By now, Rustom Padilla’s name and person are occupying a space in every televiewer’s talk. His confession in Pinoy Big Brother of his being a gay has created a new wave of interest into the homosexuality issue. A number of groups have expressed their sympathy and support to him especially the gay community. The call of these groups is “Instead of condemning the man, we should rather understand the man.”

I believe, however, that Rustom needs more than sympathy and understanding much like other homosexuals. He needs help. . . several kinds of help.

First, he needs the help of truth. What truth? The truth that homosexual behavior is ungodly. Ooops! Before you accuse me of condemning the man, read my sentence again. The homosexual, the person himself, is not being condemned. It is the homosexual behavior that is ungodly. The man and his behavior are separate entities. The man is a person while his behavior is his actuation. Homosexual behavior is condemned by God in Genesis 19, in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Homosexual behavior is considered unnatural in Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Rustom needs to know this truth and it is the key to his eventual freedom from the bondage of homosexuality.

Second, he needs the help of compassion. This is easy, you might say, because it has been probably there since the moment of his confession. His utol Robin Padilla actually showed it when he visited Rostum in Big Brother’s house. But the compassion that really helps is the compassion without compromise. Anyone can safely make Rustom feel the love, understanding and support but if these acts of compassion don’t transform the man, he is getting an incomplete help. The compassion that really helps is that which will make him come to his real senses, that which provides him strength to overcome the condition. You have to admit that his family broke down largely because of his gay lifestyle.

Third and last, he needs the help of people who have the truth and compassion. This is a challenge to his fellow celebrities who are armed with the liberating truth and compassion for people like Rustom. Tonette Macho and Fanny Serrano can fit this job well as are the others who have helped these two. Rustom’s family members are good sources of sympathy and support but they may do well to bring the real man out of Rustom.

There are many other Rustoms out there and really, they need help, not just understanding.