BY THEMSELVES, MOST ORGANIZED religions promote hope, goodwill and a sense of light while trying to answer the foggy question of why humans exist.

Forced to co-exist as they have over centuries, these same benevolent theologies often become hostile adversaries, the source of endless judgment and self-righteous conflicts, according to gay author and professor Daniel Helminiak.

"Religion will not hold the world together anymore," says Helminiak, author of the immensely popular, "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality."

"Because of that, there has to be some other source," he adds.

Helminiak delves into what he believes that new source is — the spirituality that rests inside every individual — in his latest book, "Meditation Without Myth: What I Wish They’d Taught Me in Church about Prayer, Meditation and the Quest for Peace." As he did in his previous work, Helminiak takes aim at traditional religious dogma.

"It’s really addressing some deep questions that no one really wants to address," says Helminiak, noting that he writes about "superstitions that pass for religion," how ethics relate to spiritual growth and the belief that organized religion is the only path to salvation.

"Meditation is becoming popular because most people quietly realize the system is breaking down," he says. "Meditation breaks through thoughts and pattern, and opens up new things. During any period of great turmoil, such as the time we’re living in today, people tend to go back to spirituality, and what comes out of that is a new synthesis."

GAY MEN AND LESBIANS PLAY a pivotal role in helping mold an emerging form of spiritual thinking, Helminiak says.

When "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality" was published in 1994, Helminiak says gay men and lesbians were engaged in a "defensive movement, trying to legitimize ourselves."

Having gained a level of acceptance and respect, we can now focus more on achieving true self-acceptance, Helminiak says.

Gay people may be more inclined to pursue personal meditation because "being the outcasts of religion, we’re thrust upon ourselves to find another way," Helminiak says.

He got the idea to write "Meditation Without Myth" while delivering a speech during a 2002 retreat hosted by Gay Spirit Visions, an Atlanta-based gay men’s spiritual group.

The growth of queer spiritual organizations are evidence that people are realizing the power of gay insight and applying it toward deep spiritual growth, Helminiak says. But he warns that alongside "solid and sane" approaches like Gay Spirit Visions, "some gay men are pursuing ‘woo woo’ spirituality that is just as superstitious as any of the main religions, and that’s a concern."

INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO AN EXTERNAL, metaphysical source to bring peace and understanding, Helminiak implores readers to look within themselves to achieve spiritual growth.

He also points out the sacredness in practices often rebuked by traditional religious teachings, such as the "inherent connection" between sex and spirituality.

"If you can’t be comfortable with your sexuality, you can’t be comfortable with the rest of yourself," he says. "You run away, and build walls, and those walls prevent spiritual growth."

Every sex act isn’t innately spiritual, but many lead to spiritual exploration for a better life, the author asserts.

"The emotions that accompany sex inevitably opens up questions about life, and who we are, and what we’re meant to do in life, and who we’d like to be with — that’s already spiritual," he says.