Speaking Lovingly about the impacts of Homosexuality

Following the appearance of Archbishop Peter Jensen on the ABC Q and A program this week there has been a great deal said about his comments on the health risks of the homosexual lifestyle - specifically that he did not repudiate the claim by ACL's Jim Wallace that the homosexual lifestyle has more health risks than smoking.

Today this incredibly brave and loving letter from Haydn Sennitt was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. It is worth a read:

Jensen spoke words of love not homophobia

I am a pastoral worker for Liberty Christian Ministries. I once identified as a gay man and lived actively as one for about five years. In that time I went to Anglican churches where Dr Peter Jensen was the archbishop, and I was frequently warned against living in sin. Though I resisted hearing that at times it never once made me feel suicidal or depressed: rather, I felt loved and safe (Letters, September 12).

I knew living as a homosexual was wrong even independently of what the Bible said because I had to have regular health checks to ensure I hadn't picked up hepatitis, AIDS, or blood toxicity from the things I was doing. That is what the gay life involves - risky sex that puts life on the line. It diminishes life quality and life expectancy.

Health research bears out the reality of the risks of gay sexual practice. The 2010 national STD conference run by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US produced evidence that the rate of new HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men is more than 44 times that of other men and that the rate of syphilis among this population is more than 46 times that of other men.

Peter Jensen's words on Q&A were reasoned, reasonable and said in love because he wants, as I do, people to have freedom in Christ and live life to the full now. That's not homophobic, that's love.

Haydn Sennitt East Balmain

There is probably much more to be said and considered on the issue of health impacts of living a non-Christian lifestyle with regard to sex (ie. all sex outside marriage) - including psychological heatlth - but I think Haydn gives a valuable personal testimony.

more can be found here: http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/slashing-funding-undermines-states-wellbeing