I cannot see a valid argument against this Act. It seems to me that those who disagree with this Act disagree with the Hate Crime laws entirely. PLEASE fight to have religion struck from the Hate Crime law then, not gender identity or sexual orientation. If you have a problem with the law then fight to have yourself removed from it, not others.

Unless you can explain why these specific classes should not be included in the law, do not fight the Act that includes them; fight Hate Crime legislation entirely. It is clear to me that this argument does not make sense. You disagree with Hate Crime legislation supposedly, but the only time you fight it is when it protects classes of people you disagree with.

As a gay Christian I feel that this sort of behavior from the Christian community just pushes gays farther away. Christ called us to love - not condemn. How do you vote against this law??

Chuck,

I just wanted to mention that when I went to college, in 2001, the university aired "Deep Throat" in the Student Union during what was called "Sex Week" in the campus movie theaters. There were various 'R' rated movies playing throughout the week with the culmination being the airing of Deep Throat at midnight on Friday. This was before I was saved and I am almost ashamed to admit that I was in attendance... it was terrible now that I look back on it. There was alcohol, costumes, and props involved... no rules at all for any of the students. I'd also like to mention that this was during the first month of the semester, and I was a freshman. I, as well as many others there, were basically informed that this was what college was all about. I would and have described this movie as XXX, but I guess it would now be called NC-17.

Personally I think its about time that our government stopped funding this type of behavior. (This was at a state school).

Part 2-

God has used this relationship to change me in such amazing ways. EVERY relationship in my life has improved since I have stopped pushing my father away and started trying to love him again.

I just wanted to share my story because your comment hit home with me. Please know that you will be in my prayers, Satscout. God can do anything, even change someone's heart. I'll be praying that you find your safe place.

Part 2-

God has used this relationship to change me in such amazing ways. EVERY relationship in my life has improved since I have stopped pushing my father away and started trying to love him again.

I just wanted to share my story because your comment hit home with me. Please know that you will be in my prayers, Satscout. God can do anything, even change someone's heart. I'll be praying that you find your safe place.

Satscout-

I read your post and I had to comment; if only to say that I have felt that way about my father my whole life. I've often said to people that I cannot explain him or the problems in my family with anything but my father seems to find pleasure in hurting those around him. (Almost always emotionally). I'm 27 now and have struggled with my relationship with him for my whole life. Since I became a follower of Christ I have felt led to work on my relationship with my father. Although I do not believe he deserves to have me in his life, I do know that I do not deserve to have Christ in mine, and He still took me in. As much as I don't want to forgive him for anything he's done to my family, I know Christ forgave me. As much as I am afraid he will hurt me again, I know Christ will protect me. Perhaps my presence will someday reflect Christ's love to my father and he will change. I do know that I have changed in the years that I have worked on trying to forgive him.

I am not trying to begin an argument; this is a sincere question from someone who would like to understand this division in the Christian faith better:

Can you explain to me how you know that my faith has twisted scripture and not your own? I ask because God has never led me to think that my love is wrong or against His will; exactly the opposite. When faced with Christians who were condemning my life I experienced the closest encounter with Christ I have had in my walk and without question I was assured that my wife is a GIFT from the Lord and I am to worship Him through my love towards her.

Please explain to me how you know that I have twisted scripture and not yourself. I don't understand how my experience of Christ can be so easily pushed aside.

Thank you for considering my comments and questions. As I said above, I am not trying to start an argument, but have a productive conversation so that I can understand your feelings better. Thank you.

As a Christian lesbian I would like to know exactly what friendoframen had to say to have their comment removed... shouldn't we be comfortable with people of differing views, even on the bible, because we are confident in our own walk with Christ and challenges can only bring us closer to God as we delve deeper into our understanding of Him? I will not jump into all of the biblical evidence that God created me as a lesbian woman and that he desires I live my life as one because any Christian can do the research to come to their own conclusions on what the bible and God teaches on homosexuality. Personally the Holy Spirit has convicted me of several things throughout my life, spreading the faith to GLBT youth is one of them; trying to live as if I were not a lesbian is certainly not. I urge others to do their own research and delve deeper into their conversations with the Lord before condemning homosexual behavior as the author does here.

I agree that Gay Marriage and Religious liberty can not coexist in the Christian faith. The Christian faith centers around love; love God and love others as you love yourselves. This indeed means that we must love ourselves as God has created us. God created me as lesbian woman and created the perfect partner for my life as a woman as well. My experience of God, the Holy Spirit, and His word have proven to me that to live out my purpose as God intended, I must accept and love that God has made me to be gay. To truly walk in the Christian faith I believe we must accept all individuals as God as made them, regardless if we, in our limited mental capacity, misinterpret God's message and wish to exclude. We can not use our Christian faith as a explanation when it comes to exclusion; it goes against the core message of God's love.