There was time when mankind respected anything “natural” as a thing of superior quality. Nature, God’s book for everyone, afforded us valuable lessons of life. Even today, God’s handiwork showcases the best of technology and beauty. The brains are working hard to unlock nature’s secrets so that our day to day lives can be enriched by magical touch. However, there are people who take pride in violating natural laws. They delight in what goes contrary to nature. They do not realise that everything that goes against the laws of nature, and of course the Lawgiver, will bring dire consequences. Even as we are teaching the world to abandon plastics and embrace biodegradable packaging, there are people who take pride’ in unnatural sexual behaviour.

The Indian government’s decision to repeal Article 377 was welcomed by gay communities. They saw as a great victory for their cause, an stamp of approval for their perverted ways. Little do they know that the standard of human behaviour is the unchanging laws of God—not the changing laws of man. It is disheartening to see several media houses trumpeting the emergence of what they call an “alternate sexuality.”

God did not create Adam and Steve. He created Adam and Eve. Yet, the modern man is unable to see God’s wisdom. God’s wrath that visited sinful Sodom and Gomorrah should serve as an eternal reminder for all of humanity. Fire came down on Sodom and burned up all who practised homosexuality. The intensity of that judgement created the Dead Sea – the only water body that does not contain any life! The lowest point on earth (other than the oceans) is the Dead Sea. The Dead is 1400 feet below sea level. It’s floor is further 300 feet below. God is a God who judges sin and makes an example out of offenders.

The Apostle Paul does not mince words when he describes the moral depravity of idolatrous people. While talking about those who make and worship idols, he said, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” People who claim to be wise have become lower than animals in their pursuit of momentary pleasures. Take the case of Michael Jackson, the renowned singer who was worshipped by a whole generation of music lovers. He was their idol. He lived like a billionaire and died like a pauper. Forever, Jackson will be known as the most famous celebrity who did something about his dissatisfaction he felt about his natural looks. His life was a battle against the natural. He did not like his natural colour, his natural hair or his natural nose! Like the crow in a folklore that wished to be peacock, Jackson changed his skin colour, his hair and his nose!

We pay our respects to the dead. Sometimes, we have to learn some lessons from the lives of some people. Consider Jackson’s autopsy report. The report says that the 5 ft 10 inches tall celebrity weighed just 50 kg at the time of his death. This bag of bones was riddled with needle marks. He was totally emaciated, ate only one frugal meal a day. His stomach had no food, just semi-digested pills. He had lost most of his hair and wore a wig to cover his baldness. His haggard face was disfigured by 13 plastic surgeries. The bridge of his nose had crumbled. Several of his ribs were broken, probably by desperate attempts to revive him. There were 4 needle wounds near his heart, apparently from failed efforts to restart it by shooting adrenaline into it. What a way to die!

Our young people should learn to follow God and his ways. To remain faithful to the Creator and yet be obscure is far better than being a celebrity on earth and yet be forsaken by God. Stand for God and you will shine forever in glory, in Jesus Christ.