Roy Steele

straight talk in

a queer world.

June 10, 2018

Mr. David French

Senior Writer
National Review
19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701
New York, N.Y. 10036

Dear Mr. French,

Let’s cue the violins and manipulate public sentiment to engender sympathy for a corporate
spokesman who is not as smart as you think. He falsely claimed that a community celebration
for LGBT Pride was sinful, knowing that a large and disproportionate number of CrossFit's
customer base is LGBT. Declaring that LGBT Pride is a sin is beyond stupid, and this employee
forced management's hand. They had no choice but to fire this idiot - regardless of how one
feels about homosexuality.

There are good people on both sides of the marriage equality debate who disagree about gay
marriage. I don't characterize all opponents of same-sex marriage as bigots unless they
characterize the LGBT community as sinners destined for hell. People who oppose LGBT rights
and cite Scripture to justify their position are irreligious and wholly motivated by bigotry.

When evangelical Christians and conservative extremists oppose anti-discrimination

legislation, gay marriage, and any law that offers legal protection to a vulnerable minority that
continues to experience discrimination in employment, housing, and public accomodation, we
have no choice but to characterize that opposition as bigory. Again, bigotry fuels their animus.

Scripture says we are created by God in his image. Would God create people whose very
existence was a sin? Nope. Do Christians who falsely claim homosexuality is a sin get it wrong?
Yes. Why does God keep creating gay people? What motivates those who seek to marginalize
and bully the LGBT community?

Homosexuality is NOT a sin, and those who believe it is a sin, have been brainwashed.
Opponents of gay rights are no different than the racists and slave owners who opposed the
abolition of slavery. Slave owners and racists cited their religious beliefs to justify bigotry too.

jiveinthe415.com | poligraphics.com
 Roy Steele
straight talk in

a queer world.

Mr. David French

June 10, 2018
Page 2

Religious folks keep using language that slanders and diminishes the humanity of gay people.
Let's examine the real world consequences of making false and inflammatory statements about
gay people in the name of God.

What happens when politicians and religious leaders dehumanize the LGBT community?
There's a huge increase in hate crimes directed at LGBT people. Record numbers of LGBT kids
are bullied and take their own lives. Record numbers of LGBT youth are rejected by their
religious parents and they’re homeless. Trans people are physically assaulted and murdered in
record numbers. Record numbers of LGBT people turn to alcohol and drugs, while these
“leaders” keep up their attacks. The false prophets who actively oppose gay rights have the
blood of LGBT people on their hands.

I am gobsmacked, shocked, disappointed, and outraged, whenever anyone suggests that gay
people are immoral or perverts, undeserving of gay civil rights. Every American is entitled to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, including members of the LGBT community.

Homosexuality is NOT a sin. Sexual orientation is immutable and beautiful and we should
celebrate and embrace our differences, instead of using being different to scare and divide us.
Sexual orientation and gender identity have nothing to do with sexual immorality, and you
know that Mr. French. Don't conflate the two.

You say that sexual orientation doesn't define us, and I largely agree with you. The notion that
our religious beliefs are more integral to our identity than sexual orientation is ludicrous. You
can't cite any facts or evidence to support your specious claim, and going way back in history
to 1693 for evidence that people have been willing to burn at the stake for their religious beliefs
is beyond laughable.

jiveinthe415.com | poligraphics.com
 Roy Steele
straight talk in

a queer world.

Mr. David French

June 10, 2018
Page 3

Christians largely reject the bigotry inherent in racism, slavery, and Scripture, despite the Bible's
unequivocal support and advocacy for slavery. Religious teaching rejects the Biblical view.
When will they reject the clobber passages about homosexuality? When will they stop
demonizing and marginalizing gay people and women, to reflect the majority view of society
and our culture today?

There are powerful institutions, businesses, and individuals, who profit from the myths and junk
science perpetrated in Scripture. Anti-gay hate groups are a big business, and the old white
straight men who control the religious organizations and anti-gay hate groups, are
compensated generously to continue their propaganda campaigns to subjugate women and
sew the seeds of anti-gay hate.

If we continue the status quo, and they continue to conflate sexual orientation and gender
identity with sexual immorality, their organizations will be imperiled. When they falsely claim
that homosexuality is a sin, we will continue to see the record numbers of people fleeing
organized religion. The #EmptyThePews movement will grow, and the role of religion in
American life will be rightly diminished.

Homosexuality is not immoral or sinful, and to suggest otherwise is surely a sin. Christians need
to go back to Sunday school to study the two greatest commandments. Christianity is based on
love, and there’s no love and lots of bigotry in the statement “homosexuality is a sin.”

I would be happy to continue this conversation with you at any time.

Sincerely,

Roy Steele
@thespiansfo

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