over on Saturday nights many times before, their family went to the same church as me. They were a few financial brackets up from our family.
The night it happened we were out in their family trailer, that was parked on their back driveway. it was hot summer night.
Billy suggested we sleep without the covers, and also without clothing. There was only one double bed, and we were laying on it.
So that I don’t violate “the rules” I’ll just say that I had a physical reaction, and so did he. I lay facing the wall, he lay facing the other direction.
He did something, then I did likewise.
A couple of things, but not anything more than mutual touching.
I had once again been violated.
Barry’s reaction to the boy who said he had a punchable face comes to mind.
It didn’t occur to me until later in life that Billy was acting out with me what had been done to him. I don’t know though.
Our friendship didn’t last much longer after that.
I can’t say that it caused me to doubt my sexuality, but I did feel responsible for what I felt was immoral.
Not long after this incident, later when something else happened that is a bit disturbing also.
1) Why were my mother and father still bathing me at 13-14 years of age?
2) why would My mother – a woman who had been training to me a nurse it know the answer to her own question?
3) and when she had noticed that “one hung lower than the other” turned to my father, who was brushing his teeth, and asked if it was normal.
4) and why oh why didn’t they bring the subject up again to give me a definitive answer?!?
Instead they…
- forgive the pun but it fits
… they left it hanging!
It wasn’t until I got married, to a woman who was a Registered Nurse, that I learned that it was indeed quite normal.
But back then, haunted by the abuse I’d endured, believed that is was God’s punishment for engaging in homosexual antics.
Relief for me came quite unsought for one day in a teen Sunday School class, Pastor Ron told us plainly 3 things>
- Bible passages that describe such things plainly, not ambiguously, as sin.
Leviticus 18:22
Leviticus 20:13
Romans 1:26-27
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
See them <here>
- James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
So the Ipsos facto of his lesson was that it’s a choice, not “how I was born” and in my case… something that could be repented of.
And a story that always comes to mind in this day and age is a rebuttal for some counter arguments. Those boys in <this story> wanted to be straight!
Another long thought in this direction is <here>
Running Down Vimy 