Widespread news stories are covering US Air Force Academy football player and sophomore Cadet Bradley Kim for publicly announcing his sexuality:

A defensive back for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s football team came out Friday as the first openly gay football player to play for one of the three major U.S. service academy teams.

Sophomore Bradley Kim announced his sexual orientation to teammates, on social media and in OutSports.com, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.

The response is being described as “unqualified support” and positive reactions, which is a somewhat self-fulfilling statement.  Given modern demographics, it is likely a large percentage of his peers don’t care.  It is also likely some do, and they disagree strongly with his moral choice, but they’re not allowed to say anything less than positive.  Besides, contrary to the modern myth, Christians don’t jump up and condemn their peers just because they’ve made a declaration of their moral life choices.  Far better is to walk alongside their peer and be a witness to him — and in modeling Christ’s love without condoning sin, perhaps lead him to salvation.

But that’s an interesting part of this story.

Besides the awkward national media coverage of an Airman’s sexual behavioral choices is the fact Cadet Kim apparently claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ — while unrepentantly living in sin:

In his social media announcement, the Seattle native referenced Jeremiah 29:11, adding “God made me this way for a reason.”

He can be forgiven for claiming what some have called the “most misinterpreted verse in the Bible,” given the number of people who do it. It is another theological error altogether to claim sin as righteousness because “God made me this way.”

We are, indeed, made in God’s image. We are also fallen, sinful creations. Our sinful nature is not acceptable to a just God simply because He made us — as He did — or because He loves us — as He does. Rather, men must acknowledge their sinful nature and their need for redemption. Accepting that redemption — the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross — and becoming a “follower of Christ” would normally imply that someone accepted the commands (to obedience) and repentance (from sin) consistent with such a faith.

If saying “God made me this way” was all that was required for social acceptance and eternal security, the jails would be a lot less full — and Jesus Christ’s sacrifice would have been in vain.

To be fair, it is understandable that some who claim the Christian faith wouldn’t understand the faith they’re proclaiming. Modern society is twisting the message of the faith that makes one a follower of Jesus Christ — and they have plenty of “faith” leaders, including military chaplains, who will reassure them in that “modern” faith.

Someone once said that a few decades ago, men were generally aware that they were “sinners”, even if they didn’t know the word. When they heard the Gospel, they couldn’t fathom that God would love them, sinner that they were. The role of the preacher and evangelist was to reassure them that God did love them.

Now, society has flipped, and many believe “God loves them” — but they don’t understand what that means, because they don’t understand that they’re sinners. They don’t understand their need for redemption — so they don’t understand what that love means. Thus, while the role of the preacher and evangelist hasn’t changed, some perceive that it now focuses on convincing people they’re sinners, rather than on God’s love. (In fact, the message of sin and salvation preached by Billy Graham half a century ago is no different today.)

Interestingly, Cadet Kim indicated he went public because he wanted to be a role model for homosexuals:

“The biggest reason I want to share this is to be able to reach people who are in similar situations struggling with the same things I have struggled with,” he told Outsports. “I want to be that example for kids that you can be gay, you can pursue your dreams, and you can have an athletic career.”

So a military cadet is publicly announcing his personal sexual choices to be a role model to others like him.

Think about that the next time Michael “Mikey” Weinstein excoriates a cadet or officer for merely mentioning their religious faith, even if only to be a role model to others like them. And yes, Weinstein has done both.

Are we really in a time when discussing sexual behavior is not only acceptable but lauded, while mentioning religion is attacked or even prohibited?

Seems that question has been answered.

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