From Basil, responding to Quote of the Weekend:

I appreciate the civil tenor of all of these comments. I am a gay
man, who is exploring my own religious beliefs, via Quakerism, and
enjoy my worship greatly. I am very interested in my spiritual
development, but have much more study ahead before I commit to any
particular belief.

Unfortunately, I have seen too many protestors running around with
“God Hates Queers” (or similar) signs, and have personally encountered
some real vitriole in my home state when we passed a very sweeping
“anti gay-marriage” constitutional amendment. Too many “Christians”
(the quotes are deliberate) spout too much hatred at gays and lesbians,
and too many clergy vilify gays and lesbians and incite hatred against
the LGBT community. Just since November 4, there have been two murders
of transgender men (one in New York, another in Tennessee), another
murder of a gay couple in Indiana, and a savage beating in New York of
a young latino immigrant mistaken for a gay man because he was walking
with brother. He is now brain dead.

According to the most recent FBI statistics, about 15% of all hate
crimes are committed because of an individual’s sexual orientation or
gender identity. Either by silence or active encouragement, too many
“Christians”, their hateful clergy, and their pandering right-wing
politicians, are complicit in discrimination, abuse and murder of gays,
lesbians and transgender individuals.

I believe homophobia is a sin. Until “Christians” can condemn
homophobia unequivocally and set aside their personal beliefs in order
to work for full civil equality, they have nothing useful to say.