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I am writing to express my views on equal rights for gays and lesbians. As a gay American I still don't understand how many people can say that the equal rights that gays and lesbians are pushing for are special rights. I don't know any gay or lesbian who wants special rights, job quotas, etc. The gay community only wants the right to live and be free like everyone else in America does. We just want to be guaranteed that we cannot be terminated from a job, denied fair credit, denied housing, and denied services. Unfortunately many people say that if they had to work with a gay person or live near one that it would offend their religious affiliation. Well unless the job, the house or complex is a religious organization, religion should not be there. Isn't that what freedom of religion is? After all there are many different religions in the area such as Islam, Judaism, Protestantism and many more. I know for a fact that many people of one faith are offended by people of another faith. Many of the religions within Protestantism itself are offended by other religions basically within the same faith, just a different church. Does that mean that since you are offended by someone else because of their religion they can be denied a house or fired from a job? NO!!! People can still have their beliefs and their faith in their religion and work, live, or serve individuals who are gay. It doesn't mean you have to accept it, condone it, or approve of it. This is the United States of America. Article 1 of the Bill of Rights guarantees us freedom of religion. We need to remember one of the reasons that was put in there. Our forefathers came to this country because of religious persecution. If religion is used to discriminate against the gay community they are basically persecuting us. Also if I was at a place of employment and said I am gay and was then terminated because of that, doesn't that also violate my right to free speech? We can argue til the end of time about religion and that it is immoral to be gay. The only person who can make that judgement on me is The Lord Jesus Christ (yes, I'm a Christian); no one else has the right judge me. I don't know whether being "gay" is right or wrong in the Lord's eyes. In the Bible there are many references to it being wrong. There are also many references to love. Basically the Bible is about love and faith. Read 1 Corinthians 13. The last verse 1 Corinthians 13:13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." I have loved another man. We had a loving relationship. What is wrong with that? I've known many gay couples and many heterosexual couples. I have known many that in the gay couple's circumstance "got together" as boyfriends or companion and I've known many heterosexual couples who married at the same time the gay couple got together. In most cases the gay couple is still together. The heterosexual couple isn't. Does this mean heterosexual people are immoral and sleep around more often? No. Gay and Lesbians are just as capable of having a wonderful loving relationship with their "partner" as heterosexuals are with their spouses. I think God loves me. I also think that he doesn't care that I"m gay. What more can I say? |