Marital faithfulness is the one protected area in today's promiscuous society.

One MLA has been roundly criticised, even ridiculed, for not being aware that the disease has affected heterosexuals as well as homosexuals.

Understandably there are many who do not make it their business to explore every aspect of every topic of media interest, and this is one of those. But, while celebrities (amongst others) take the opportunity to cast ridicule on the “uneducated” portion of the population, they, in common with others, never tell ALL the facts.

It has sadly been the case that some heterosexuals have been infected with HIV/AIDS through contaminated blood donations in various countries. Edwin Poots fought hard to eliminate the possibility of this happening in Northern Ireland, an endeavour for which he was almost universally criticised.

Only time will tell whether more relaxed regulations will make the threat more real. Other heterosexuals who engage in sexual relations outside the marriage bond, and, of course, those who are not married, have also been infected. A recent medical report stated that the majority of new cases of HIV/AIDS were as a result of unprotected sex.

But there is good news. There is , thankfully, one area of society which will not be affected by this disease. That is husbands and wives who remain faithful to one another, and who have no sexual contact outside their marriage relationship. This, significantly, is ALWAYS overlooked when there is discussion on the matter. One could be forgiven for thinking the whole world was at risk when we hear a discussion on the subject.

Marital faithfulness is the one protected area in today’s promiscuous society. Is it not about time men and women began to look again at the origin and institution of marriage, and the requirements of the marriage vows?

We only have to turn to scripture to find the answer, as found in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 4. Perhaps interested parties will read it for themselves, and ponder it’s message.

Then we might see an end to this plague which affects an ever-increasing proportion of our hedonistic, pleasure-seeking, world population.

Gordon McNeill, Portadown