Oct 2, 2017

STDs On The Rise!

As the years go by we have more of an external influence, than an internal influence with our youth about sexual intercourse/health. Everywhere you look there is a subliminal message seeping into our subconscious influencing us sexually, while our peers are too uncomfortable to relay the proper messages directly. We have an increase of activity within our estrogen receptors thanks to the processed foods and the materials we eat those foods in, causing hormones to spiral rapidly at younger ages than usual. Needless to say we are bombarded with the idea of acting on such hormones without sufficient education to be aware of the risks, (i.e. STDS). In 2016, Americans were infected with more than 2 million new cases of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia, the highest number of these sexually transmitted diseases ever reported according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beside those three, along with HIV cases which are required to be reported to the CDC each year, they’ve estimated that there are more than 20 million new cases of STDs in the US. At least half occur in young people ages 15-24.

Courtesy of The Daily Mail

Chlamydia is one the most common diseases easily transmitted through all forms of sexual activity; vaginal, oral, and anal—as well as through childbirth. Most people have no symptoms, meaning it usually goes untreated, ultimately causing a pelvic inflammatory disease that can scar and affect fertility in women. In men, it can cause testicular pain and swelling. Gonorrhea can also be a silent infection but usually is accompanied with burning during urination and vaginal or penile discharge. If caught anally, it can create itching, bleeding and painful bowel movements. If not treated, gonorrhea can cause severe and permanent health problems, including long-term pain and infertility. Although Syphilis was once less prevalent in our country, it has now become once again a harmful, potentially deadly disease on the rise. It can easily be mistaken for other disease due to its wide range of symptoms which include rashes and chancres, or sores, fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, headaches, muscles aches and fatigue. As the disease progresses, the symptoms go away, and progress silently to it’s most deadly stage.

What makes matters worse is that sexual education is on a decline in the US, according to an analysis of survey data from 2006 to 2013. “The declines in formal sex education we observed since 2006 are distressing, but unfortunately are part of a longer term retreat from sex education, especially instruction about birth control methods,” said lead study author Laura Duberstein Lindberg of The Guttmacher Institute in New York. The researchers used interviews taken from nationwide household surveys administered continuously between 2006 and 2010 and between 2011 and 2013, focusing on respondents aged 15 to 19 years. The analysis included responses from about 2,000 teen boys and 1,000 teen girls in each wave of surveys.In the 2006 to 2010 surveys, 70 percent of girls and 61 percent of boys said they had received formal instruction about birth control, which dropped to 60 percent and 55 percent, respectively, in the 2011 to 2013 surveys.Girls also reported less formal education on STDs, HIV and AIDS prevention, and saying no to sex over time. Both girls and boys reported more formal education in saying no to sex without instruction about birth control in the second survey wave, the researchers report in the Journal of Adolescent Health. As of 2013, fewer than 5% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students aged 13–21 reported that their health classes had included positive representations of LGBT-related topics.

We have an increase in sexual interest and activity due to many reasons, yet we also have funding cutbacks for prevention, education and healthcare programs, and an overwhelming amount of social media influence that have all contributed to the rise. Young adults are not only less educated on the topic, but more influenced by it, causing an increase of vulnerability. Adults on the other hand, should learn to be more pro-active when it comes to their own indulgence and advocate for their offsprings’ sexual health as well. It’s time to start having the conversation and being more conscious about who we lay down with so that we can start utilizing prevention methods.

 

Featured photo credit: medicaldaily.com

Mar 28, 2014

He Without Sin Cast The 1st Stone: Religion Vs Homosexuality

Homosexuality photo 2Every place I go I see homosexuality; whether it’s on television, being displayed in society, within my circle or within my family. When I’m in society every corner I turn no matter what city or state I’m in, I see a Church. Whether it’s Baptist, Catholic, COGIC, Apostolic, Non Denominational, Southern Baptist, Jewish Synagogues or simply A place of Worship….they’re on every corner. One would think that the terms “Homosexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender” wouldn’t dare be said in the same paragraph that the word “Church” was used in. How do we wrap our minds around the fact we are living in a society where alternative life styles have become the “New Norm”? How do we live in a world with people that don’t live like us or the way we think they should live, or look like us and dress the way we want them to dress, and refuse to believe what it is that we believe? Have you ever heard the saying “Same old stuff just a different day”? I mean really this isn’t anything new; it just came in a different form called same sex relationships.  I’ve been asked many times “How are we as Christians suppose to raise our children and live in a world that is allowing same sex marriages, open gay relationships, men dress like women, women dressing like men, and be okay with it”? Then, I’ve been asked by the Gay community “Why can’t God love me like He loves you and why can’t I attend Church without being judged & ridiculed?”  Someone just shared their story with me; he told me that his church excommunicated him on a Social Media Site. I was speechless, my heart ached, and grieved because that is NOT the type of God I/We serve. I refuse to believe that any church that is opened in God’s name and any Christian who claims to love God would treat anyone like this. It’s time to TALK about it, it’s time to ask questions and seek God for answers on how we as Christians are to respond to the “New Norm”.

Let’s start with my questions…. 1. When did homosexuality become the #1 sin on the list, because the Bible calls it “Sexual Immorality”? That also includes fornication, adultery, lusting, masturbation, and covetousness of one’s spouse. 2. If the Bible states in James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all” why aren’t we as Christians addressing SIN as a WHOLE meaning the immorality of sin itself? Because SIN IS SIN which includes lying, backbiting, gossiping, (stealing) cheating on taxes, envy, jealousy, hatred in the heart, malice, drunkenness, gluttony, wickedness, and the list goes on. Especially when scripture tells us in 1st Corinthians 6; 9-10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (man acting feminine), nor abusers of themselves with mankind. V.10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers (to use abusive language), nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Now, I would be lying if I said not guilty because I’ve been guilty of many sins and GOD just happened to say “NOT GUILTY”. I stand on and believe the Word of God and I agree that sexual immorality, the works of the flesh, and anything else God forbids in His holy Word is a Sin. That means even when I did those things listed above I was a sinner. Now, I’m a sinner saved by grace trying to live a life pleasing unto God. Does that make me sinless, no I just (sin) less because I must crucify flesh (anything not of God) daily! Does that give me the right to put my mouth on someone else who sins differently from me? No, that would make me judgmental, which is also a sin according to Matthew 7:2 “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you”.

 Here’s the moral of this Blog, GOD is looking at the church (You & I) the City on a Hill. He’s not looking at the world nor is He coming back for the world. The enemy has sown seeds of division amongst the people of God, within God’s House of Prayer, Our Families, & Our Communities. We have become so FATALLY DISTRACTED on whose right and who’s wrong on this issue. Nobody is paying attention to the blood we have on our hands, because we’ve murdered people with our mouths and we’ve wounded souls with our judgmental outburst.  As people of God, we have the audacity to use words like faggot, dikes, homo, studs, queers, butch, & so on and think its okay.  We’ve somehow LOST our focus and commission from God and the 2nd Greatest Commandment, which is to LOVE thy neighbor as thyself.  His love never fails and it covers a multitude of sin even if the sin is different from yours. We must get back to that place of SOUND DOCTRINE which is hate the sin, yet LOVE the sinner. We have no right to tell people that they can’t worship with us because of their lifestyle. Jesus came to set the captives free, he didn’t come for the people who weren’t sinners.  It’s our job as Christians to embrace people of all backgrounds and lead them to God by being a living example and testament that God is I AM. We must set aside our bickering and return back to our Father’s business of winning souls.

We can’t keep acting like the modern day Pharisees and Sadducees who knew the law, but didn’t want to accept or embrace the One who came to fulfill the law. How can we say that we have the mind of Christ, when some of us have taken on the mindset of bigotry? That’s not Kingdom, NOR is it what the GODHEAD stands for. Then there are those like me who have been delivered from sexual immorality. Yet the very people we worship with, who may know or think they know our past. Try to keep us hostage and in bondage with our past as if GODS Word isn’t true or as if He’s a liar. As a matter of fact I am reminded of this passage of scripture “He Without Sin Cast The First Stone”. This is how Jesus responded when the “Pharisees” and others surrounded the adulterous woman to stone her to death according to John 8:7. How many of us have thrown stones or shade at people whose lifestyles don’t line up with ours? Is the Father pleased with our actions and the way we treat people in His name? Let’s not forget to examine self; especially when some of us faithfully watch television shows full of sexual immorality and violence. Yes, I went there because we must acknowledge our own shortcomings and sinful nature.

 We must address these issues that are causing havoc within our families, communities, and the household of faith…The time is NOW! My prayer is that we begin to look at others, not where they are but where GOD sees them. We sing that good ole hymn “Amazing Grace shall always be my song of praise, for it was grace that brought my liberty, I do not know just how He came to love me so, He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs. I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary, to view the cross, where Jesus died for me how marvelous, His grace that caught my falling soul ,He Looked beyond my faults and saw my need.” If God looked beyond ALL your faults, surely He’s looking past everyone’s faults and He sees their needs. As I close another song just came to mind, the song simply says “Holy Spirit deal with me, I give you authority, take what’s wrong and make it right, Spirit deal throughout the night, Holy Spirit Deal with me I give you authority , until ALL in my life becomes Yours”. Truth be told, Tyra got some stuff in her life that she’s trying to rid herself of which makes it hard for her to judge anyone. Yet, I pray for EVERYONE to repent because the Kingdom of God is at hand. Join me Sunday as we discuss this issue and create this much needed forum. Bishop Anthony Claxton, Myself & Others will be discussing this very issue and we’re taking phone calls. Be SURE to tune in Sundays 5 pm EST on www.wpbnetworks.com (Download App to Your I phone or Smartphone). Or catch us on Thursdays 7 pm EST & Saturdays 2 pm EST on www.praiseaustin.com. “If You’re Dealing With It, Let’s Talk About It” On The Tyra Hill Show. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think about this article~Tyra

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