Are radical gay groups or militant organizations (like Queer Nation and Act-Up) helping to heal the breaches or throw salt in the wounds? Do they help homosexuals to be further reconciled or alienated? Are they accomplishing their goals and airing their grievances, or being contentious just for the sake of being contentious? Are they actually doing more harm than good? Defeating their avowed purpose or attaining their aims? Isn't it immature to blame the government for not making us feel better? Is it always "others" fault that we haven't discovered a cure for AIDS yet? Don't we have the ways and means to do something about it ourselves? How much does it cost to abstain or practice "safe-sex?" It's in our power to save lives. Every person who's had sex ought to get tested to prevent passing AIDS on and to enable yourself to start treatment immediately if you've been infected. To do otherwise isn't only selfish, it's evil. High-risk groups ought to stop and think about what they're doing. It's not so much a lack of education, but of character. Irresponsible behavior is the cause for so many of the effects we see or suffer daily. Don't allow sin to emaciate you or separate you from your loved ones (Prov. 5:11; Ps. 38:11). Nobody gets a second chance.

Damaging stereotypes must go. Calloused misrepresentation is an injustice. Hollywood will be held responsible for its productions. But then again, in all fairness, aren't the stereotypes reinforced with every passing "Gay Pride" parade? Isn't much of the damage self-inflicted? And all of the negative publicity produced, in large part, by members of the homosexual community (Isa. 3:9)?

A Time and a Place

Are you an exhibitionist? Do you always insist on exposing your sexual preference whether it's appropriate or not? Why force the issue? We don't have to hide, but neither should we always lay everything out in the open (Prov. 13:16). It's not good to glory in our gory days or push our preference (Ephes. 5:12). And instead of having a gutter mouth, let's try and be gracious for once (Ephes. 4:29). Develop discretion. Tact, wisdom and diplomacy are wonderful attributes of a true ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20). There is a time and a place for everything, but even then we should ensure we're speaking the truth in love; facts with feelings, considering the sensitivities of others (Prov. 29:11; Ephes. 4:15; 1 Cor. 10:32). If someone's not ready yet to hear you out, or capable of appreciating what you're saying