Religious Objections.

Now that AIDS is no longer a death sentence religious objections to homosexuality are severely compromised.

Christians cannot now invoke death as justification for their prejudice.

And if AIDS was proof of God's disapproval then what does the curing of AIDS mean?

It can only be a sign of God's Blessing.

And this is my experience.

God does not discriminate.

He accepts gay men and women as we are.

And He loves us as He loves all His children.

So those who still cling to religious objections should now take another look at the issue in the light of contemporary knowledge.


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The Odd Man Out.

Now that AIDS is virtually cured what remains is entrenched homophobia.

And the majority of this is in Generation X.

Because Generation X were teenagers when AIDS hit they are the most homophobic demographic.

But now they are the odd man out.

The older generation is dying.

And the Baby-Boomers and Millennials are much less homophobic.

So the hard-line prejudice shown by Generation X is a diminishing minority.

Once they realize that they are the odd man out, and they can be shown that it was fear of disease and death that inspired their prejudice, we may be able to re-educate them.

I pray for that.


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Is AIDS Over?

With the development of treatments that can stop HIV from developing into AIDS.

And with the new drug PrEP (Pre- Exposure Prophylaxis) which can protect gay men against HIV.

Is AIDS over?

These new treatments have seen the diagnoses of AIDS plummet in the last 5 years.

So is AIDS over?

Recent developments mean AIDS is all but cured.

Gay sex is safe again.

It now remains to re-educate the public about gay sex and homosexuality itself.

Most people are stuck back in the 1980s which saw a whole generation turn against homosexuals out of fear.

The time has come to liberate homosexuality from the prison of AIDS and restore it to equal status with heterosexuality. 


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The House of God.

In church we said these words:

"Here is a place of refuge. Welcome
this is the House of God.
Here is a place of belonging. Welcome
this is the House of God.
Come and rest. Welcome
this is the House of God."

These are lovely words but do they reflect the reality?

Refuge, belonging, and rest are aspects of a loving God but are they what we experience in church?

All too often Church people are: intolerant, ignorant, prejudiced, racist, homophobic, sexist, abusive, intimidating, and hateful.

They may put up a front of friendly amicability but underneath they can be spiteful and threatening.

So your experience of church may not match the words that they mouth during the services. 


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The Feel-Good Factor.

Some people, when they hear the Good News of God's Love, are seduced by the feel-good factor.

The beautiful words and concepts that God has given us inspire feelings of goodness and love.

But it is no use just bathing in this atmosphere of goodwill.

We must put our words into action.

We must not merely mouth God's Words of Love we must act them out.

This is the litmus test.

Are we doing it?

Or are we just saying it?

Because after we have got the preaching right there remains the acting out of our faith.

So do not get hooked on the feel-good factor.

We must put our words into action.


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Drunk.

Fundamentalist religious leaders are drunk.

Drunk on power!

And power corrupts.

They enforce absolute power over their converts and expect absolute obedience.

And absolute power corrupts absolutely.

"We shall be as gods." - the first temptation.

Pray for them to see.

See that God's representatives on Earth are not powerful potentates but humble lovers of humanity.


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Habakkuk.

"O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?
Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble?"
Habakkuk 1:2,3 (NRSV)

"Moreover, wealth is treacherous, the arrogant do not endure.
They open their throats wide as Sheol; like Death they never have enough."  Habakkuk 2:5 (NRSV)

Does this sound familiar?

Habakkuk could be speaking today!

With him we cry "How long?"

But you won't hear this preached in church too often.

Unless it is to push some End Times agenda.

But it is consistent with the Old Testament prophets whose social justice message is seldom heard.

Fox News would call God a Marxist.

And His prophets Commies.

But money deals with dissent violently.

As many protesters have discovered.

If not with a bullet then with a hate campaign.

"For there is still a vision for the appointed time."  Habakkuk 2:3 (NRSV)

That time is now!

The vision of God is breaking into history.

And we are blessed to be its agents.

Pray for the Light to dawn upon us and dispel our fears and terrors.

For God will not deal with us violently.

His mercy and forgiveness will prevail.

No one will perish.

Give up your fears.

And open your heart!


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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(The image has been slightly modified.)