1. The understatement of the month--and its only 3 days old--"A general feeling that Christianity is driven by hate, hypocrisy and a troubling urge to meddle in secular politics..."

Its more than a feeling its a fact--christians are driven by hate (from hate the sin on the list begins with us, and extends outwards to include all non-christians), most seem to be practicing hypocrites (oh, where shall I begin--check any divorce court or sex scandal), and the church more than meddles in secular politics. It has controlled voters (guiding voters to vote against their own self interests by pushing the homo threat of equality), policy makers (abstinence mis-education, the lack of funding for AIDS...etc.), and even the president's agenda (not only misguiding the war in the middle east, but his stance on the sanctity of marriage). So much for the separation of church and state...

Churches act as any PAC (think NRA) does control by the number of voters it can turn out and monies to the pols. And, they couch it all in morality terms. Can we say "there's an elephant in the room, and its sh*tting on America."

I hope that people are taking notice and action, as TIME and you note, Richard.

ciao

Posted at 10:38AM on Oct 3rd 2007 by jam

2. I want to be an optimist. I want to say that Christian leaders around the world (e.g. the Pope) will stand up for what's right, and stop throwing thousands-of-years old hatreds into our faces. But when I reason through it, I don't see it happening. Maybe in a few decades church leaders will finally give up, but not any time soon. They hate us far more than they've ever hated anyone else, and even after we have another Stonewall and get equal rights under the law (and God knows when that'll happen), they'll still be fighting against us. They'll fight us with the same ferocity and stubbornness that they have in their war against abortion. They're thoroughly determined to destroy the lives of as many gay generations as possible.

Posted at 1:53PM on Oct 3rd 2007 by shane

3. This is yet another example of how the liberal anti-God media tries to attack Christians. Regardless of what you might hear from or read by anti-Christian bigots, true Christians do NOT hate gay people. Just because we respectfully disagree with your chosen lifestyle (and it is chosen--even Boy George admitted this), doesn't mean we hate you. Many Christians were once homosexuals themselves, and have come out of it thanks to the power and salvation of Jesus Christ.

I do agree that there are hypocrites in the Christian community. There's no arguement there. But if anybody out there--gay or striaght--really knew who Jesus is, you would gladly choose Him as your Lord and Savior.

God hates sin, but He loves us, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all would repent and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. And that includes those in the gay community. Regardless of what you have been taught, you do not have to be gay any more than you have to be an alcoholic, a drug addict, a pedophile, or a prostitute, or whatever type of destructive lifestyle that one can be trapped in. Jesus can turn your life around if you want Him to. Jesus died for us, so that we can be reconciled unto God. Jesus rose from the dead, and therefore has conquered death. Jesus can set you free, and even noiw, He holds out His nail-scarred hand to you. Will you take hold of it, turn from sin, and make Him your Lord and savior? I pray that you will. You will be blessed if you do. May God's love and His truth be made real to you all.

Posted at 11:18PM on Oct 3rd 2007 by James

4. Wow, let us all use Boy George as the ultimate authority on homosexuality.

Posted at 12:11AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Glenn

5. Intellectual dishonesty at its worst. I'm an atheist (the idea of any benevolant super being is both baseless and unsupported by anything in history) and have lived in SF for several years. I also know quite a few Christians. While it is true that they believe homosexuality is against 'God's law' I have yet to meet any who 'hate' homosexuals.

Believe it or not, Mr. Rothstein, it is you who is the bigot. You paint with a wide brush an entire creed as 'driven by hate' and 'hypocritical' based on a couple fringe evangelicals. This is no different than a white man saying that all blacks are lazy, or in fact a straight man saying that all homosexuals are overly dramatic and physically puny.

While I understand your underlying point (that Christianity misguidedly believes homosexuality is a perversion, which it is not) this hardly forgives your gross hyperbole.

And ask youself this, sincerely. No doubt you consider yourself a progressive and tolerant person - if Christianity is moronic and hateful, what is your view of Islam, a religion that mandates *death* for homosexuals and in fact recently carried out this sentence in Iran for two gay teens? I bet you can't bring yourself to condemn Muslims with the same vitriol which you apply to Christianity.

Its unfortunately obvious that you care more for your self-righteous indignation and prosaic exaggerations than you do for a fair and reasoned assessment of the truth.

Posted at 12:36AM on Oct 4th 2007 by James

6. "Of course, we're not really talking about Christianity here; we're talking about American provincialism, bigotry, ignorance and big business. led by megalomaniacal greedy villains who have hijacked Christianity and turned it into something rather dark. foul and profit-driven."

Best quote ever. My sentiments exactly.

Posted at 11:20AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Denny

7. this is to the commenters jam and James.

jam, after reading your post and disagreeing, I reread and found that there's only one phrase that doesn't belong. "Christianity is driven by hate". That's simply not true. From then on all of your accusations of hateful behavior are placed where they belong, on the church. Granted the church cannot have complete control over its followers, but it is partially responsible for the behaviors of its congregation. If a Christian is hateful, its the responsibility of the church to inform them that this is not allowed.

To James,
First and foremost Boy George has nothing to do with me. I will sing along to Karma Chameleon just like anyone else, but he has no authority to describe the homosexual condition for me any more than I can describe how it affects someone else. I was christian long before I was aware of my homosexuality and if I could have chosen to be straight I would have. I did, really, and prayed for it, but it didn't happen, because it wasn't meant to. Even though there are homosexuals who go to the church to try to fix them, there are more christians who leave the church, because of sexuality.

Adding to that, it is important for people to understand what happens to "ex-gays". It is most likely impossible to remove homosexual desires, or so I'm told by the ex-gays I've met. These are people married in heterosexual relationships that still feel attracted to people of the same gender. "Ex-gays" are still just as gay as ever, they have just trained themselves to be bisexual. I swear to you that this is what is said by the ex-gays themselves.

Beyond that, I just want to ask you to not post the sort of stuff you're saying here again. You are entitled to certainly, and you wrote in a polite manner, but it is a futile exercise. I know you are required by your religion to present God's word to all people, but it cannot be done effectively over the internet, and will be to no avail on a gay website. Anyone here is either in a church that accepts them, or chooses not to belong to the church. The only people that will read this will either respond angrily or condescendingly, or like me, be hurt by reminders of the pain caused by losing one's religion. So please, leave the gay blogs to the gay people and try approaching people face to face the way Jesus did.

Posted at 11:43AM on Oct 4th 2007 by Dear James

8. If sexuality is a choice maybe we queers could start a program to turn straight people gay.

The Ex-straight movement can feature fomer hetro testimonials on how they stepped out of their dull, conventional lifestyles and became hip queers.

Posted at 12:21PM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paul

9. If sexuality is a choice maybe we queers could start a program to turn straight people gay.

The Ex-straight movement can feature fomer hetro testimonials on how they stepped out of their dull, conventional lifestyles and became hip queers.

Posted at 12:27PM on Oct 4th 2007 by Paul

10. Paul: We already have conversion programs to turn straight people gay. All boys boarding schools and the wine and spirits industry are just two examples.

Posted at 12:29PM on Oct 4th 2007 by Richard

11. To James #3 and any other Christian on this site:
When I was 26 in 1983, I began questioning my gayness. I moved to California, and joined an evangelical church in Van Nuys. After a few weeks of faithful attendance, I asked to be baptised. When the minister asked me why, I told him with all my heart and soul, "I want to be baptised against homosexuality". I remained celibate for two years during that time, to sort it all out. Needless to say, I am gay, have always been gay, and if Jesus wanted to change me, I gave Him the opportunity 24 years ago. It never happened, and that's my very personal, very true story. IT IS NOT A CHOICE. IT IS NOT UNNATURAL TO BE GAY. ANY OTHER 'OPINION' ON THE SUBJECT IS IRRELEVANT TO THE REAL DISCUSSION OF EQUAL RIGHTS AMONG HUMANS.

Posted at 5:09PM on Oct 4th 2007 by Joe Lagana

12. James post #3 exemplifies exactly what the artical and the blog posting are speaking of. He starts out by saying "anti-god liberal media" then proceedes to tell all of us what is wrong with homosexuality then to witness to us. He doesn't seem, as many anti gay christians, that the more they preach that message against homosexuality the more they are turning off the younger generation, who understand and want a live and let live world. More and more people understand that being gay is not some sin, something shamefull, or something that can be changed. People are beginging to understand that the gay person can not change his orientation any more then a heterosexual can change his. Also we see Phelps out there doing damage to christianity. When people see groups like Fred Phelps and his bunch they connect the group with the rest of the christianity that preach a simalar message, and say "I don't want to be apart of that."

Posted at 8:03AM on Oct 7th 2007 by Matthew

13. The bible calls homosexuality a sin. This is where the christian gets his intructions on how to live and behave in the world. Are you saying he should give up his beliefs if it is in oppositon to a new code of standard that you have decided to live by. There are few churches, if any, in America that advocates stripping gays of their rights as citizens, but all of them tell their congregation that homosexuality is a sin. I guess that part of the bible is not to believed. Maybe congress will get around to passing a law banning the bible because it gives negative view of homosexuality. Christians are not the only ones who have a negative opinion of homosexuals. There are millions of people who have never stepped inside of a church with the same kind of negative opinions. They are the ones whom you should worry about because christians are not going to do harm to them.

Posted at 2:30PM on Oct 7th 2007 by deen

14. deen: The part of the Bible that tells you that homosexuality is wrong also tells you to stone disobedient women, sell your extra daughters into slavery and kill people who work on the sabbath. Are you following all those rules?

Posted at 2:32PM on Oct 7th 2007 by Richard

15. Time magazine is really dreaming now! They are so off base it is almost laughable.

Posted at 7:49PM on Oct 7th 2007 by Danny

16. To all the homosexuals on this site:

True Christians don't hate you! We respectfully disagree with your chosen lifestyle. The Lord Himself doesn't hate you either; that is why He sent His Son, Jesus to die for you! He wants to forgive you and change you if you will allow Him that priviledge. However, if you refuse, He will judge you someday and sentence you to an eternity without the mercy and grace of God! Please consider this truth, and not what spiritually blinded people are saying.

With the Love of Christ,

Posted at 2:52AM on Oct 8th 2007 by Wayne

17. Wayne: My "chosen lifestyle" is living in the city instead of buying in the suburbs. Is that what Jesus has a problem with? Another lifestyle choice is to work out at home rather than spend $100 per month to join the local gym, and to cut down on the amount of theatre I see in exchange for more dinners out with friends. Funny, I don't remember any Gospel readings that invalidate these lifestyle choices.

Homosexuality is not chosen, nor is it a lifestyle. Rather it's a million different lifestyles, as many different lifestyles as there are heterosexual lifestyles. The ignorance you (so proudly) display on the topic when addressing gay people is not likely to win you many converts.

And while I'm on the topic -- I don't visit Christian sites in the hope of converting you; returning the favor would be a good idea, getting back to that whole idea of "let you who has never sinned cast the first stone ..." Who said that again? Oh yeah. JESUS.

(sigh ...)

Posted at 10:13AM on Oct 8th 2007 by Red Seven

18. Try as "gays" might to alter reality, homosexuality is and always has been an aberration. The fact "gays" pressured the APA to change that diagnosis doesn't change the facts. With enough pressure, nowadays we could convince those without integrity that there's a Motherwheel way up there in space and even that "gays" aren't sick perverts.

Posted at 12:01PM on Oct 8th 2007 by Tom

19. What's really interesting is the fact that many christians (lower case "c") seem to think that Gays are not saved simply because they are homosexuals. I don't use the word lifestyle/orientation because lets face it, that implies that I can change my homosexuality simply by thinking hard enough or walking in the opposite direction. I'm no hypocrite to God nor my homosexuality. Let's face it. There is a difference between being straight/bisexual and being gay. There are many bixexual/straight Christians that choose a "lifestyle" that best suits them. However, saying that straights are saved simply because they are straight is an oxymoron in itself. There is no logic in that. If straights don't seem to follow those moral codes then why hold gays up to a higher standard. We are all equal....children or not. We are not more perfect no more flawed than you are. Many people apparently seem to fail to understand that what God has created he created perfect and in his own image. Jesus was never married, nor did he have children. He met with prostitutes and walked with 12 men. Please read the Bible! I guess that there are many straights out there...obviously closeted...that chose to live bisexual lives...those are the people who choose their gay life style which is obviously conditional....based on their immediate needs, environment and circumstances. I chose to be gay all the time...this is not a part-time job or part-time religion for me as for some straights/bisexuals. Don't confuse gays with bisexuals. Are you reading the King James version of the Bible? Maybe you should read up on his life! ;) Now, that should leave gays feeling saved!

Posted at 10:21PM on Oct 9th 2007 by Dan