"For My house shall be called a house of prayer
for all the peoples."
-Isaiah 56:7

God and gays: Churchgoers divided By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Tue Jun 13, 7:23 AM ET

Every Sunday there's an intense struggle in the souls of some believers as one religious denomination after another battles over the rights and roles of homosexuals.
Gay or not, progressive or traditional, those who disagree with their denomination's stance wonder:
Should they leave their church?
Has their church left them?
Is this any place to find God at all?

This will probably be lacking in eloquence, it may be ham-handed, it likely does not sum up my feelings for my beliefs, but I must say it.

Who are they? They are our cousins, sons, daughters, teachers, bankers, lawyers, designers, movie stars, construction workers, fishermen and firefighters.

They are Gay. They are homosexual. They are a part of our community, all of our communities.

They are NOT political pawns whose lives are open to base and denigrating ploys and schemes in a tug of war between States, Churches, Laws and Customs.

They have been (and are still) persecuted, killed, beaten, condemned by "scripture" and marginalized since time immemorial.

They are human beings. We are all different in our own way. The difference between having a peaceful heart and a pained one is in the choice you make to celebrate the differences among people or to hate them.

They are my friends, my colleagues, my neighbors, my customers. They did not ask to be who they are, none of us do. If I had a say in the matter I would have gifted myself with world-class writing or sporting skills.

I take a stand against the discrimination of, marginalization of and the oppressment of Gays, Lesbians, Transgenders. Just as I take a stand against violence, injustice, racism, and violence and the marginalization and persecution of any minority group.

I am flawed, I have my good qualities, my character defects all the things that make me, me. I am heterosexual. I did not plan it, I was born that way.

Some helpful organizations.

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

International Gay And Lesbian Human Rights Commission

Parents Friends and Familes of Lesbians and Gays