It’s cool to be gay. That’s what the younger generation thinks. Our culture not only tolerates homosexuality, it’s often celebrated and considered trendy. Being gay is as normal and healthy as being straight. To think otherwise is homophobic. But we are deceiving ourselves if we think that homosexuals have the same health risks as heterosexuals.
The stark reality of the gay lifestyle is different than what we’re told. It’s not healthy. And I don’t mean “not healthy” in a “bacon is not healthy” sort of way. According to a 2008 Center for Disease (CDC) publication, gay sex among males aged 13-24 represents the only age group who have an increasing rate of HIV/AIDS diagnosis. Their rate increased by 12.4% between 2001 and 2006.1 Every other age group saw the infection rate remain constant during the same years.
While speaking at youth conference in Phoenix last month, I dispelled many myths about homosexuality, including the claim that homosexual behavior is as healthy as heterosexual behavior. My audience was aged 13-24. So guess what I told them? They’re the most likely age group to get HIV if they engage in homosexual behavior. In fact, I charted it out, highlighted it, and said it twice.
Then I told them that just two months ago, the National HIV Prevention Conference fueled more fear. CDC official Dr. Amy Lansky stated that gay men get AIDS at a rate more than 50 times greater than non-gay men.
So, the CDC (a pro-gay, secular, and scientific source) tells us that the gay lifestyle isn’t as normal and healthy as we’re often told. There is a disproportionate danger of getting a life-threatening disease. That should concern a lot of teens.
Like the CDC, I’m not entirely able to explain why the 13-24 year-old age group’s infection rate is increasing so quickly. I’m fairly confident, though, that it doesn’t help that pro-gay groups target young Americans. In an effort to destigmatize homosexuality, they propagate deceitful claims about its normalcy and safety. What else would we expect youth to do? They’re sold the gay lifestyle. And many have swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. Now they’re paying the price with HIV and possibly AIDS.
I’m also confident in the explanatory power of Paul’s comments in Romans 1:26–27. He says that male homosexuals abandoned their body’s natural sexual function with women. As a result, they receive a “penalty for their error.”
This makes sense. It’s like riding a bike without tires. You might get somewhere, but you’ll severely damage the wheel rims. The bike’s natural function was to ride it with tires. When you abandon that function, you’re bound to damage it. That’s the penalty of your error.
But why was I telling young Christians in Phoenix about the hazards of homosexual behavior? Besides clearing up some myths and protecting them from harm, I realize that these kids are our future. When we’re gone, they’ll be the church. I want them safe from the culture’s lies and educated enough to care for their youth culture when they’re older.