I agree, we should respect everyone. God loves all people. Having said that I would like to mention that we cannot agree to the sins that many people insist on living with. God loves all people, but God hates sin (not the sinner). Jesus came to set people free from their sin, not so we could continue in sin.

So...Rev. Lehmann, your qualified respect denies me, a Gay man, any respect at all, because of my "sin"? And please don't repeat that tired old canard about "respecting the sinner , but not the sin." I embrace my homosexuality. Please, though, explain how, as my homosexuality is NOT a matter of choice (no more than was your -- presumed-- heterosexuality) it is a moral issue...and therefore a "sin."

Sexuality, as you have been told here, is always a choice. Someone may have grown up and become heterosexual and decide because they are in prison that they will have same sex relations. The choice is the same for yourself, regardless of what you grew up to be like. The reason you continue to make the same choice is because you dont fear God enough and you dont resist the lust for the flesh that you have. God calls that sin. Thanks.

Clay - You are without a doubt, the most clueless person participating in this forum. I have a cat with more intellectual curiosity than you exhibit and a retarded (but lovable) dog, with more sense. Your parents owe us all an apology for bringing you into the world and making you such a first class dolt. You are every bit as dangerous as the Muslim who straps a bomb to his body to kill for his god, just not yet driven to making that kind of commitment, but loony enough to step off that edge if "called upon" by the voices in your head. You are diseased.

Clay,

Although I can't muster the level of vitriol achieved by Mr Littel, I do have to agree that you are apparently ill-informed as to why or how someone is homosexual. I have to ask you the perennial question: can you recall the moment you "chose" to be heterosexual ... not the moment when you KNEW you were heterosexual, not the moment you decided to act on your heterosexual desire...but the moment you CHOSE to be heterosexual, rather than homosexual? I didn't think so. The converse is true for me. I have never been in prison, have never been without a heterosexual option. In fact, I was married for 16 years and fathered a child. My homosexual nature is exactly as much a part of me (and always has been) as is my blue eyes and curly hair. As soon as religious folk such as yourself realize that homosexuality has noting to do with choice (and is, therefore, not a moral issue) the sooner we will all be in a more healthy communion. And, to return to the nominal subject of this blog posting, worthy of mutual respect.