I Have AIDS

Originally Posted by Ferd

Interesting reading. Really.

Let me tell you all a little story. (Names have been change because I can’t remember everyone’s names)

My family and I moved to Dallas in 1985. If you remember the 1980’s was right at the beginning of the whole AIDS epidemic and Dallas had (and still does) quite a large gay community.

There was a man in our church in his late 20’s/early 30’s who was a really great guy. We will call him Bob. When we moved to Dallas Bob was one of the guys that came over and helped us get moved in. My older sister was already in Dallas, and her roommate (Sherry) and Bob were dating. Both were a little older than your average single person but really great people and everyone was very happy for them.

Eventually Bob asked Sherry to marry him. She agreed and the wedding day was fast approaching when Bob got sick. Let’s not forget that this was in the early days of AIDS when people were dying left and right and everyone was afraid that you could get it from shaking someone’s hand.

Bob had contracted AIDS. Before he came to the Lord, Bob was gay. Once he came to the Lord, he changed everything about himself that was unbecoming of a Christian. It was some years later that he and sherry began to date. What none of us knew was this insidious disease was lurking beneath the surface. Thank God it came to light before Sherry and Bob got married.

Let me say this clearly. Bob was a member of my church family. He was a great Christian man who lived a Godly life once he came to Christ. However, the lifestyle that he lived before becoming a Christian killed him. Such is the nature of sin. Once we found out that Bob had AIDS the church rallied around him. Like everyone else in America, we didn’t know how one could contract AIDS but we rallied around Bob. We prayed with him. We visited him in the hospital. When he came to church we were there for him and did not avoid him.

Sherry was so wonderful during that time. While they didn’t marry, she stayed with him and took care of him. Our church, a UPCI church did not abandon this guy and when he died we were there at the funeral crying. He was one of us, and is to this very day. I will see him in heaven one day.

The thing of importance here is that Bob forsook the sinful homosexual lifestyle. He became a new creature and lived as such until the day he died.

Some here have expressed reservations related to Chosenbyone’s story. The reason for those reservations is related to a lack of the above “things of importance”. I am with those looking

Others have expressed dismay in those who have reservations. I don’t get this at all. This is not a hospice people. This is a community of Apostolics. We do not condone the homosexual lifestyle as something that is accepted by God. No one is being uncaring or showing a lack of compassion by asking for clarity concerning the things that are important to all of us. Like it or not, Chosenbyone has left a lot of holes in the story. Those holes matter. That doesn’t mean anyone is uncaring, unkind, or somehow being ugly to someone who is obviously hurting.

I for one, hope we get some answers and some clarity.

I most certainly am NOT condoning homosexuality in ANY form of the word. Nor do I think God accepts it. So what if ChosenOne gives you the answers you seek...what then? That is my question. Are you gonna 'cut him off' so-to-speak and refuse him prayer and concern?

To me, in this venue, being what it is- it should make no difference in HOW we treat ChosenOne. It is a public forum. Anyone can post here. Right? I'm not gonna send him money, nor offer to fly thousands of miles to minister to him- it's not costing me anything to listen, and to PRAY.

I guess I'm not seeing the BIG picture maybe. It's different if you have invested monetarily, or emotionally in someone...but such is not the case here- at least not from where I am standing. Investing spiritually is something all saints are called to do- no matter the outcome.

Just my thoughts...I've been wrong before. *smile*