["To be honest, the "DL" issue is really old. It caught national attention slightly due to E Lynn Harris’ books back in the early ’90s, but since JL King’s book, the issue has exploded. Let me give a little background. Back in the day, it was not called "DL," men living as such were called "trade," ie, a man who looked/acted very straight/hard, usually had a girl, but secretly would "kick it" with dudes from time to time.
This was common with white males, too, but of course, as we all know, black men have a different sense of how they are supposed to carry themselves. Any hint of softness could be damaging, and of course, this goes back to the attempt to establish your manhood in a society that told you that you were less than.
At any rate, and unfortunately, since the black community has not acknowledged homos*xuality and we have swept it under the rug, we are now dealing with a health epidemic that is crippling us, not to mention dividing us. Now with that understanding, you pose the question, how are we to deal with it, especially the church, since so many of our talented, gifted brothers have passed to an unnecessary disease?
And I assure you, I do not correlate same-s*x attractions to HIV/AIDS. They are two separate issues, but they are connected in distance. First, church leaders need to stop dealing with the issue from the pulpit in ignorance, and address it in compassion and love. They say some of the most ridiculous banter, thinking that is going to propel someone to seek help. They need to educate themselves. Church people do more damage when they reply to the gay agenda machine with silly things like "Adam and Steve" crap.
Secondly, if you are a church leader and you are unfamiliar with the issue, have someone who has lived that lifestyle and are comfortable in giving their testimony of deliverance from it, have that person to speak at your next men’s/women’s conference. The Christian body needs to see others who have successfully left that lifestyle and are living in wholeness and holiness in Christ. To see that can inspire others to make a change.
Thirdly, address teens during teen conferences. Teens are being bombarded with "gay is OK" mantra on TV, in magazines, and even in some schools. Homos*xuality is being offered as an alternative to God’s standard. Most secondary schools teach students that homos*xuality is just a variant of life. With this type of world indoctrination, our churches have to become places of resources and strength and truth.
And lastly, pray! Pray for God’s heart for those struggling with s*xuality. They need help not condemnation. The church has condemned too many people to hell without helping them get to heaven. Stop lying, saying we love everybody, but treat the homos*xual like a cancer. Jesus paid the price for everyone, but they’ll never know it cuz the church doesn’t give anyone any grace but themselves.
Show love to the struggler, befriend them. We, as the body of Christ, with struggling Christians, cannot with integrity, tell people not to do something, without showing how to stop doing it. I myself lived that life for over 10 years, but God was good to me and took me out of the gay life (thru a process that was not overnight), and now I am a counselor at my church in Atlanta, and I speak out on how the church can effectively minister to the struggling Christian. — JD]"
