Has anyone noticed how many rainbows there are around these days? We have rainbow footpaths, office windows, pedestrian crossings, buses and toys. So many that I thought people must be either reading their Bible or totally forgetting the meaning of the rainbow. I decided to print my own tee-shirt to explain.

This morning I climbed the steps to enter our city council gym and was greeted by an archway of balloons arranged in rainbow-order. I thought “I wonder who is telling them to promote pride week and whose rates are paying for it? That got me thinking. Why pride?

Pride is something we feel when a child or adult has achieved something notable or has demonstrated character in the face of difficulty.

The other use of the word pride is in the context of lack of humility and rebellion and the first instance of this type of pride was a long time ago. Lucifer was the most decorated created being in heaven. He wore beautiful garments, which glistened with jewels of every colour of the rainbow.

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold... "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Eze 28:13-1)

Sadly, as Lucifer led the parade in worship to God, he began to think that the worship should belong to him. Iniquity and pride entered his heart, and he was cast from heaven to become Satan, the hater of mankind and God.

Pride in this context of arrogance and rebellion has never benefitted anyone. As Kevin Conner said "If pride can turn and archangel into a devil, what can it do to us"?

Has pride ever helped a couple resolve their issues? Has pride ever helped a broken relationship be restored? Has pride ever helped reconcile a son to his parents or enabled them to confess their faults? Never. God took pairs of males and females into the ark for the good of the planet. Homosexual pairs animal or human would be non-regenerating and an evolutionist might say, a threat to the survival of the species. Not much to celebrate there either.

Why would we be proud of pride? We don't celebrate “lust week” for adulterers, or “greed week” for thieves and gangsters, so why would we celebrate pride week for those caught in homosexuality? It makes no sense.

Why would the U.N. and government promote and celebrate a lifestyle that on their own admission and figures, has a far worse suicide and mental health outcomes than the general population? Canadian figures put suicide risk at fourteens time higher for LGBTQ people. That is not fair on our young people.

Of course, homosexual people look for acceptance and they should find acceptance from us all, for every human being is infected with the same disqualifying sin. Gay or straight, black and white. Whether we live in Remuera or Manurewa, are atheist or religious, sin affects us all differently but affect us all, it does.

Some of my friends have gay children. We love and accept them because they too are us. All of us must find our way back to God through the same narrow gate, Jesus Christ.

Israel Folau was given a hard time for saying that homosexuals will go to hell. But maybe he and everyone else missed the point. It is not just homosexuals that will be excluded from heaven (Hell) but every person that hasn't asked found forgiveness from God, though a personal faith in Jesus Christ. This includes rugby boards, politicians, presidents and preachers. In short, no one will live with God unless they are humble enough to acknowledge their imperfection and need for God's forgiveness. And humble enough to accept the only salvation that God has provided (at great cost to himself), the cleansing blood of his Son.

So, while doing my leg press, I thought “Why should we be celebrating pride week in a government run gym? Soon our primary schools will be full of rainbows. What to do? I know, I'll wear my rainbow bow tee-shirt to the gym next week.” Then I thought “This only happens because everyone is too afraid to speak up. I should say something today,” So I went to the gym instructor and asked “What is the meaning of these rainbow-coloured balloons? Who told you to display them?”

He said “I went overseas to bury my mother and got stuck over there with a lockdown. My staff put them up to celebrate my return to work”. :)

Oh well there is still way too many rainbows with the wrong meaning out there!