The students of Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California, are just one example of the fruit of the "reshaping of beliefs and attitudes" that Dr. James Dobson warned about in his 1990 book titled Children at Risk. On May 23, this student body elected Sergio Garcia as their first male prom queen. Vanessa Lo, the school's senior class president proudly said, "It just shows how open-minded our class is."

In 1984, this school was the first to provide a program known as "Project 10," which now encompasses the entire Los Angeles Unified School District. Its website says it is "dedicated to providing educational support services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth who attend public school campuses."

Project 10's founder, Virginia Uribe, was encouraged by the news of Garcia's crowning. "I think that indicates where our society is right now. The young people are not involved in this whole argument about gay rights. They think this whole fight is silly. They just accept people for who they are," Uribe said.

In a May 21 article titled "Generations Define Gay Marriage Debate," Chuck Raasch of the Gannett News Bureau appeared to agree with Uribe's assessment. He wrote, "Younger Americans, more eclectic in their views on social issues, are more tolerant of same-sex couples than their parents or grandparents and appear to be more interested in compromise."

Children at Risk sold only 150,000 copies, fewer than anything Dr. Dobson had written to that point. Seemingly, his warnings were largely unheeded at that time. Now, nearly two decades later, we find ourselves in the midst of a sociological change never before experienced in the history of our nation.

As Christians continue to fight this battle to reshape a generation, we must always remember that our battle is not against "flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). When speaking about any of these controversial issues, we should never demonize our opponents, nor should we be tempted to bow to the god of toleration. Instead, we must lovingly discredit their philosophies in light of Scripture and reality. Students must understand that toleration of sin is not a biblical principle, but lovingly confronting the truth is.

Many well-funded organizations and media moguls wield a wealth of power and cast a threatening Goliath-like presence when it comes to shaping the beliefs and attitudes of today's youth. However, their weapons are carnal and ours are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). "The battle is the LORD's" (1 Samuel 17:47), and as His servants, we are guaranteed victory. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Roy Faletti
Vice President of Educational Services