Milton Public Library

No More Secrets, Sucked in and Spit Out

eng

no index present

non fiction

No More Secrets

electronic resource

dictionaries

Sucked in and Spit Out

The blaring wail of air raid sirens fills the night sky. Judson, a middle-aged sergeant in the Air Force, is deployed in the Middle East during the Iraq war. He reflects on life with his wife, grown children and the root of his traumatic evangelical experience which hindered his thinking for years and inspired his memoir "No More Secrets: Sucked in and Spit Out." Raised middle class in Orange County, California, Judson loves his siblings and idealizes his larger than life parents and relatives in the entertainment industry. His ideal family lifestyle suddenly crumbles when his parent's divorce over bad business decisions, alcohol and gambling addiction. Judson's journey begins in junior high with his attraction to the same sex. Overtime, Judson's homosexual feelings conflict with his convictions after becoming a Born-Again Christian during the "Jesus People" movement of the 60's and 70's. After his parent's divorce, Judson finds solace in a young charismatic evangelical minister, Brant. During a service among the congregation, Brant identifies a "homosexual healing." Overcome with emotion, Judson claims it as his. He is then hired by the flamboyant reverend, Brant, as his personal assistant and limousine driver. The ministry experiences a rapid growth as it transplants in the historical Fox Theater, expands on radio, television, and grander services patterned after the well-known evangelist, Kathryn Kuhlman. Homosexual tension develops between Judson and Brant, the very same minister he attends. Dark secrets of inner-gay conflict continue to plague the inner-ministry and Judson, as he develops an affair with Jeff, a church elder. After Judson's position as Brant's assistant is suddenly replaced and the affair between him and Jeff end, a wounded Judson changes positions to the choir and drama department, where he meets Kristy and Elaine. The rest of the elders continue dancing around the elephants in the room as the ministry and Brant's health decline with further secrets, broken trusts and misguidance. With the alliance of Kristy and Elaine, they form a plan to confront Brant at a last attempt to preserve the ministry and help him. A romance develops between Kristy and Judson after he confesses his same-sex affair and she confides the incestual dark secrets of her past. After Judson has a vision of the ministry and building crashing down, efforts fail after Brant is confronted in private with documentation. Judson, Kristy and Elaine are ostracized after public exposure of the ministry. Judson and Kristy marry, move to Oregon, start a family and new life. Brant dies and years later Judson meets with Elaine to tour the area where the Fox Theater once stood. The theater is replaced with a five-star hotel. In the impressive lobby, he remembers his vision. In the courtyard area, all that remains of the theater is a large naked statue, a graceful replica of the Greek statue of Venus. He stands on the pedestal next to the statue. Elaine takes a picture of him next to the statue which he finds symbolic to his triumph

adult