Thank goodness it’s over.

June. Formerly known as the start of summer, it’s been the time for vacations, picnics, baseball, and beaches. Often, the beginning of air conditioning season.

Then came “Pride Month.”

If our national memories serve us correctly, this grasping-at-straws effort to legitimize people’s variance of sexual activity and choices happened in the U.S. in June, 1999. That was when then-President Bill Clinton declared “the anniversary of [the] Stonewall [riots] every June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.”

Not to be outdone, former President Barack Obama in 2011 opened a wider door for Pride Month to include the whole of the LGBT community. This is another example of “progressivism.”

These days, supporters work at milking their lifestyle celebration at every angle they can find. At the national level, sports teams have found themselves in conflict (also known as hot water) with their fans by embracing special nights and events around “Pride”—including transgender appearances. Even poor Jim Nantz of CBS had to give brief “Pride Month” recognition during their golf tournaments in June.

Disney, of course, has been a forerunner in even creating a special day at the theme parks to honor the pride-filled folk. And what could help make it a more colorful celebration than rainbows! An odd choice, when you think about that first known rainbow revealing God’s mercy after nearly destroying a way-out-of-whack world that likely was engaged in similar pride-like behavior. Rainbows are the Pride People’s best friend.

In Chicago, there is the annual Pride Parade on the last Sunday in June. (Interesting it’s held on a Sunday.) The Chicago version is over 50 years old. It is now the city’s second-largest parade with nearly 200 entries. And get this…it typically attracts more than 1 million people from wherever-land.

Major Chicago media is in full cahoots in promoting the event and often well-known station celebrities ride on floats and wave happily to the crowds. All during June, these network stations carry news stories and interviews around gay and transgender people. I find it interesting that no equal or near equal time is given to the large —dare I say “huge”—segment of the population that wants nothing to do with any of this.

Unfortunately, it is inescapable. But this year, for some reason, there appears to have been some forms of rebellion. And the most visible sign of that rebellion has been the shocking drop in market value of Target Corporation stock. They have gleefully marketed all kinds of gay related merchandise right down to kids’ sizes, and parents finally said, “Enough.”   

Since “equality” is the big word here, Target’s mega retail brother Walmart served up their own portion of “gay” clothing, books, and other merchandise. They probably even sold copies of the formerly respected Christian author Jen Hatmaker’s recent book on how to raise “gay children.” I’m serious.

Of course, thousands of companies participated in pushing Pride into our public consciousness. Too many to mention. To do otherwise might imply you are part of the “hate crowd.”

It seems to me that most churches have run the other way in dealing with Pride Month. In fairness, it would not be prudent for those who hold true to the Christian faith to deviate (excuse the expression) from the centrality of the cross and Gospel in sermons and public worship.

But it might be wise to offer some after church meetings or even handouts that help clarify a healthy view on human sexuality and align it with the Bible. And add to that, an explanation on why celebrating the sin of pride itself can be devastating to the soul. (“To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Proverbs 8:13, NIV)

The collective voice of the church is making appeals to media and the business community urging them to re-think their “celebration” of Pride Month. It just may make a difference. Truth needs a voice.

St. Athanasius, who lived in the fourth century A.D., was a bishop and doctor of the church. In fact he has been called the “Father of Orthodoxy.” He offers us this counsel:

If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world.

Think he lived in fear of the opposition? Nope.