I have been writing thoughtfully and compassionately about homosexual behavior for many years. Responses to my recent letters in The Boston Globe and The San Francisco Examiner reveal a disturbing pattern. One reader referred to my beliefs as "deviant and small minded." He also told me (in the spirit of tolerance, of course) to keep my viewpoint to myself. Then he characterized my view as "a despicable message of hate and divisiveness." This is incredibly predictable. No thoughtful analysis of my view--only Ad hominem--name calling. More importantly, unless my viewpoint fully approves the homosexual agenda, I am told to keep my mouth shut.

Ironically, I have received more hate-mail on this subject than any other. Only occasionally do I receive a thoughtful response. Many letters arrive unsigned and full of venom. I have been called a hate-monger, a homophobic religious bigot, and other names inappropriate for publication. One point that is made repeatedly is that my view should be kept to myself and other "small minded people like me." By implication, only one viewpoint about homosexuality should be heard---the affirming one. All others are unworthy. This is intriguing. Those who chose the homosexual lifestyle use to repeatedly say, "All we want is to be left alone to live the way we desire." Obviously, this is not all they want. Many homosexuals want to normalize their lifestyle in society. Homosexuals activists want to force their lifestyle on you. They want your children to see the "gay way" as a choice equal with heterosexual relationships. They want school curriculum to teach this to your children. They don't want tolerance. They want full endorsement-or else!

One of the most manipulative tools used by homosexual activists is a comparison of their cause with civil rights causes of the past. As the gay marriage debate escalates, we will repeatedly hear comparisons between inter-racial marriage and gay marriage. This is a false comparison. But they will continue to insist that you buy the line that homosexuals are an oppressed minority group. Instead, I invite you to consider that it is a dangerous error (and an offense to real minorities) to compare homosexuals with previous groups that fought for civil rights. Homosexuality is a behavior people choose. The fact is that two men could live together and deeply care for each other without being homosexual. Homosexuality only becomes part of the equasion when they commit deviant sexual acts with each other. The bottom line is that a person is only homosexual in a behavioral sense.

Wrongful discrimination (in civil rights cases) injures people for what they are by nature not for whom they go to bed with. If we start protecting lifestyles from discrimination, we will find ourselves on a very slippery slope. Others will line up and demand special protection and provision for their lifestyles. Remember: We have existing laws to protect human rights for all people. What the activist homosexual community wants is special laws-to protect their way of life.

Brace yourself for what is coming. You have no choice. Accept homosexuality, or be labeled a homophobic, small-minded hate-monger. If you do not fully endorse gay marriage and homosexual behavior, you will be told to keep your opinion to yourself.

On one level, I cannot withdraw into silence on this issue if I care about society. The endorsement of same-sex marriage involves significant shifts in societal understanding of marriage, family and sex. History has repeatedly held that any form of support or promotion of homosexual behavior is bad for society. Such behavior has been considered immoral by almost every civilized group of people throughout human history.

On another level, love compels me to speak because I do not believe that those who practice homosexual behavior genuinely accept that they were meant to live this way. I am not fooled by the activists. If they were honest, they would admit that their efforts are merely a cover up for the frustration, guilt and despair. They would acknowledge that legislative changes will not remove the agony they feel. According to scripture, homosexuality is a sin. It is not the only sin, nor is it necessarily the worst sin. And it is beautifully and profoundly true that real hope for homosexuals is found only in accepting this verdict of scripture.

To dismiss the clear assertion of scripture that homosexuality is sinful and produces guilt is to remove grounds for the equally clear proclamation of forgiveness and release from that guilt by a merciful God. We all (not just homosexuals) need this forgiveness so that we can experience God's amazing peace. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).