Microsoft axes store from Christian Values Network following gay rights petition

By Tom Warren, on 8th Jul 11 8:50 pm with 384 Comments

Microsoft has removed one of its online stores from the Christian Values Network after a successful online petition.

The software giant triggered the removal only hours after a gay rights petition appeared online. The petition was created at change.org, a free social petition site. Entitled “Microsoft: Stop raising money for anti-gay hate groups like Focus on the Family,” the petition generated over 500 signatures in less than a day. Dozens of major brands, including Apple, Netflix and Dell are supporting alleged hate groups through a link referral service know as the Christian Values Network (CVN). The service donates money to more than 170,000 charities thanks to referral links. Customers can choose to purchase Apple hardware or a Netflix subscription through the service and Apple or Netflix would make a donation to the charity of the customer’s choice through CVN.

Stuart Wilber, a seattle resident and Microsoft customer, raised the alarm over several organisations included on CVN’s service that appear to support discrimination. Wilber revealed that The Southern Poverty Law Center has declared the following organizations as known “hate groups,” for their “blatant and repeated homophobic lies about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people”:

  • Christian Anti-Defamation Commission
  • Concerned Women for America
  • Coral Ridge Ministries
  • Liberty Counsel
  • National Organization for Marriage

Each of the charities receives donations from the CVN referral scheme when customers purchase products from stores linked to the charities. Wilber called on Microsoft to stop using CVN and a day later his request was met. “Microsoft’s swift reaction to my Change.org petition demonstrates their strong support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities,” said Wilber. “Microsoft has a long tradition of being supportive of our community. I assumed they would be just as upset as I was that their brand was being used by anti-gay hate groups to raise money. I’m glad I was right.”

A similar petition has been created to push Apple into following Microsoft’s own steps. “I wonder if Apple is even aware they are being used to raise money for these homophobic groups,” said Ben Crowther, a Washington State University Student who started a new petition on Change.org aimed at Apple. “It is so out of character for Apple to be associated with groups like Focus on the Family. I hope Apple acts quickly to remove their store from the Christian Values Network.”

WinRumors approached Microsoft for a comment on the removal but at the time of writing the company was unable to issue a statement.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t support gay marraige, but I certainly don’t hate gay people and I’m not homophobic…

    • http://www.facebook.com/dominic.blakey Dominic Blakey

      You might as well be homophobic if you don’t support gay marriage.

    • http://twitter.com/RobertCFP Robert Wade

      That statement makes no sense.  Do you actually understand what “phobic” means?  Clearly not.  It’s my opinion that all businesses remain neutral in such matters—their are in the business of making money.  Speaking for myself, I’m a Christian and I know what the Bible says about homosexual behavior, just as much as it says about drunkards, liars, etc.  I hold a strictly biblical world view, and it happens to be a view that works best with society, even if you aren’t religious.  Marriage can only be between a man and a woman.  Anything else is unnatural, it’s as simple as that.  I boycott businesses that actively support ANY agenda that is immoral.  I support businesses that remain neutral.  The FRC and Focus on the Family are not “hate groups”.  Anyone who tries to characterize them as such is a liar.  At no point will you ever hear them — or me, for that matter — say they hate gays.  They recognize the behavior for what it is and act in response to an agenda that tries to force us to accept it as moral.  I HAVE friends who are gay, and I pray for their deliverance.  I don’t hate them—I love them as God does.  But I make it clear I will not support the activists’ agenda.  And, as for your post, Mr. Warren, I’m sorry you’ve chosen to align yourself with such an agenda.

    • Abbadaba

      Take your bible to hell with you, firstly phobic means against, that feels repulse, that fear. Second FACT animals present homossexual acts now DID THEY CHOOSE hahahahah? Another homophobic hiding behind bible. JUST GO TO HELL YOU MAKE WORLD WORST EVERYDAY, DISGUSTING PEOPLE! God (if it exists) created everybody different from each other, he said we need to love others as we love ourselves, gay people born like this and the worst time in our life is accepting us, and then you, stupid people, come say to us that WE CHOOSE TO BE LIKE THIS! I almost freak the hell out!
      To be a religious you should follow your religion rules, that’s not what you do, since you hate gays!

    • John Smith

      To the one calling him/herself “Abbadaba”:
      You just made Robert’s point for him.
      Look at your post. Do you see anything of value, sense or logic?
      All we can see is hate, hate, hate. Your hystertric nonsense, labeling anyone who wants to preserve family values and marriage as hater is the exact definition of hater and a hypocrite.
      Funny thing is, Robert didn’t mention the Bible not once, and you went on with your psychopathic rant about the Bible. Yes God exists, despite your rants and blatant ignorance, and if you chose to deny that fact, that’s your choice and we are sorry for you and pray that you are forgiven. No gay people are not born like this, despite how the LBGT organizations and their goons trying to sell that on you. No child is born with a sexual preference. It is what the environment around him or her that influences that, just like the porn addiction, the pedophilia, the urges to have sex with animals and others. NO ONE is born with them, it is just how they are raised and how much of they are influenced by. Yes we love everyone, we don’t hate gays, we hate the sin and not the sinner, so take your anti religion nonsense, hate, hypocrisy and lies and keep them to yourself.
      With violent and irrational people like you around, gay people should be concerned that you are aligned with them, you only make them look worse.

    • Guest

      “No gay people are not born like this, despite how the LBGT organizations and their goons trying to sell that on you. No child is born with a sexual preference. It is what the environment around him or her that influences that, just like the porn addiction, the pedophilia, the urges to have sex with animals and others.”

      Absolutely moronic. Almost every gay person I know figured out a very early age that they indeed had a preference for the same sex. It wasn’t their environment; almost all of them have siblings who aren’t homosexual. I can’t believe that in 2011 we still have people on this planet who think being gay is a choice and all homosexuals need is a week or two of reprogramming and they’ll be straight. Wake up.  

    • http://www.facebook.com/oded.okd Oded Kertes

      Even if to be gay or B or L or Trans or St who like sleeping with gay Etc. is a matter of choice not instructed by genes there is no reason for condemnation or hate . Every sexual activity or preferences are good as long as it is by free will of all sides I think god if he exists is OK with it.
        

    • Anonymous

      No, it is not, and God is NOT “okay” with it.  The Bible is quite clear about that, making very specific points warning against exchanging natural sexual appetites for unnatural ones.  It is also simply not good for society—certainly, procreation cannot happen in a homosexual couple.  If it was “okay”, if it was “natural” then there simply would be no need for genders in the first place.

    • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

      God damn gay penguins! They gonna go to hell! Gonna go to hell when they die! (LOL) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z01XLikQaOQ

      Seriously, homosexuality has existed in the animal world since.. well.. the beginning of time. Are all they going to go to hell? Why would God allow those penguins to go against the bible! Horrible! Where are the wesboro baptist’s when you need em!

    • Asdakdaopsd

      hahahahahah ROFL… I loved your comment, completely true yet funny!

    • Asdakdaopsd

      hahahahahah ROFL… I loved your comment, completely true yet funny!

    • alexh2o

      The Bible is also quite clear on it’s stance toward women, specifically they are NOT equals to men, yet do you follow those “teachings” to the letter still?

      When you appear at heavans gate and your all-powerful, almighty God – who is supposed to be compassionate, caring and loving – is passing judgement on you, someone who is actively castigating and persecuting another human, do you really think He/She will look favourably upon your actions? Or do you think maybe, such a supreme being would be well above such petty human emotions and consider such acts of hate a sin?

      If a GLB couple wish to be happy together and lead good, morally correct lives, does that affect you or I, or our ability to get married and have kids? Of course not. So why persecute them? It’s these “values” you are displaying that are the foundation of bullying, racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc.

    • BludBaut

       More lies from the pervs.

      “There is nothing so absurd that it cannot be believed as truth if
      repeated often enough.”–William James The Father of Modern Psychology

    • alexh2o

      Firstly, where are the lies?

      Secondly, you brand me a “perv”, yet I’m a straight, Christian man, just like you. Unlike you, however, I come from a progressive and understanding country! Try coming over to London, UK and seeing how great a liberal and integrated society can be – there is no discrimination against anyone based on sex, sexuality, race, country, religion… here we think of everyone as HUMAN and EQUAL.

    • Guest

      Um, bullshit. Half my family is British and I’ve spent a great deal of time there. You have all the discriminations based on sex, race, country, religion, and then add to it class, school, etc.

    • Asdasd

      Yet every single country have people who still discriminate!

    • Hino Musouka

      The problem with using the quotes is the other side can do the same thing even with the same quote and still be right (at least within the group sharing the same belief).

      As for homosexuality (and God) they are both a choice to some extent. And no, contrary to what John Smith says above (“Yes God exists, despite your rants and blatant ignorance, and if you chose to deny that fact”) God is not a fact, but merely a concept/belief. Facts are supposed to be empirically provable.
      According to some research about 40% of British (I don’t remember the age of the participants, something like 20-29) believe that Sun revolves around the Earth but that is their belief (and they’re wrong cause they didn’t pay attention at school) and the fact is Earth revolves around the Sun.
      And if we should go further into the matter we could argue about what truth is and whether Galileo/Copernicus where right or not, but it is not the point here.

      The problem with homosexuals is that they are a minority and minorities, by definition, differ from the majority and are often rejected with the strength proportional to intolerance of the issue that divides the groups. And as opinions change the adversities may vary in time. Currently Christian religion (and religion is a concept we invented – it is a remarkable and glorious invention of the human kind) is currently receding and, according to statistics concerning Europe, will be soon undergoing a phase where the population of believers diminishes, while Islam is just going the opposite way. Apparently (again statistics) a particular population, with the progress of time and invention, has reduced need for religion as different means of providing oneself with peace of mind are discovered. It is probable (we will see in the next 50 years) that a population reaches a stage where concept of “god” is no longer a crucial object for maintaining social order – the paramount example is the UK.

      And the texts in the Bible (the Old Testament) were compiled a few hundred years BCE and provide us with the view of how society worked in those times. The purpose of the texts was to provide uniformity and order for the Jews and it reflects the needs the contemporary people deemed necessary to achieve those goals.
      Nowadays, when reading the Bible, we would better not forget about that part as well.

      Apparently a few hundred years BCE the homosexuality was despised as it undermined the principles of the society which needed to grow in strength in the means of population. For the same reason onanism was banned (in Genesis). There are also other interesting passages we find: a brother should take a wife of his brother if the second died without having produced an offspring and the offspring would be treated as children to the one how died, although biologically it we would not be his child (a boy of course, because a daughter would be worthless from the point of view of that society). My favorite is the one demanding that the clothes would not be woven from two kinds of thread (Leviticus – 20% cotton, 80% wool anyone?) or the one forbidding breeding two different animals (like mules). As you might have not known the penalty for the clothes and breeding of mules is the same as for homosexuality – stoning to death. And no, I didn’t make that up, I just read the book of Leviticus.

      Today we do not kill people wearing T-shirts or breeders of mules or even homosexuals (at least not accept it  - any kind of murder is treated by us as a capital offense – some time ago killing a person of a different social status would bring a different penalty). Of course two kinds of thread and mules are obviously less problematic for social order than gays are, so today it is easier to wear the clothes one wants to wear and only bother it’s all been made in China. However homosexuality remains a threat for the social order preferring male domination. The male accepting a passive stance, reserved for females, is observed as threat to social order and still persecuted.

      As some preceding speakers observed, we don’t have any empirical proof that it is natural to be only heterosexual but we believe that heterosexuality has been a dominant position in the society that wrote the Bible. And those are the facts.

      And indeed, Mr. Warren, I would prefer if you could disable comments to a posts where useless posts (like mine) are posted off-topic. Also I would recommend that you banned the users who claim the other users are morons (that – contrary to homosexuality – is a reference to a state of mental incapacity), otherwise any discussion ends with no constructive outcome, although I personally believe that even when we talk about religion we can be constructive. (I don’t remember any of the recent Popes saying “you moron” and they surely are against homosexuality to a great extent.)

      And to not to be completely off-topic: I applaud to the decision which is the subject of your post. The concern of Microsoft for LGBTQ was always admirable. (And BTW I don’t believe the corporations are only for making money – they have to abide to laws saying we work 8 hours a day and no more – unless we are in Bangladesh/China and have to work for 16 hours. And when they are interested in social issues it might prove beneficial for the society as well.)

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      Yeah, it is a lie: Nobody is going to be appearing at any heavenly gate dealing with ‘God’s’ judgement.

      You can’t imagine the entertainment I get out of the fact that you use that quote to try to reinforce the “Truth” that you’ve had shoved down your throat since you were a child. There’s been a lot of argument over the application of the word “irony”, and if that doesn’t fit it, it’s a real shame.

    • Muchadoaboutstupid

      I love your William James quote… Side note, he was talking about mass delusion when he coined it… Kinda like your belief in an unfounded, debunked tome… The bible is not the word of a god, it is a political tool, and been since it was written (and compiled by vote) about 1800 years ago…. Grow up.

    • Assadasdasdas

      You’re completely right…

    • yup

      You are using God to justify your own hatred.

    • SansSaints

      “There is nothing so absurd that it cannot be believed as truth if
      repeated often enough.”–William James The Father of Modern Psychology

      Exactly, like the hate-filled repetition of dogmatic religious nonsense used to subjugate and deny human rights to an entire group of people. 

      The “absurd” is the idea that we allow 2,000 year old allegorical fairy tales to dictate any part of our modern law structure, just because said absurd fairy tales have been repeated ad nauseum (read “often enough”) that the weak minded masses have believed them as truth. 

      In addition, in reading this thread I expect nothing but an ill-constructed and simplistic response, if anything at all, seeing as all of your previous posts have been badly worded, stylistically odd, and bordering on child-like. 

    • BludBaut

       Thanks again, Robert!

    • Minister

      Procreation will happen with heterosexual people. Also the world is extremely overpopulated we don’t need the ammount of breeding we did years ago.

      Also god said for one not to judge others that it is up to him to cast judgement. So you’re very arguing your points is against god. Perhaps you should read the bible. I am a certified minister of the united church of god and by you casting judgemental stones upon the LGBT community you are acting against the lord.

      Love thy neighbor and cast no judgement for that is up to god in the end.

    • john

      Do you even know what the world’s population to resource ratio is? Didnt think so. Go look it up before spouting of like an ignorant tool.

    • CandidCalum

      How is the Bible relevant to God’s views? :s Anyone could have written the Bible. I could write a book and state it is full of God’s ideals. Would you believe me? If not, why do you believe the Bible is full of God’s views?

    • Zach

      While I am Christian, I’m also gay. Most of the crappy morals were in the old testament. I believe when Jesus died on the cross he set us free from those morals and made news morals.

      Every Christian has different beliefs than other people. I, on the other hand believe in a loving, merciful God. (As most real Christians do.) You call Christians ignorant. I find it ignorant that people take what people find on the news, say the westboro babtist protests and make Christianity out to be this horrible horrible belief.

    • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

      That homosexuals cannot procreate is completely unrelated to their ability to marry. Having gay marriage be legal is not going to make straights be gay, any more than preventing them from marrying is going to make gays straight. Procreation has nothing to do with marriage. if it did you would also be against the elderly, sterile couples, and couples who chose to never have kids from getting married.

    • Jugemu

      By this person’s logic, they should also be against remaining single for any reason, as one cannot procreate solo.

    • Thats_true

      And one cannot live without love!

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      Yeah, too bad he isn’t real. He’d really be pissed about New York.

      While I’m on this post of yours, I’m curious: what about old folks- senior citizens- remarrying in their golden years? Or what about people who are sterile?  Do they get to marry?

    • Funny

      Lol that’s completely true, and funny at the same time… Christians get from the bible what benefits them! The rest they fuck up!

    • nope and nope

      The bible was written and interpreted by man. Besides, if it wasn’t the gay/lgbt communities at the end of the noose, you’d be going after witches.

    • Atlai

      Your god does not exist outside your head. Your god is your reflection of yourself, which is what you imagine is god. It is your ultimate narcissism. You have no values other than your repulsive love of yourself. You have no morals other than to your need to control other people. You have no value in any way on this planet other than as a carbon sink.

    • Damn

      Damn, I loved ur comment, made me think seriously deep! I’m atheistic btw but it caught me to think ^^

    • Damn

      Damn, I loved ur comment, made me think seriously deep! I’m atheistic btw but it caught me to think ^^

    • Guest

      Which is probably why the Church, who decided most of what went into the Bible and what was left out, shunned it. Look, most of these “sins” made sense two thousand years ago to a mostly agragrain society. Don’t eat pork. Don’t eat shellfish. Don’t be gay, we need more children to work the land. But we’re in 2011 now. We have fridges. You can eat pork. We have regulators who make sure shellfish isn’t tainted. You can eat that too. And if you’re gay, you can adopt here and from many other parts of the world. So your “they can’t procreate” and therefore it’s bad for society argument is moot.

    • Aaaaa

      The bible has lots of mistakes, firstly because of who translated it in old times… it’s proved the fact that the translator made a mistake while discribing i don’t know who and said it had horns instead of a long hair. There are thousands of religions in the world… each one of them with their own books saying totally different things from each other… You want me to believe in bible LOL GO TO HELL STUPID!

    • Abbadaba

      Youre absolutely right, im so gay!

    • BludBaut

      No, you’re sexually perverted. You’ve chosen to believe a great deal of lies that have come to you as your own thoughts and you liked them.

      EVERY person must fight the battle of them mind.

      Here’s something else for you to consider. When you submit to great evils, those very evil thoughts have already started to control you.

      Sexual perverts are case studies on bad mental self-discipline.

    • Hino Musouka

      I’m afraid homosexuality has been removed from the WHO list of diseases quite some time ago. Even China (in 2002 I think) stopped treating it as a disease, so apparently it is not a perversion.

    • Who cares

      You’re a bigotted assbag. You really are…

    • Brandonjustadreamer

      Dolphins have sex for pleasure. They even use blow holes. Did god write a bible telling them it’s unnatural?

    • Abbadaba

      LOL… you have chosen to believe in god, i don’t… so who cares to your stupid christian speech? hahahahahaah 

    • Abbadaba

      LOL… you have chosen to believe in god, i don’t… so who cares to your stupid christian speech? hahahahahaah 

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      “No child is born with a sexual preference”? Really? How about you make statements about child development after having even a starter class in Biology.  Humans are primates, and primates like to have sex. With just about anything, some of them.  

      Son, you need to read more books than that ridiculous collection of bronze age fairy tales penned by barely literate sheep herders. 

    • SansSaints

      I love this post.  Anyone who has studied growth and human development knows that this is true. Human sexuality is hard wired.
      And the last line, “Son, you need to read more books than that ridiculous collection of
      bronze age fairy tales penned by barely literate sheep herders,” has been logged away in my permanent data base for use at a later date. Thanks!

    • Person

      No comments for you… You don’t deserve an answer!

    • Anonymous

      No, incorrect. Phobia: an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation.  Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,   So, I don’t experience an emotion of impending danger, evil, pain, and certain not an irrational  or inexplicable one.  Faith is stronger than fear.  Now, as for you lame anecdotal references to “homosexual acts” by animals, I’ll remind you that those “acts” are not a form of bonding or procreation…they are a purely animal desire to dominate and exert superiority.  So, if you are saying this is the same as the behavior in humans, then it’s even more sad, and should be avoided all the more.  You clearly don’t understand the nature of sin and death and what it results in.

    • Naomi

      That’s not just what phobia means; it can simply mean aversion, for example hydrophobic can be used to describe molecules (like oil) that are repelled by water.

      Also other people’s love lives are none of your business anyway, no matter what your superstition tells you.

    • Naomi

      That’s not just what phobia means; it can simply mean aversion, for example hydrophobic can be used to describe molecules (like oil) that are repelled by water.

      Also other people’s love lives are none of your business anyway, no matter what your superstition tells you.

    • Naomi

      That’s not just what phobia means; it can simply mean aversion, for example hydrophobic can be used to describe molecules (like oil) that are repelled by water.

      Also other people’s love lives are none of your business anyway, no matter what your superstition tells you.

    • Stupid_bible_assholes

      Who said it’s the same?
      I saw two male dogs having sex last week… what you call it?
      You take from what benefits you and your stupid closed vision and use it to hide your hatred behind it…Grow up first of all, and second if you are religious you need to follow the bible rules, love others as you want them to love you, oh yeah the bible contradicts in this too. Sorry kid!

    • BludBaut

       More lies from the pervs.

      “There is nothing so absurd that it cannot be believed as truth if
      repeated often enough.”–William James The Father of Modern Psychology

    • http://twitter.com/NeilNuttall Neil Nuttall

      I couldn’t agree more.
      There are a very vocal minority with the gay/lesbian/transgender community who are very good at “massaging” the truth. While there are a number of very right-wing “Christian” groups who do preach a very anti-gay message (and there would be persons within those groups who could legitimately called homophobic), I would speculate that the vast majority of the global Christian community are certainly not homophobic, and very probably have “gays” within the circles of friends.As I understand it, the Bible teaches (or at least attempts to) love… “love one another”, “love your neighbor as yourself”, “love your enemy”. And the regardless of our behavior or what side of the fence we sit on, God views everyone equally: “for ALL have sinned”, but that in spite of that He loves everyone equally: “for God so loved THE WORLD, that He gave His only Son”.

      As someone who has listened to Focus on the Family’s radio spot’s (& podcasts) for many numbers of years, for someone to include them in a list of so-called “hate groups” is either very poorly informed or is in someway pushing a secondary agenda. FotF exhibit a real love for people and the community through their many programs and ministries.

    • BludBaut

      “Homophobic” is dishonest and deceitful and completely illegitimate as an accusation and label, friend.

      NO ONE I’ve EVER SEEN shivers, screams, yells, or runs away in terror when they suddenly see sexual perverts.

      Don’t buy the lies, ESPECIALLY in the terminology.

    • Bob

      Funny how it turns out that the loudest anti-gay voices turn out to be the most in the closet.

      How’s repression working out for you?

    • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

      Homophobic does not mean an exact translation of its etymological roots. Words in the English language often change meaning.To give another example with the root -phobia, agoraphobia is not a literal fear of open spaces. Rather it is a fear of being in new and unexpected situations, which can occur just as much indoors as outdoors. It is true that agoraphobics do not like to leave their house, but they would be just as afraid in somebody else’s house (if not more so) as they would be in an open field. Similarly, homophobia encompasses all bigotry toward gays, not just fear.

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      Sexual perverts? I’ve seen people do that all the time. People work themselves into a real lather when a convicted pedo moves in down the street. But gay people, no, nobody really freaks out over them. Any more.  There was the whole ‘burning them with Protestants/Catholics/witches/jews’ and ‘let’s gang up on them outside of gay bars and beat them as they leave for the night’.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, nobody ‘freaks out’ over gays any more…except when it comes to giving them equal rights.

    • Tufty

      Phobia means “aversion to”, not “fear of”. I’m photophobic, which means my eyes are overly sensitive to light, not that I’m afraid of it.

    • Madeleine

      I grew up with FotF, and just recently found out about myself being Transgendered. Have you read their thoughts on it? It’s hard TO NOT believe they’re a hate group. To be honest, I can’t remember when they had gone out of their way to reach out. All I recall is them maintaining their Christian circle. How’s about the Great Commission?

      I know that for me it was very difficult to see an organisation whom I considered to be very loving, in fact are quite the opposite.

      I believe your understanding of what God is attempting to teach is spot on. I have always tried to be very accepting. Do you think Jesus would be okay with “religious” groups acting like this? Sounds familiar to the group that had Jesus turned in.

      Now, I think this is good for change.org. I want to see these religious-political superpowers squirm.

    • Madeleine

      I grew up with FotF, and just recently found out about myself being Transgendered. Have you read their thoughts on it? It’s hard TO NOT believe they’re a hate group. To be honest, I can’t remember when they had gone out of their way to reach out. All I recall is them maintaining their Christian circle. How’s about the Great Commission?

      I know that for me it was very difficult to see an organisation whom I considered to be very loving, in fact are quite the opposite.

      I believe your understanding of what God is attempting to teach is spot on. I have always tried to be very accepting. Do you think Jesus would be okay with “religious” groups acting like this? Sounds familiar to the group that had Jesus turned in.

      Now, I think this is good for change.org. I want to see these religious-political superpowers squirm.

    • http://twitter.com/NeilNuttall Neil Nuttall

      I couldn’t agree more.
      There are a very vocal minority with the gay/lesbian/transgender community who are very good at “massaging” the truth. While there are a number of very right-wing “Christian” groups who do preach a very anti-gay message (and there would be persons within those groups who could legitimately called homophobic), I would speculate that the vast majority of the global Christian community are certainly not homophobic, and very probably have “gays” within the circles of friends.As I understand it, the Bible teaches (or at least attempts to) love… “love one another”, “love your neighbor as yourself”, “love your enemy”. And the regardless of our behavior or what side of the fence we sit on, God views everyone equally: “for ALL have sinned”, but that in spite of that He loves everyone equally: “for God so loved THE WORLD, that He gave His only Son”.

      As someone who has listened to Focus on the Family’s radio spot’s (& podcasts) for many numbers of years, for someone to include them in a list of so-called “hate groups” is either very poorly informed or is in someway pushing a secondary agenda. FotF exhibit a real love for people and the community through their many programs and ministries.

    • Guest

      “I’m a Christian and I know what the Bible says about homosexual behavior, just as much as it says about drunkards, liars, etc.”

      It also says to stone adulters, not eat shellfish, and cut off your wife’s hand if she grabs your privates to extricate you from a fight.

      It’s hilarious how some people insist on a literal translation of the Bible in one part, when they wouldn’t dare do so in others.

    • BludBaut

      You’re a lazy liar. I wonder how many caught your lie and your deceit. My money is on “you’re a sexual pervert,” or you’ve been brainwashed by them.

      Why? Because mockery, malignity and deceit is the sexual pervert’s way of oppressing those who disagree with them.

      “You’ve been brainwashed by them” is really only an attempt to keep you from lying and claiming, “No, I’m not. I’m a Christian. I just can’t stand the hypocrisy of homophobes!”

      “There is nothing so absurd that it cannot be believed as truth if repeated often enough.”–William James The Father of Modern PsychologyBecause he was right is why I oppose liars like you. You know what you’re doing and it’s evil. You want to brainwash the world with your deceit and lies. I’m calling everyone who knows the difference between good and evil to stand up and answer your dishonesty and deceit. You’repoisoning us.

    • Bob

      You said…

      “You’re a lazy liar. I wonder how many caught your lie and your deceit. My money is on “you’re a sexual pervert,” or you’ve been brainwashed by them.

      “Why? Because mockery, malignity and deceit is the sexual pervert’s way of oppressing those who disagree with them.”
      So when you lie about the other person, that makes you a pervert as well? Figures.

    • Jason Bouckaert

      what the fuck. are you talking about. you make about as much sense as particle wave duality would to a toddler. 

    • Guest

      All of what I said is accurate. Google it. Indeed, one version of the Bible calls for adulterers to be put to death. And if you couple that with “thinking about adultery=adultery”, I guess you’d better start mass executions immediately.

    • CandidCalum

      Your reply is disgusting. Even if the Bible is full of God’s views and God doesn’t agree with same-sex attraction, the fact would be that God has made people LGBT without giving them the chance or opportunity to change that; thus, being against same-sex attraction and the rights of LGBT people is nothing but disgusting, immoral, and indecent. If God is being unfair (which I doubt; I imagine if he exists he has no problem with same-sex attraction), those unfair views should not be followed and abided by; it’s as simple as that. I expect God to be fair and decent, but I would never praise and respect any leader or lord who is indecent, unfair, and immoral. You seriously need to reevaluate your views because they are dangerous. Being against certain human rights contributes to ruining people’s lives. Just think to yourself how you might feel if you were told you cannot marry or adopt; millions, perhaps billions, of LGBT people are told this constantly; they are told they are not worthy of being seen as equal to their peers over something they cannot control (attraction).

    • Anonymous

      You are foolish.  God doesn’t make people gay.  God designed us to “work” a certain way, but sin–this broken world–distorts and taints creation.  You are ignorant to even think that homosexuality is natural.  The designed bonding is only capable between a man and a woman.  It is simply impossible another way—it is counterfeit and contrived any other way.  Contrary to your twisted view of God, He is not “fair”.  He is JUST.  He is God, and He expects holiness.  Sin–ANY sin–separate us from Him.  God  thinks He’s God.  Radical concept, I know.  Marriage isn’t man made.  We’ve just tried to make it into something it’s not and we’ve created all sorts of legal machinations.  Sadly, we now seem to think a sexual deviation is a “human rights” issue.  That is incorrect.  It’s a spiritual issue that also, because of our society, has legal ramifications.  Ultimately, the behavior IS a choice.  Some choose it to be accepted in a certain group (I see this in the schools more frequently).  Some choose it because of horrible abuse as a child.  Some choose it out of weakness because they may have a predisposition toward that weakness (much as some are given to alcoholism or drug addiction when others are not, even in the same circumstances).  As I said, sin has contaminated our world and given us up to brokenness.  But there is a way out…and it is also a choice.  Again, God is not fair, He is JUST.  Knowing we have a broken, sinful world, He gave us a way out through Jesus.  Those who might be struggling with homosexuality–as with any other sin–and recognize it as such, can find salvation & redemption. God does not hate them.  He hates the sin.  I’ve said it before, I have through the years had friends who were dealing with homosexuality.  I never once shunned them, and I did not fear or hate them.  But I was also never condoning of the behavior.  I’m the same way with friends who seem to go out and get drunk at every opportunity.  But we don’t think it’s acceptable for activist alcoholics to try to force laws against being drunk off the books because they are somehow “discriminatory”.

    • CandidCalum

      You’re the foolish one. There is absolutely no proof God exists so to state all you have in the above post and to believe God definitely exists is foolish. I follow reason and common sense; thus, I am not expressing foolishness. Your reply assumes God exists which is foolish. Not only that, but your reply assumes God advocates and supports what some people wrote in the Bible which is even more foolish. If God exists, he could easily prove to us all he exists, but he doesn’t. He could easily make it known he advocates what is in the Bible, but he doesn’t; thus, if he does actually exist, he should understand if none of us follow the Bible (why follow something that it’s likely God doesn’t advocate?).

    • Anonymous.

      It’s funny you say that homosexuality is unatural. Monkeys are often seen having sex with the same gender for pleasure as well as other animals.

      Also I’m not debateing with you because you are a moron with distorted views. Your religion has made you insane.

    • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

      Homosexuality is found in a number of mammalian and avian species, so saying it is “not natural” is false argument. This is doubly so coming from a biblical perspective, as it is quite clear in the Bible that only humans possess free will. Thus, any homosexuality outside of humanity would have to come from God.

      Regarding the idea of marriage, it is most certainly a man made construct. It predates all modern religions, and even within the context of modern religions it has changed in purpose and function. Many Biblical figures, even ones God approves of are polygamous (King Solomon famously had 700 wives and 300 concubines), yet clearly most people including yourself would disagree with that. Marriage has been used as a means to solidify alliances, maintain property, and as a means of obtaining financial support for women. It is only in recent history that people marry for love.

      Thirdly, you have to realize that marriage has two separate meanings. There is the religious sacrament of marriage and the legal construct of marriage. They share the same word, but are not the same. A religious leader can perform the ceremony, but unless he or she signs the legal document, the ceremony, legally speaking, is worthless. Conversely, people (such as myself) can get legally married  without any religious significance. What this means is that your religious views, whatever they may be, should not influence anything in regards to the legal construct of marriage. Your church, as a private entity should be allowed to do its thing, but that does not extend to denying people their rights (of which marriage has been established to be, see the majority opinion in the Loving v Virginia Supreme Court Case).

    • http://www.facebook.com/tlejeune3 Tom LeJeune

      Monogamy ins’t natural either.  Also until you can prove your god exists, you can’t us him in an argument.  

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      So, just how hard do I have to try to be attracted to other men romantically or physically?  ’Cause I’m just not feeling it.  I’ve been staring at google’s pic results for Zac Efron here for about five minutes and nothing’s happening downstairs.

      Also, I really loved the way you begged the question of God actually existing.  Just threw it right in there with no kind of proof.  You’re ‘talking’ to your imaginary friend and not even getting an answer, yet you just keep going.

    • Yeah right budy

      I chose to leave the church because of people like you.

    • TK Kramer

      The fact that you take a book written two thousand years ago as fact is absolutely absurd.  Homosexuality has been shown to be genetic; i.e. natural.  If you honestly don’t believe in genetics, you’re living in a fantasy world.  

      The Judeo-Christian God is not JUST.  He kills on a whim, simply to prove a point.  To quote a smart man, “God is arguably the cruelest character in all of fiction. Jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”  If you’ve actually read the Bible and still worship this person, the only word I can use to describe you is “evil”.

    • CandidCalum

      Very well said!

    • David

      First of all, God is not a “he” or a she, God is a word man has given to denote Spirit or Source and much the bible (meaning library) was written by judgemental, bigoted, hypocrites…….an unfortunate book which has caused more harm than help in the ‘brainwashing’ of masses of people over millinium.  It may have been helpful in taming the animal behavior of the uneducated, ignorant people of that period…..but growth and change is what the universe is all about and outdated rhetoric is just that….outdated.  Doesn’t the bible say you must worship (make worthy) Life (God) in spirit and in truth?  It doesn’t say “take these stories and antedotes “literally”.

      You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but remember it is yours and only yours.  Everyone reaps what they sow (in kind).  Being born gay is no more a choice than you having to choose to use the bathroom when the urge presents itself.  Think about it.

      I just reread your writings and realize that commenting on your ‘stuff’ is fruitless.  As your bible says, “there a none so blind as they who will not see”.  Wisdom cannot be entertained by a closed mind.

    • J.R.

      God did not write the Bible. Man did. Mankind wrote it to control mankind. Homosexuality IS natural as it’s been around longer then Christians or any other religion on this Earth. Science is the only true guiding force on this planet. Procreation, something we need LESS OF, is what’s truly harming us as many parents think quantity over quality. Not good. Homosexuality is found in over 400 species on this Earth. Hate is only found in one. And it’s your religion that’s to blame for such hatred instead of using it for a better good.

    • J.R.

      God did not write the Bible. Man did. Mankind wrote it to control mankind. Homosexuality IS natural as it’s been around longer then Christians or any other religion on this Earth. Science is the only true guiding force on this planet. Procreation, something we need LESS OF, is what’s truly harming us as many parents think quantity over quality. Not good. Homosexuality is found in over 400 species on this Earth. Hate is only found in one. And it’s your religion that’s to blame for such hatred instead of using it for a better good.

    • Anonymous

      Strong agree with you Mr.Robert .. These activists are going to nullofy the Family Values. In another 50 years or so we would see the birth rate is gonna dip so badly that an entire civilization would be at stake because more people would be dying and not many babies born.. Lets see what these un-GODly people preach then. May GOD show them the right path . Ameen

    • alexh2o

      Straight man here… and trust me there will be no chance of civilisation dying out! I alone would single-handedly take on the challenge of saving humanity.

    • BludBaut

       God’s given that job to us. It’s OUR responsibility to speak the truth and counter the lies. Why? Because we love people and we don’t want to see them destroy themselves.

      What is more selfish than wringing our hands and thinking, “Everything is going wrong” and not speaking up to counter the lies.

      This is why the Scriptures say, “All who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

      The first martyr was doing fine until he said, “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.”

      When we confront the wicked, not only the wicked will object, but the Christians who are unwilling to suffer persecution will say, “That’s not faith working by love, brother.” They ignore Jesus calling the Pharisees, “hypocrites,” “family of poisonous snakes,” Paul’s rebuke of Elymas, James’ rebuke of his own readers, calling them “adulterers and adultresses,” along with many other times that men of God rebuked the evil people.

      Consider Stephen’s words and their implications.

      The real hatred in from the sexual perverts. They’d kill us if they could. I’ve heard more than a couple wish death on those who simply disagree with them.

    • LOLHAHA

      HAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAAHAH DAMN CALL THE AMBULANCE I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA AHHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH > “Because we love people and we don’t want to see them destroy themselves.” LMAO HAHAHAHA DAMN THAT’S SO FUNNY YOU SHOULD WORK AT A COMEDY SHOW! YOU’RE SO GOOD HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAA HAHAHAA

    • SansSaints

      Other that being completely illogical and relying on nothing but logical fallacy to make its point, this post is in serious need of proofreading.  

      Every statement you make in this post is either strange or absurd.

      “These activists are going to nullofy the Family Values.” [sic]

      Activists nullifying (<–correct spelling) family values? What?  That is one of the most odd statements I have ever heard. "Family" values are a social construct that by their very nature vary from family to family.  And subjective social constructs based on religion should never be imposed upon the masses, especially when we live in a country that has a lovely little founding document that explicitly dictates that religion should have no bearing on our laws.  The lovely little document is The Constitution and it is supposed to guarantee separation of church and state. Though, I feel that we still have a hard battle to fight keeping religion in its place.

      And astoundingly, you follow up one the most odd statements I have ever read with another statement that, defying all expectations, is even more odd. 

      "In another 50 years or so we would see the birth rate is gonna dip so
      badly that an entire civilization would be at stake because more people
      would be dying and not many babies born" [sic]

      Horrendous issues with, spelling, grammar, diction, and style aside, please, please, please, tell me that you have an advanced degree studying human demographics or that this is your professional field in order to be making such an outlandish claim.  Please, tell me that you have statistics and empirical data to back up this nonsensical allegation.  Please, tell me that you have just completed a professional university study on projected human birth rates. If not, this is just bizarre and, again, nonsense.  In developed nations there is generally a decrease in birthrates, however this is by no means the gloom and doom statement that you proffer. In addition, the decrease in birthrates has nothing to do with "family values" or abandoning ignorant bigotry and granting equal human rights to all groups. There are many factors that come into play, mostly socioeconomic, as societies move from agrarian (farming) based systems, to early industrialization, to becoming a truly "developed" nations.  This claim is simply made in ignorance.

      "Ameen" wait, Amen.

    • Anonymous

      Oh!!! I dint know gays having Anal s** could bear babies sorry.. DUH!!!!

    • Naomi

      You’re allowed to say “sex”. And they can adopt or use surrogacy and raise children just fine. You’re going to need some statistics to make predictions like “In another 50 years or so we would see the birth rate is gonna dip so
      badly that an entire civilization would be at stake because more people
      would be dying and not many babies born”. Do you really think that? Is such a huge proportion of the population going to turn gay? Use some reason next time.

    • Asdasdsa

      You are even more pervert and irrational when it comes to unmask your f*cking religion, first of all we don’t think in sex every second of our life, we do in the same rate as heteros do. You are worried about gays marrying? Haha this may probably mess up your life, ’cause you couldn’t marry a man because of your religion. If you want to know anal sex is so nice… But I have a life to live rather than spend it having sex. #LET’S BURN EVERY BIBLE TOGETHER!

    • SansSaints

      Amazing,  Just when I thought your statements could not get farther off topic or more bizarre, you go ahead and out do yourself.  Bravo.
      While proofreading your original post you may want to re-read mine, this time searching for the actual thesis statements and main ides as well as supporting details.
      Seeing as you have missed the point entirely and any attempt at reason, logic, or sense has been and would seem futile, I will leave this here and move along. 

    • SansSaints

      *”ideas”
      I hold myself to the same proofreading standards.

    • SansSaints

      Amazing,  Just when I thought your statements could not get farther off topic or more bizarre, you go ahead and out do yourself.  Bravo.
      While proofreading your original post you may want to re-read mine, this time searching for the actual thesis statements and main ides as well as supporting details.
      Seeing as you have missed the point entirely and any attempt at reason, logic, or sense has been and would seem futile, I will leave this here and move along. 

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      I’m not aligned with any agenda, I’m merely reporting the facts. I could care less whether someone is gay or not.

    • BludBaut

      You’re part of the problem. Your agenda is you alone.

    • Anon

      I think its a little unfair to say that he is part of the problem because he is reporting a story without bias.

    • Anonymous

      A suggestion for the future: Disable comments on any article where religion is involved, discussing it never leads to anything good.

    • M_Lyons10

      Haters always lash out at anyone that so much as reports a story about a group they dislike without lacing the story with the acceptable amount of vitriol…

      Then also claim to have “many friends” that fit into that group (Though it’s made clear they don’t like these people and simply tolerate them)…

    • BludBaut

      Thank you for taking the time to speak up and counter the lies of the sexually perverted.

      We need to expose the fact that they’ve dishonestly “stolen” the term and name “Gay.” I know two women very well who hate to introduce themselves by their given name because they don’t want to see and hear the responses. Sexual perverts are tormented with shame and guilt (and understandably so) and they’ve dishonestly taken that term and name to help them deceive themselves and everyone else. The courageous members of society need to recognize that this very vocal and very malicious and dishonest minority are blinding an entire generation to what normal sexuality is. Unfortunately, they’re very pleased with themselves, but it will only change if people stand up to their lies and “take the heat” while they TELL THE TRUTH.

    • Brandonjustadreamer

      Listen, unless you want to start a holy war or persecute everyone who doesn’t live EXACTLY the way you want them to, then you need to learn to accept people. Your belief in this matter is waning in influence.

      The one be thing that Christians are afraid of if gay marriage or acceptance of homosexuality is accepted throughout the world is…Nothing. They are afraid that nothing will happen. Mountains wont crumble, seas wont boil, no plagues. Nothing. There will be no wrath of a vengeful god against anyone of any sexual identity.

    • Brandonjustadreamer

      Listen, unless you want to start a holy war or persecute everyone who doesn’t live EXACTLY the way you want them to, then you need to learn to accept people. Your belief in this matter is waning in influence.

      The one be thing that Christians are afraid of if gay marriage or acceptance of homosexuality is accepted throughout the world is…Nothing. They are afraid that nothing will happen. Mountains wont crumble, seas wont boil, no plagues. Nothing. There will be no wrath of a vengeful god against anyone of any sexual identity.

    • Sphinx321

      “Marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Anything else is unnatural, it’s as simple as that.”

      Obviously, who else get to decide whats natural, but you? Your view of the world is natural, & you are pefectly natural, & the rest of us are obviously barking. We are obviously not entitled to opinions & choices of our own.

      Btw for your info, homosexuality has been observed in animals other then humanbeings. Penguins for instance.

    • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

      Homophobic does not mean an exact translation of its etymological roots. Words in the English language often change meaning. As an example awful and awesome used to be synonyms (awful = full of awe), but clearly the meaning has changed from its etymological roots to mean the exact opposite.  The same is true with homophobia, which is not a literal fear of homosexuality, but is now understood to encompass any general bigotry based on sexual orientation, including wanting to prevent gays from enjoying the same rights as straights.

      Secondly, I doubt many people hold a true strict biblical world view. There is nowhere near vitriol or energy spent in general by Christians directed at divorce as there is against gay marriage. Nor is there the same amount of energy being directed at ensuring that the wealthy give to the poor. I find this odd since these topics were spoken about directly by Jesus, where as homosexuality is talked about only in the Pauline epistles and the Old Testament. I would imagine given the centrality of Jesus that his direct words would carry more weight.

    • gods word

      do you eat shrimp?, wear mixed fabrics?, got any tattoos? If you do than how do you rationalize disobeying gods law?  Leviticus said they were right up there with homosexuality.

       Or is your god a buffet table?

    • Fishnuggets

      My god can be found on a buffet table. PBUH, FSM.

    • r250r

      I’d heard of baby-eating atheists. I guess god-eating pastafarian is one step worse?

    • http://www.facebook.com/jonny.lerner Jonny Lerner

      “Marriage can only be between a man and a woman.  Anything else is unnatural, it’s as simple as that.”
      Wanna know what’s ironic here?
      Homosexuality is observed in nature. This mean that it is very natural.
      Marriages, however, are never observed in nature. This means that any marriage, even between a man and a woman isn’t natural.

      That being said, not everything that isn’t natural shouldn’t be allowed. If that were the case we wouldn’t even be having a discussion, since the internet isn’t natural either. This leaves us at a point where we can only define marriage as a binding contract between two individuals who want to share the rest of their lives together. Any other definition would be pointlessly specific and restrictive without any real reason.

    • John Doe

      This is about the rapture. (context)
      Luke 17:34-36

      I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
      Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
      Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

      Why would there be two men in one bed? and why was one raptured? also if we take this literally then the rapture should of happened when people where still grinding weat.

    • http://profiles.google.com/danstu Dan Stuart

      You realize that a “strictly biblical” world view means that the proper punishment for rape is that the rapist has to marry his victim and buy her from her father, right?

      I’m not going to say you should support gay marriage, it’s your decision as to whether or not you support it. I am going to say that the judeo-christian god is one of the most evil characters in all of fiction, and that I would feel much safer if people who believe in the literal word of the bible be kept as far away from civilized people as possible.

    • OkflaMAN

      When Jesus, showed up on the scene ,You heard and seen what The Father had to say about a matter,
      not so fro Most of today Christian (I`m One Also) .If we would spend OUR life`s pleasing The Father God and Seeking His Will,Jesus would be lifted Up for all to see HIM.   NOT some American Version of what someone think`s He`s should be Like. Were is The Power of The Kingdom to heal and bring about
      The Real Love of God to Rule on this Earth in Peace! If My People will Turn fro there wicked ways
      IF
      MY PEOPLE

      “If
      My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves
      and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,
      then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
      and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

    • Anonymous

      Dominic, I’m not sure I understand your reply.  Just because the poster wants to keep the definition of 1M + 1W = Marriage then that does not imply he is homophobic.  I would guess he is also against 1M + 5W (polygamy) as well.  Does this make him homophobic?  He didn’t state his opinion on civil unions so couples can get employer benefits.

    • CandidCalum

      Of course being against polygamy wouldn’t make him homophobic because that doesn’t target LGBT people. What was going through your mind when you posted that? Being against same-sex marriage specifically targets gay and bisexual people. Voting against same-sex marriage discriminates against them, and discrimination against gay and bisexual people is included in the definition of homophobia (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia).

    • Anonymous

      No, it doesn’t.  Any man can marry.  Any woman can marry.  Your argument falls.

    • CandidCalum

      You’re not making any sense. Voting against same-sex marriage discriminates against LGB people for this reason: Currently, heterosexual people are able to marry anyone they love; currently, LGB people are not able to marry anyone they love. There’s the discrimination. LGB people are being denied the freedom to marry people they love. It’s not about gender. I have proven where the inequality lies when disallowing same-sex marriage.

    • CandidCalum

      You’re not making any sense. Voting against same-sex marriage discriminates against LGB people for this reason: Currently, heterosexual people are able to marry anyone they love; currently, LGB people are not able to marry anyone they love. There’s the discrimination. LGB people are being denied the freedom to marry people they love. It’s not about gender. I have proven where the inequality lies when disallowing same-sex marriage.

    • Dr_csmith

      You forgot the “T”. It should be LGBT. If you want to be fair, it really should be LGBTIZPP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, incestual, zoophile, pedophile, polygamist). Those are important groups and deserve the same equality as the others. Please don’t forget them in the future.

    • CandidCalum

      I’m talking specifically about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people because it is those who are discriminated against in terms of same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. I have not forgotten about transgender people.

    • Dr_csmith

      CandidCalum, You are discriminating against transgender people. Why do you have to hate? Please stop it!

    • CandidCalum

      You clearly don’t understand what discrimination is, whether you’re trying to joke or not. Your accusation makes no sense because I am not discriminating against transgender people. In future, please educate yourself before you falsely accuse me of things.

    • Dr_csmith

      Yes you are discriminating. If you leave them out of the fight for equality then you have discriminated against them. I was born with MPS and I have been discriminated against my whole life and you say I don’t understand discrimination? I expect you to correct every one of your posts from LGB to LGBTIZPP or at least LGBT.

    • Anon

      Do the words “consenting adults” mean anything to you, asshat?

    • Adsasd

      lesbian or gay > it includes transgender as well as transexual, because they love same-sex people, so stop being a child and being ignorant. 

    • CandidCalum

      You appear to not understand what we are discussing in this comments section.

      Transgendered people can be either heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or bisexual; thus, it makes no sense to reference transgendered people when talking about marriage equality (I repeat: This is because transgendered people can be heterosexual, as well as lesbian, gay, or bisexual). Transgendered people are being discriminated against when being disallowed marriage to their same-sex partners, but so are people who aren’t transgendered (read: Both transgendered and nontransgendered people are being discriminated against in terms of marriage equality).

      I am a huge advocate of transgendered people’s rights and freedoms, and I fight for them as much as I fight for the rights and freedoms of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people; however, this discussion isn’t just about the rights and freedoms of transgendered people, it is about the rights and freedoms of all consenting, unrelated, innocent adults being disallowed the freedoms they deserve; these adults being either transgendered or nontransgendered.

    • Stupidpeople

      No he’s talking about same-sex. Incestual is not about same-sex, not even pedophilia, by far zopophilia, you hit your head in a rock by saying polygamist.

    • OMG55

      Well I will ask you a question: I will define you and others as have NORMA-PHOBIA. Petitioning against people who have an opinion about marriage and groups who believe marriage is a union between a man & woman is being discrimnatory; You don’t see us running into the streets holding signs, yelling & cheering, etc when a bill or law get’s passed. The closest event was when Bin-Lauden was killed and I’m sure their was some gays in the crowd and everyone go along just fine. Sure you have a some hate groups, but let’s face it, normal people who don’t believe in same sex union don’t even express themselve in public. Just like gays can have their opinion, we should have an opinion without being condemmed for it. NORMA-PHOBIA IS ALIVE AND WELL…..WE HAVE RIGHT TOO.

    • CandidCalum

      Being against homophobic people is not ‘normaphobia’. You don’t seem to have read what I said. I said people who vote against same-sex marriage are homophobic because they are actively involved in the discrimination of LGB people. Simply disagreeing with someone’s opinion cannot be described as ‘phobic’. By disagreeing against those who have an agenda against the LGB community, we are not discriminating against them, oppressing them, or disallowing them freedoms they deserve to enjoy. However, their agenda aims to discriminate against LGB people, it aims to oppress LGB people, and it aims to prevent LGB people from gaining the freedoms they deserve.

    • Hom

      Every hetero man should have to accept advances equally from men and women. Don’t you think? Otherwise they are discriminating. If you disagree with me then you are a homophobe like the rest of them. I’m sick of all the homophobes out there refusing my advances. Even some gay men are homophobes.

    • CandidCalum

      Oppressing LGB people, and disallowing them the same legal freedoms heterosexual people enjoy is completely different to turning them down when they make advances toward you. I cannot believe I just had to explain that to you.

    • Hom

      Now that was an ignorant and homophobic comment.

    • Asdasds

      Let’s ignore childish and stupid people. Next one plz!

    • Anon

      Boohoo, the gays and blacks and atheists are not letting me rape their rights anymore… I’m so oppressed… Go to hell.

    • wow, just wow

      YOU ARE NOT AN OPPRESSED MINORITY.

      Look back 40 years ago when the police had dogs and fire hoses on black demonstrators. You are damn right I’m in the street celebrating when HUMAN equality is a step closer to being realized.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t accept civil unions, either.  But that has nothing to do with employer benefits and the like.  We certainly can write laws & regulations that grant benefits, etc. to whoever would need to be the recipient.  That’s a separate issue.  And, yes, I don’t support polygamy.  Not even God supported it…the Old Testament basically shows He tolerated it.  Eventually, it became quite clear the intent was monogamy (New Testament).

    • CandidCalum

      The Old Testament also says we should stone our kids if they misbehave. I really can’t believe you would be okay with stoning misbehaving children, Mr Wade; shame on you! (Yes, I am assuming here because I assume you are not a hypocrite. If you’re not a hypocrite you would advocate the stoning of misbehaving children seeing as you follow the part of the Bible that says same-sex attraction is wrong).

    • Logic

      Honestly, though your efforts arevnoble… I think he is jut an unsaveable moron. There really is no hope for a reasonable discussion with him when his base of logic is an illogical book.

    • CandidCalum

      Unfortunately, I believe you are right about that. I have never been able to convince anyone who follows the Bible that they are being illogical. It’s very sad.

    • Describing_bible_part1

      blinding illogical book made by ancient civilization’s wish 

    • BludBaut

       I think there’s a good chance he’s against 5M + 2 Win an evening… but the pervs aren’t. In fact, they might even want to know where is you say you know of 10M +10M tomorrow evening.

      More men should consider that this is really worse among women and admonish young men to really consider how important is their stand against some of the activities that so many young men thing are “cool” today. Men usually have a greater capacity and appreciation for righteousness and justice than women and one friend’s words can go a long way to steer someone in the right direction.

      Speak up both in public and private to your friends and to strangers. You might turn someone’s life around and you might help someone avoid a great mistake and save them years of shame.

      No, the sexual perverts won’t tell you this and they HATE my mentioning it.

    • I have a dream

      Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Abstinence makes the church grow fondlers.

    • Aaaaaaa

      You also have the wish to make sex so you’re pervert too for it… Go to hell and think before saying ridiculous and nonsense things.

    • BludBaut

       I think there’s a good chance he’s against 5M + 2 Win an evening… but the pervs aren’t. In fact, they might even want to know where is you say you know of 10M +10M tomorrow evening.

      More men should consider that this is really worse among women and admonish young men to really consider how important is their stand against some of the activities that so many young men thing are “cool” today. Men usually have a greater capacity and appreciation for righteousness and justice than women and one friend’s words can go a long way to steer someone in the right direction.

      Speak up both in public and private to your friends and to strangers. You might turn someone’s life around and you might help someone avoid a great mistake and save them years of shame.

      No, the sexual perverts won’t tell you this and they HATE my mentioning it.

    • college kid

      @Dominic, It just doesn’t follow. I vote democratic, that doesn’t mean I am republiphobic. I choose Microsoft, that doesn’t mean I’m macophobic. I’ve got a gay ex-roommate and we get along just fine. In fact we’re great buds. I think civil unions are better for society and he’s cool with my opinion. So where is the phobia? If I am someone’s primary caretaker I should have the right to visit them in the hospital even if I am not sexually intimate with them. That’s why we need civil unions. They are much, much more flexible.

    • CandidCalum

      Voting against same-sex marriage discriminates against them, and discrimination against gay and bisexual people is included in the definition of homophobia (http://www.merriam-webster.com… Most, if not all, of those who are against same-sex marriage would vote against them if they had the chance. If you don’t vote against the rights of LGBT people, and don’t oppress them in anyway, perhaps you are not homophobic; however, if you do vote against their rights or prevent them from gaining the freedoms heterosexual people enjoy, you are homophobic by definition.

    • fruit ninja

      If “homophobia” just means discrimination, then why not just say discrimination? The answer is that people use that word to try to shock or shame others into acquiescence. It’s a loaded word full of venom and I would appreciate it if we all stopped using it. It doesn’t help our cause and just polarizes people against us. It’s like when evangelicals start telling everyone they are going to hell. It doesn’t win a lot of friends or converts.

    • CandidCalum

      Homophobia encompasses a few meanings; only one of those is discrimination. That is why I have used it; however, I certainly understand what you are saying, and I have never thought of it like that. Thanks for bringing this up. I’m certainly going to rethink my use of the word; I could use other words in place of it.

    • Anonymous

      As I mentioned before, we don’t need civil unions, either.  You (and others) are pressing for those purely on the perspective of getting legal standing for certain access or benefits.  We can easily write laws (and in MANY cases, they already exist, but activists like to pretend they don’t) that grant such legal standing, much like we do with such things as Powers Of Attorney.  The difference is gay ACTIVISTS are trying for force society to treat the relationships as acceptable.  I don’t find it acceptable any more than I find beastiality or pedophilia or drunkenness or being high acceptable.  Fear doesn’t even enter into the equation.

    • CandidCalum

      How would you feel if everyone else found your heterosexual relationship unacceptable and decided to ruin your life by oppressing you?

    • CandidCalum

      How would you feel if everyone else found your heterosexual relationship unacceptable and decided to ruin your life by oppressing you?

    • College Kid

      Hmm, good question. In what way would
      they start oppressing me? If they said I couldn’t have a piece of paper from the
      government saying I was married I don’t think it would phase me in the least. I
      don’t let the government define me. I don’t care what label they want to stick
      on me.

    • CandidCalum

      How about if you were constantly told that you’re not worthy of being seen as equal to your peers? Told that your attraction to people of the same gender will aid in deterioration of society? Told you are not worthy of adopting children simply because of who you love? It’s not even about whether they’re telling you that you cannot marry or not; it’s more about them telling you that you’re not even worthy of it simply because of who you love.

    • College Kid

      I agree with you there. It’s not so much about equal rights. It’s about acceptance. I don’t know the answers for how to bring people around who think homosexuality is fundamentally wrong. I think the best we can do is agree to disagree on that point and search for common ground (such as a common love for Microsoft products :) ). Many people do hold disgusting, bigoted views about homosexuality and want eradicate it by oppressing the practitioners. But there are others who think a heterosexual relationship is a special thing that deserves a special place in society, but who are still able to build trusting, healthy relationships with those who are homosexual.

    • Anonymous

      Do you not think that giving people separate, different legal rights based on their sexual preference (or racial background or gender for that matter) is not a disgusting, bigoted view?

      I do.

    • College Kid

      Hmm, good question. In what way would
      they start oppressing me? If they said I couldn’t have a piece of paper from the
      government saying I was married I don’t think it would phase me in the least. I
      don’t let the government define me. I don’t care what label they want to stick
      on me.

    • Derp

      troll analogies are troll.

    • John Smith

      Hey Dominic, look in the mirror to see who is phobic one here. If someone does not support gay marriage, that does not mean he is homophobic. Go get some education first before attacking others.

      All those who label any person who does not support gay marriage as homophobic are nothing but hypocrites since they are hating someone for his or her opinion despite the fact that he or she clearly said that he or she does not hate gay people or is a homophobic.

    • CandidCalum

      Remember, you’re the one who requires the education, not Dominic. Voting against same-sex marriage discriminates against them, and discrimination against gay and bisexual people is included in the definition of homophobia (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia). Most, if not all, of those who are against same-sex marriage would vote against them if they had the chance.

    • BludBaut

      You offer NO education. You’re just a parrot for the perverts, if not one of them.

       So, pervert writers are the standard by which all standards are to be judged.

      You’re so pathetically brainwashed, you’re probably scratching your head and saying, “I’m not brainwashed; I’m educated.”

      If so, you’re educated with lies.

      You won’t find Webster’s original Dictionary endorsing perversion and if you go back 60 years, you’ll find that mental health authorities, before they sold their souls for money, were not only opposed to perversion but had a great deal of information showing its harm. The perverts have done all they can to destroy every bit of evidence they can.

    • CandidCalum

      I am not brainwashed. I use common sense. Common sense and decency both tell me LGB people should be given the same rights and freedoms we are all given. Same-sex attraction does not harm society in any way. Those who state it does are either liars or highly unintelligent; which are you?

      It’s not sexual perversion. Perversion is going against what is morally right or generally accepted. You will find that the majority of people in the USA support the rights of LGB people and have no problem with their same-sex attraction; thus it is generally accepted and not perverted. Just recently, polls confirmed that over 50% of Americans support same-sex marriage.

      It used to be classified as a disease because of people like you; people who spread hate without trying to understand the actual issues. The authorities would not change that if it wasn’t false. Your idea they were paid to change it is insecurity and ridiculousness at their very worst. You will never accept there is nothing wrong with same-sex attraction even when medical professionals tell you this because you don’t wish to open your mind, and you enjoy contributing to ruining the lives of LGB people.

    • Face it

      You’re the one who’s brainwashed. Believeing a book so old written by MEN in a time when things were different. Your whole form of logic is based around religion something that is illogical and unproveable. You’re nothing more than a pathetic dribbling fool trying to have an educated conversation.

    • Scandal

      So, Catholic priests are not perverts if they use God to justify it? I think I finally get your logic.

    • derp

      What THE FUCK? You’re are literally so ignorant and deceived. Why do all fundamental Christians call gay people perverts? Something your preacher told you? How about reading a science book, becoming informed and stop being brainwashed.

    • Gotohellmoronchristians

      go hunt down “witches” and pay the tithing!

    • Anonymous

      The reason ‘back 60 years’ people’s attitudes were different is that progress has been made since. 

      Religion is the only area in this world where people believe things despite evidence to the contrary and that people believe is reliable because it has stubbornly resisted change over the years. While the world moves on religion holds onto its bronze-age superstitions and puts its fingers in its ears whenever people make progress.

      Ignorant bigots like you protested when blacks were given the vote and when women were given the vote. It’s only a matter of time before gays get their equality. Progress will always eventually win out over immoral, evil, twisted individuals who want to impose their own bizarre view of the world on everybody else.

      It’s so sad that some Christians choose the outdated morals in the bible and ignore the overriding ideas of Jesus – the love your neighbour, treat everyone as equals, and just be nice to each other. But instead you focus on trying to harm those who you don’t agree with.

      Shame on you.

    • Gotohellchristianmorons

      No but fighting against it is a homophobic act!

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Wow, please don’t speak for the gay community.  That is a stupid comment.

    • Anonymous

      That’s the dumbest damn thing I’ve ever heard of in my life. Just because you don’t support gay marriage, doesn’t make you homophobic. How about you learn the definition of homophobic first. That definition does not include support gay marriage.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_A54Q5S2WBIM3SQNPBQLPQLMDO4 GeraldT

      Not supporting gay marriage doesn’t mean someone is homophobic, just bigoted.

    • Anonymous

      Let me re-read your post for you: “I don’t support equal right for people than like someone of their own gender.”

      You’re just another part of the problem.

    • GMale

      Agreed!

    • John Smith

      If you and your type are “oh I am so supporting gay marriage and standing for their rights”, then why don’t you go an have a gay relationship yourself?
      Why you call someone gay when you want to put him or her down?

      You, so-called supporters of the so-called gay rights are mostly nothing but hypocrites.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Whoa! Are you saying a straight man should marry another man to show his support for gay marriage?  That is very off thinking.  You don’t have to be gay to support gay rights.  I support women rights, does that mean I should get a sex change?

      And people just need to stop making the word “gay” as an insult such a big deal.  It’s just a word they all types of people use, straight, gay, guy, girl.  It’s not about the use of the word but the meaning behind it when it’s used.  I’m not gonna start a b***hfit because some said “oh that’s gay”.  So many words have double meanings, people just need to get over it.  We’re all hypocrites, you don’t need to point it out. 

    • CandidCalum

      No wonder you’re against the rights of LGBT people; it’s clear you don’t understand the concept of sexual attraction. It’s as simple as this: Some people are attracted to the opposite sex, some people are attracted to the same sex, and some people are attracted to both sexes. No one can consciously change who they are attracted to. You suggesting that straight people who advocate gay rights should have a gay relationship to show their support proves you do not understand that basic concept of sexual attraction. Please, go and educate yourself before you carry on contributing to ruining people’s lives by being against gay rights.

    • Wisque

      Really? You are ok with anyone’s sexual attraction because you believe they can’t help themselves? So a grown man being attracted to little girls is ok? A woman wanting to have sex with animals is ok? Should a father be allowed to marry his daughter just because he is sexually attracted to her? You are one sick dude. And yes, anyone can change, I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes many times. You should have more faith in people.

    • CandidCalum

      No, that is not why I am okay with it. I am okay with LGBT people expressing their love for those they are attracted to because it harms absolutely no one. I am not okay with those attracted to little girls expressing their love for little girls (physically being with a little girl) because little girls don’t have the capacity to understand that love, and thus they could be harmed. Likewise, there is no way to prove an animal could understand that love. 

      No, people cannot change who they are attracted to. It hasn’t happened many times. You do realise people can lie, even to themselves, right? Many people are in denial because they are told by people like you that same-sex attraction is wrong. I’m not saying you would say that, but I expect you would, seeing as you believe it’s fine to equate two adults being in love with an adult being in love with a child or an adult being in love with an animal.

    • Wisque

      Well, that works in reverse too. People are told that being gay is ok so they decide to choose that lifestyle. How does one know it is wrong unless someone tells them? Someone that grows up with parents telling them that stealing is ok will most likely become a thief. I do realize that people can lie to themselves, it is happening in gay communities all over the world. And as much as it pains you to believe, people give up the gay lifestyle all the time. You say people cannot change who they are attracted to then, you turn right around and say that a man being attracted to his child is wrong. So when that child becomes an adult and claims to still love her own dad intimately because he told her it was ok, is it still wrong even though they are adults? My point is that nobody seems to know where the line is anymore and it will only get worse. Members of NAMBLA claim everyday that their relationships are mutual and that they are truly in love. Who can say it is wrong? They’re in love right? You think none of those guys can decide to change? Not true my friend, even those guys can decide to turn it around and live a normal life. The same is true for members of the gay community IMO. 

    • CandidCalum

      What it seems you don’t quite understand is that these people aren’t changing their attractions; they’re changing how they act. People cannot change who they are attracted to, but they can decide not to act upon those attractions. Paedophiles cannot control the fact they are attracted to children, yet many of them know not to act upon their feelings because it is illegal; them not acting on their feelings doesn’t mean they are no longer attracted to children, it simply means they have chosen not to act upon their feelings. Yes, it is very hard not to act upon feelings of sexual attraction, but it is possible not to. This is what you’re seeing when many people claim they have moved away from the “gay lifestyle” (I put that in quotation marks because there is actually no such thing as a gay lifestyle; many LGB people live the same lifestyle as many heterosexual people), and when people claim they are no longer LGB. These people are actually still LGB (they still have the attractions), they have just decided to no longer act upon those attractions because they have been told it is wrong, or they believe it is wrong. If any of these people end up being with members of the opposite sex, and they find members of the opposite sex attractive, it is simply that they are bisexual and not gay or heterosexual. No one can consciously change who they are attracted to, and while I’m not aware of any studies being carried out on that issue, it is fact to anyone with common sense.

    • Wisque

      What you choose to believe as fact is still just your opinion. Same goes for me except I haven’t claimed any facts. I’m sorry to hear that you truly believe that their is no hope for pedophiles. I however still believe that anyone can decide to change their views/attractions. Back in the old days the larger women  were considered to be the most attractive. Why? Because that is what society said. Like I said, one doesn’t know something is wrong unless someone tells them. This is why I believe religion in general is so popular, because people now have a set of values/ethics/morals to follow. People want to do the right thing, you just have to tell them what the right thing is.

    • CandidCalum

      I should perhaps not say it is fact without any proof, but unfortunately, I know of no way to prove it. Common sense tells us all we cannot change what we like and dislike. Are there any foods you dislike eating? Do you really think you would be able to bring yourself to enjoy the taste of that food without lying to yourself about enjoying it? No one can consciously change what they like and dislike. Tastes can change in terms of food because tastebuds evolve; that is the only reason. However, no one can actually decide and change their likes and dislikes themselves consciously.

    • Mr me

      I’ve wondered about this quite a bit. Tastes and preferences do change over
      time. I don’t like many of the same foods, music, clothes, games, or even people
      I used to like when I was younger. I used to prefer blondes, now I like
      brunettes. I used to love to watch TV and skip homework, now I rarely watch TV
      or movies, preferring to work in my spare time. People change quite a bit and
      multiple times throughout their lives. I like to think that some of those things
      changed because I chose to change them. I used to be a very hot-tempered,
      violent person. With lots of effort I have slowly learned how to control my
      emotions and channel them to constructive uses. I may always have violent urges
      but I believe I no longer have to give them play. As to something as fundamental
      as sexuality, I don’t know if a person can change that or not. I have friends
      who used to be straight and are now bi. I suppose it could go the other way
      around as well, but it would probably only happen if the person really wanted to change.

    • Anonymous

      Your logic is faulty. Society tells me it’s OK to be a lot of things that I’m not. I’m not Christian, I’m not married, I’m not a tennis player, I’m not on TV, I don’t drive a red car, I’m not black.

      Your starting from a position that homosexuality = wrong and are using that as the basis for a very stupid argument.

      People do not choose who they are attracted to. There’s enough proof and common sense out there for any reasonably sane person to know that gays are not gay by choice, but by nature. If you deny that then you are simply ignorant (or the world is being fooled by a conspiracy that involves 10% of the world’s population who have nothing to gain from such a devious conspiracy other than to have sex with people of the same gender who they are not actually attracted to at a huge social cost).

      So given that homosexuality is natural, why is allowing those people to be who they are going to somehow magically affect others?

      And you also didn’t explain why someone ‘deciding’ to be gay because it is socially accepted is a bad thing. Again, you fall back onto the illogical basis of your argument that gay=bad and therefore gay=bad. Genius. If someone is gay and is comfortable being that way because society is accepting, then that is a good thing. Making people happy and accepted for who they are is a good thing.

    • Wisque

      Yes, I deny that. But thanks for sharing your opinion.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Way to go completely off base.  Let me humor you though.  No, it is not okay for a grown man to be attracted to a little girl; no a woman shouldn’t have sex with an animal; and no a father shouldn’t marry is daughter. Do these things happen? Yes, welcome to the sick world we live in.  But these examples are in no way comparable to two people of sound mind wanting to express their love for one another.

    • Wisque

      Call me off base all you want but we all know everything I described is coming. Countries all over the world allow children to marry. And when it starts happening here the same arguments of true love will be used to propel it. Think I’m crazy? I would have called someone crazy 20 years ago if they told me gay marriage would be legalized here. It’s too bad really. 

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      The US is not going to allow family to marry.  If by some chance everyone was okay with it, it will still cause a tremendous amount of medical complications for many people.  I don’t think you are crazy, I just think you’re thinking on very extreme ends.

    • Wisque

      I really do hope you’re right but I have no reason to believe it. I think it is extreme thinking that it is sound for a man to be sexually attracted to another man. I don’t understand how a grown man could honestly believe that he is in love with a child the same way that I don’t understand how a grown man can say he loves another grown man. That is how I equate the two. And there is currently a “tremendous” amount of medical complications within the gay community due to aids. Thanks for a coherent debate though, and I’ll let you have the last word. *puts on his tinfoil hat*

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Let me help you understand. I assume your a man, I am too. Ever been kicked in the balls? I have, it hurts and if you have, it hurts you too. Same feeling, different people. If you’ve ever fallen in love, then you understand what love is. It’s the same exact thing just with different people involved. Heterosexuals are just as vulnerable to HIV/AIDS as homosexuals. People can also live long problem free lives with HIV/AIDS. There are STD outbreaks with much worse effects all the time. Thanks for the last word.

    • CandidCalum

      Some people like bananas, others don’t. Some people are attracted to the same-sex, others aren’t. It’s that simply; it’s about likes and dislikes. Surely you understand that different people like different things? Some people try to suggest sexuality is much deeper than that, but it isn’t; it’s simply about likes and dislikes.

    • CandidCalum

      Some people like bananas, others don’t. Some people are attracted to the same-sex, others aren’t. It’s that simply; it’s about likes and dislikes. Surely you understand that different people like different things? Some people try to suggest sexuality is much deeper than that, but it isn’t; it’s simply about likes and dislikes.

    • Anonymous

      Most 1st world countries have laws and social stigmas based on thousands of years of experience (including influence from religion/folklore and contact with other cultures). Close family aren’t allowed to marry because there are risks of genetic complications from recessive genes, etc. Minors are considered incapable of consenting to sexual activity until they are mature enough to deal with the consequences. And, of course, the places where young children are getting married tend to be the religious countries where arranged marriages are a part of the culture. In every civilised country I know of there are strict age of consent laws.

      In the modern world laws are strongly enforced to protect minors from harm. There are also laws in place to protect the freedom of consenting adults.

      You imply that two consenting adults engaging in “non-standard” sexual practices is in some way comparable to an adult raping a child. That is absolutely false logic, but I can see how some people can make that ridiculous logical leap. You’ve been conditioned to think of homosexuality as perverse, and so you lump it into a category with anything else that is perverse. But what right does anyone have to tell two consenting adults that something they do with each other in private is not acceptable (providing they are not harming anybody in the process, of course)? This is why people have freedom – so that nobody can tell you how to live your life providing you are not actively harming others. T

      The fact that gays can be at higher risk of AIDS has nothing to do with the issue of whether or not gays should have the same legal rights as straight people. It’s a straw man argument. Married couples are at higher risk of divorce than singles – does that make marriage a bad thing?

    • Anonymous

      Yeah people can have sex with who they want because it’s none of our business. You must really have nothing better to do

    • Wisque

      I could say the same about you, but thanks for sharing your opinion.

    • Anonymous

      And some are attracted to animals, children, and inanimate objects.  And the Bible is quite clear warning against trading natural sexual appetites for unnatural ones.  And there’s only one attraction that’s according to God’s purpose.  And, only one supports procreation.  Period.  So, have it your way.  God is discriminatory: the wages of sin is death, and sin separates us from God and eternal life.  Pretty discriminatory.  And nature is discriminatory.  Procreation can only happen between a man and a woman.

    • CandidCalum

      Sexual attraction is not all about procreation, as I have stated in other replies. There is only one way to procreate naturally and that is for a male and a female to have vaginal sexual intercourse. There are many other types of sexual activity both heterosexual and LGB people engage in; however, procreation can only occur during that one way. Sexual attraction is much more than procreation. The Bible has nothing to do with what our creator wants; there is no way to prove what our creator advocates, if we even have one.

    • Asaaaa

      Yeah those ones aren’t part of this conversation. Next one plz!

    • Anonymous

      Assuming you live in the US, or similar country with established separation of church and state then surely you realise that any argument bringing God or religion to the table doesn’t have any relevance in a discussion of the law.

      The laws of your religion apply only to members of your religion. People can’t be expected to follow the rules of a club to which they don’t belong.

    • reason

      I’m only making the one reply, so please don’t think it is cutting and running (where have I heard that before), only that I have too many things to do today to engage in this childish arguement. But I have watched your post time after time refer to “you and your type.” By doing that, you are showing the basest form of bigotry, whether it is against LGBT, any racial group, or sports fans. all the same. By lumping those who disagreed with you as “you and your type” you have shown you really have no good arguement but only wish to denigrate those who do not think or believe as you do.

      I am white, heterosexual Christian. I am neither pro LGBT nor against. What I am for is the founding principles of this country, which is that as American citizens, we all enjoy equal protection under the law and all the rights and priviledges that are a part of that. The fact that when the Constitution was drafted people held the belief that certain individuals did not enjoy those same rights (women), and that others were considered property (African Americans) has not survived the test of time and the crucible of our democratic process. The Bill of Rights and our common decency has always held that the rights of the minority will always be protected from the whim of the majority, who ever that might be at any given moment. So, if you want to refer to me as “you and your type” to mean that I am one who cherishes my right to worship and believe as I choose and respect the right of those of you who may choose to worship, believe and LOVE as you choose, great. Bring it on. Good bye and good luck as the change that is sweeping this nation, much as it did 160 years ago, washes past you.

    • Anonymous

      It’s funny you should say, cause I am gay, and I do not find the term offensive. The context is what makes the word offensive. There’s nothing wrong or offensive about “gay marriage” and you seem to have totally missed the point.

    • Ask

      Nothing will change in your life if gays marry, so you might really be homophobic by don’t supporting it.

    • Anonymous

      You use the word “homophobic” like it is an insult. Like the most guys use the word “gay” when they want to “insult” just for fun their friends or more accurately, the strangers in internet. 

      Also, “homophobic” isn’t a serious disease.  It’s just a term to describe some people and their attitude.

      The most annoying is that the gay-unions today are the most fascist ones.

    • Anonymous

      This is a troll right?

    • Troll-dar

      Right.

    • CandidCalum

      Being in love with someone is a disease? Do you realise how idiotic your post sounds?

    • Guest

      “Also, “homophobic” isn’t a serious disease.”

      Tell that to the numerous gay people who have been injured and even killed by homophobes.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t believe in homosexuality.  All I see is heteros who avoid dealing with their problems.

    • http://twitter.com/oolong2 oolong2

      All I see are a lot of ignorance in people who would rather believe in a false premise supporting their own prenotions than being educated otherwise.

    • Anonymous

      People don’t need to be re-educated with other people’s beliefs.  I clicked Liked on your reply.  Have a nice day.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      His comment didn’t seem like he was trying to re-educate you with his beliefs.  He simply rebutted your statement

    • John Smith

      No he didn’t. He just threw bunch of ignorant statements and accusations and ran away. How typical of such people.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      actually he just responded below.  His statement wasn’t nearly as offensive as the original commenter basically saying homosexuals don’t exist.  Believe me, being gay presents a hell of a lot more problems to deal with than being straight.

    • http://twitter.com/oolong2 oolong2

      Thanks for the “like”.  I think everyone has a right to “believe” whatever they want.   As long as those beliefs don’t result in needlessly restricting one groups rights to favor another groups beliefs.

      Althoughj beliefs are one thing, facts are another.  Simplifying all gay people as  “heteros with problems” is probably not the most informed opinion…. just sayin…

      However as a business I think Microsoft should be able to do whatever it wants.  Either way it’s probably going to make the decision that will make the most profit in the end.

    • Anonymous

      People don’t need to be re-educated with other people’s beliefs.  I clicked Liked on your reply.  Have a nice day.

    • John Smith

      Huh?
      So if I think that marriage should be between a man and a woman and not between a man and a man or a woman and a woman, I am ignorant and “believe in a false premise”?
      Wow!big·otbigots, pluralA person who is bigoteda prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own

      You and your likes fit that definition.
      If someone believes in something that you disagrees with what you already have convinced yourself with, then he or she is ignorant, believes in false premise and needs education.

      The fact remains that people like are the ones who need education with all the loads of nonsense that you all said here and in other places.

    • CandidCalum

      You wish to reserve an institution and law for those who follow what you deem to be right. That is ignorant. You wish to oppress LGBT people simply because they love people of the same sex (something you disagree with). That is highly ignorant.

    • http://twitter.com/oolong2 oolong2

      @0072481bfcc799724fa71264803d82e5:disqus 
      “So if I think that marriage should be between a man and a woman and not between a man and a man or a woman and a woman, I am ignorant and “believe in a false premise”?”

      No it simply means you’re not paying attention to the thread…  Because apparently you don’t understand who/what I was responding to.

      Anyone can “believe” whatever they want as long as those beliefs don’t result in restricting the freedoms of others. 

      Which is the very reason was why the US was founded on freedom of religion and freedom of expression in order to avoid conflicts like that.

      I believe that people shouldn’t eat McDonald’s, it doesn’t mean that I want to ban people from going there.

      I believe there is far better music than Justin Beiber, it doesn’t mean I want to ban kids from going to his concert.

      I can believe that a particular religion is a waste of time and breeds ignorance, but it doesn’t mean I think all people that practice that particualr religion are ignorant, it also doesn’t mean I’d ever want to ban people from practicing it however they’d like to.

    • Jugemu

      How exactly can you not believe in homosexuality?

    • Anonymous

      It’s called cognitive dissonance.

    • CandidCalum

      One of the definitions of homophobia is discrimination of gay people. Check a dictionary if you don’t believe me. You support the discrimination of gay people by opposing same-sex marriage; thus, if you voted against same-sex marriage, you could be classed as homophobic.

    • John Smith

      According to you. Facts and dictionaries say otherwise.

    • CandidCalum

      You should really research those facts and read those dictionaries before you reply. Here is the definition from a credible dictionary named Merriam-Webster: “irrational fear of, aversion to, or *discrimination against* homosexuality or homosexuals” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia

      Judging by that definition, those who discriminate against homosexuals by voting against same-sex marriage are homophobic.

    • fruit ninja

      Discrimination may be one of the definitions of “homophobia” used by some people but the “irrational fear or aversion” is the more common definition. There may be people who discriminate and don’t fear homosexuals. There may be others who fear but don’t discriminate. The majority just disagree and don’t fear or discriminate. To lump everyone under one label is unfair and inaccurate. As a gay male I call for the abolishment of that word from amongst our ranks.

    • John Smith

      Yes, you don’t have time to be educated and exposed as a bigot, so the best way out of this is to cut and run.
      Good luck to you pal, you need it.

    • CandidCalum

      Actually, I’ve just put my comment back. I’ve decided I’m going to educate you. Look for my reply to your other comment.

    • Guest

      Like anything organic, there is a spectrum, in this case of sexuality. Meaning that on a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being Male and 10 being Female, a gay male might be 4. That is why gay males sometimes are more feminine. It doesn’t matter what it is, but no family tree EVER is the same, because DNA mutates BECAUSE it is organic. So assuming you say this isn’t “normal”, there are other genetic differences that EVERYONE has, that wouldn’t be considered “normal”.

      Homosexuals don’t hurt anyone, incest and pedophiles hurt people. There’s a BIG difference.

      Who are we to judge what is “normal”, after all it is the judgers that have the problem. It is fear and doubt that creates an aversion to homosexuals. You’ll find that if you meet some friendly homosexuals that you then don’t judge them in a negative light.

      Apple will pull support as well.

    • BludBaut

      I suggest that you engage your brain and consider, not only the power of words, but how the sexual perverts spend an enormous amount of time considering and implementing their strategy.

      Your entire comment of three clauses reveals how brainwashed you’ve been by those bound by demonic forces so strong that to relieve the shame and guilt of their decisions, they’ve decided to embrace and perpetrate the lie that “I was born this way.” ALL sexual behavior is a choice and VERY few of those choices are made before puberty. If you want to escape the brainwashing, you should think long and hard about that (the perverts are snickering at that remark WHILE they’re already extremely angry at me for having the audacity to exercise my freedom of speech. They want ONLY their voices heard which is why they instigated the petition and LIED about those who oppose sexual perversion.

      We don’t hate perverts. We love them, but we don’t want our children around them to be corrupted by them. All men are sinners. It’s each person’s right, prerogative and responsibility to make decisions regarding what’s best for them and their families — but sexual perverts don’t like that! They want to FORCE YOU to approve, not only their private choices, but their public statements, attitudes, behavior and perversion and they WILL CALL YOU A “HATER” if you don’t.

      Wake up, America and quit being pawns of the perverts.

      P.S. Now, the perverts will malign me (and attempt to have my remarks removed — so much for their regard for MY freedom of speech) and INSIST that I’m “homophobic” and every evil thing that they can say about me, but it’s simply not true. I don’t hate perverts, alcoholics, drug addicts, thieves, murders or child molesters (who, by the way, if you know your statistics, were disproportionately molested by sexual perverts). I care for them all enough to want to help them.

      BTW, please note, that of the list I made, only thee sexual perverts insist they’re holy and their behavior is good and pleasing to God and should be to you.

      Don’t be deceived. People don’t get deadly diseases by good behaviors.

    • CandidCalum

      Of course, any intelligent person reading your post will realise it doesn’t make sense :)

    • Captain America

      Sunday school is not “real” education. Read more than one book in your life and you can go places.

      Oh, and this is my America too. If you want to discriminate, leave.

    • Futrere

      Your post is #1. Dude i got those demonic forces (proven to be true by an ancient book) inside me. and I’m brainwashed by my paster, the church, and an ancient book. ;)

    • Maxwell’s Demon

      If you don’t hate them, and you’re not afraid of them, then why couldn’t you be bothered to afford them a little happiness of their own?

  • Anonymous

    This is bad.. MS should not get into the gay right shit.. stay out of politics you got enough issues already

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Shaw/1356126638 Mark Shaw

      why?

    • CandidCalum

      No, they should demonstrate great morals and ethics, and that includes supporting the rights of LGBT people.

    • college kid

      That’s the problem with coming down on either side of an issue like this. CandidCalum, I know you support the gay rights side, but many people would say the moral high ground is on the pro-family side of the fence. Each side thinks they are absolutely in the right. The debate is very polarizing and the two camps are roughly the same size. If Microsoft, or any company, were to strongly back one side they would lose half of their business.

    • Guest

      Accepting gays has nothing to do with being anti-family. What is best for the family is unity, not “DAMMIT WE NEED A MAN AND A WOMAN TO RAISE A CHILD OTHERWISE THEY’LL TURN OUT WRONG!!!!1!!11!1111″. Funny that single parents can raise children just fine.

    • Neutral

      I’m not gay and I’m not religious, so I feel fairly neutral to the whole thing. What if we just banned marriage altogether? Would that satisfy all parties?

    • Anonymous

      Marriage has legal benefits, such as tax benefits, power of attorney, etc. (this of course all differs according to country). Also, marriage is a social status that carries respect and other such things.

      Anything legal should be treated equally for all people. Some have suggested removing all legal benefits from marriage and having a ‘civil union’ as the legal equivalent. That way marriage would be entirely symbolic, and only civil unions (open to ALL people regardless or sexuality, race, etc.) would have legal rights associated with them. It’s a fine idea, but it would be a lot simpler to just use what we already have and just extend it to all humans regardless of whether you agree with their choice of partner.

    • CandidCalum

      The so-called “profamily” side are the only side discriminating against, and often oppressing, people. They are oppressing people by not allowing those people to adopt and start the family that all of their heterosexual equals are allowed to do. They are oppressing people by not allowing those people to marry and receive the same benefits all of their heterosexual equals do by their marriage. They are contributing to ruining people’s lives by spreading lies about same-sex attraction. I have never heard of a “profamily” advocate who doesn’t spread lies about same-sex attraction. There may be some, but all of these groups (Focus on the Family, Family Research Council etc.) all spread lies to try to garner support for their agenda.

      It is due to the facts presented above why I believe companies should adopt a moral and ethical stance. I am totally fine with companies who don’t release statements or comment on either side of the debate; however, if they choose to, they must follow the moral and decent side, otherwise they may well lose my custom. You are completely right when you say they will lose much of their business; however, while most business are out for profit only, a lot of them are also ethical. I know that if I was owner or chief executive of a business, I would ensure that everything the business did was moral and ethical because I would not be okay with making money from oppressing people or discriminating against them, or even contributing to that.

      I am of course referring to the LGB rights side as the only side that is moral and decent because I support that side; however, I believe my opening paragraph explains why that is the only side that can reasonably be deemed moral and decent. The “profamily” side is based on illogical arguments, discrimination, and oppression. They promote an ideal society that is in contrast to how society is evolving, and they promote oppressing innocent equals in order for that ideal society to become a reality. Calling them “profamily” is quite incorrect as well because they are against same-sex couples adopting and starting the family they’d love to start. They only support one type of family, not all. Furthermore, no harm will be caused to anyone in the “profamily” side by giving LGB people equal freedoms and rights. It’s simply this: Their ideal will not be reality. They will not be harmed at all, and nothing bad will happen to them, yet they continue to hinder and oppress people’s lives.

      I can’t stress enough: The “profamily” side are the only ones discriminating and contributing to oppression.

      In regard to Microsoft. In this case, they aren’t even picking a side, so to speak. The only people petitioning about this store were those against it. There were no petitions or people speaking out in favour of the store, there were only people speaking out against it. Microsoft had no choice to remove the store, but they did have a choice to comment and they decided not to. They can’t be accused of picking a side because they didn’t comment on it or release a statement; they just quietly removed a store. Their reasons might not have even been about the petition; it could have been removed for any reason. Microsoft haven’t taken a stand for any side here.

    • John Smith

      The GLBT life style is the exact opposite of morals and ethics. You seem to be in dire need to read about this.
      Funny thing you label nazi style actions of preventing certain people from their civil rights of free speech as “great morals and ethics” which shows how bigoted and hypocritical you are, with all that hate and venom spewed here about people you claim are the haters.

    • Anonymous

      GLBT lifestyle? I think you’re getting it wrong, LGBT people lead the same lifestyles as other people so maybe you should say “my lifestyle”.

      This post show you are already trying to segregate people by placing them in a separate ”lifestyle group”.

    • Guest

      You really blew any remaining credibility when you attempted to lump all GLBT people into a single lifestyle.

    • Anonymous

      Homosexuality doesn’t demonstrate moral and ethics.. thank you

    • CandidCalum

      Neither does heterosexuality; however, accepting and understanding both same-sex attraction and opposite-sex attraction demonstrates morals and ethics. Same-sex attraction does not harm society in any way; thus, it is as moral and ethical as opposite-sex attraction.

    • Anonymous

      both homosexuality and heterosexuality does not demonstrate good morals and ethics.

      Whiles I think everyone has the right to do what they with their lives  I also think no one can can force me into accepting and understanding homosexuality.. it just doesn’t make sense to my head even though I have nothing against it. I have gay neighbors and they are nice people, I have also met some horrible gay people who simple can’t accept the fact that not everyone think like the way they do.. 

    • CandidCalum

      That’s why I said same-sex attraction is as moral and ethical as opposite-sex attraction; they’re both neither moral nor ethical as concepts themselves. It’s people’s attitudes towards others that should be judged by morality. Even though same-sex attraction doesn’t make sense to you, as long as you are not contributing to oppressing them, or discriminating against them, I doubt your views on lesbian, gay, or bisexual people could be deemed immoral. If anyone does brand you immoral simply because same-sex attraction doesn’t make sense to you, they would be being being idiotic in my opinion. Likewise, as you point out, no one can force you to understand or accept it. I completely agree with you.

      In reference to you stating that some lesbian, gay, or bisexual people cannot accept the fact that some people don’t think like them. I agree that can be the case, but I have noticed that the majority of the time, these lesbian, gay, or bisexual people can accept the views. It’s only when the people who hold those views actively contribute to trying to oppress people that the problem arises. It’s okay for everyone to have an opinion, but those opinions should not be the basis for limiting innocent people’s freedoms. This is why those who vote and campaign against same-sex marriage are immoral and indecent human beings. They bear certain values and opinions, and envision their ideal society; however, since society has started to evolve and move away from their preferred state, they’ve actively tried to aid in limiting the freedoms of people who deserve those freedoms. Anyone with common sense and no bias understands that allowing lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to marry those they love, and adopt, would harm absolutely no one.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Who said they are getting into the politics of gay rights?  Like @CandidCalum:disqus they should demonstrate great morals and ethics.  That is exactly what they are doing by making sure their profits aren’t going to organizations that concentrate on opressing people because of their sexual orientation.  As a gay man and a huge fan of Microsoft products and services, I’m glad they aren’t supporting these groups.

    • Guest

      That sounds like getting involed to me.

    • Anonymous

      Am not gay.. I don’t hate gay people.. I think everyone should be allowed to do what they like..I also think people are also free to speak against homosexuality if they don’t think its right..  MS censoring these people is just not right. 

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      I agree, people have the right to their opinions.  But most people against homosexuality will go beyond just stating their opinion.  They try to force it and change people because they think the things they do are wrong.  They vote against their rights and discriminate them.  Those things aren’t right.  Microsoft isn’t censoring these groups they are just choosing not to support them because of their negative and ignorant beliefs about homosexuals. 

    • Anonymous

      “.  They vote against their rights and discriminate them” I don’t exactly understand what you mean by this

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Sorry, that was poorly written.  I was trying to say that people against homosexuals tend to vote against their (homosexuals) rights, like marriage for example.

      I actually don’t think people have the right to speak against homosexuality because it’s really none of their damn business.  I don’t like using Mac’s but I’m not going to talk shit about people just because they use them, or start a petition to ban Mac’s from access to the internet.

      People do have the right to their opinion and they don’t have to accept anyone they don’t want to.  But they don’t have the right to govern the lives of sound mind adults and take away their natural right to love and build a family. 

    • Anonymous

      Microsoft are not censoring anyone’s free speech. They have made a business decision to not support organisations with certain values.

      Those organisations probably all use Microsoft products one way or another, FWIW.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Shaw/1356126638 Mark Shaw

    good job msft. this is not about politics… it’s about human rights. it’s only political when it bothers you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/vangelder.kevin Kevin VanGelder

    First off, it’s not about hate. Christians hate the *sin* of LGBT’s but not the people. This petition mis-represented the CVN and Focus on the Family. Neither group has lied about the LGBT community.

    • Absay

      Sorry, which kind of sin? We were all born this way and you call it sin? Oh stop that shitty christian speech like they were not homophobic, as well as other religions.

    • John Smith

      Yes it is a sin, and if you don’t agree with that, too bad for you.
      You call others’ religion “shitty” yet expect them to respect you.

      Look up the meaning of arrogance, disrespect, and hypocrisy in your favorite dictionary, and seek help for all that anger and hate before you kill some innocent person.

    • Anonymous

      lol

    • Absay

      Your right, im so gay

    • Biggaychristianmanlove

      I’d really like to give you some sweaty man love, with a big pole right up your poop shoot.

      Jesus can come.

      come.

    • John Smith

      Yes it is a sin, and if you don’t agree with that, too bad for you.
      You call others’ religion “shitty” yet expect them to respect you.

      Look up the meaning of arrogance, disrespect, and hypocrisy in your favorite dictionary, and seek help for all that anger and hate before you kill some innocent person.

    • Guest

      And I hate the sin of narrow minded people who selectively use/ignore the Bible to support their own foolish prejudices. But I’ve got nothing but love in my heart for you otherwise.

    • Anonymous

      I support your comment.  Outside of a few fringe groups, I don’t hear any Christian group “hating” gays.  Yes, they “hate” the lifestyle but I know many Christians who openly accept gays as friends but do not condone their lifestyle.

    • Guest

      “Yes, they “hate” the lifestyle but I know many Christians who openly accept gays as friends but do not condone their lifestyle”

      How can you accept someone as a friend while simultaneously rejecting something so elemental to who they are?

      You sound like someone in 1950′s Mississippi thinking they’re enlightened because they occasionally say “Hi” to a black feller.

    • Wisque

      “How can you accept someone as a friend while simultaneously rejecting something so elemental to who they are?”

      Easy, the Christians simply believe that their friend’s lifestyle is not elemental to them but is in fact a choice that the Christian then chooses not to support. I have friends use profanity a lot, just because I don’t agree with their use of profanity does not mean that I can’t be their friend. 

    • CandidCalum

      They all lie. You should research what they say. The majority of these groups claim there is a specific ‘gay lifestyle’ and that so-called lifestyle is detrimental to society. Most also claim that being gay is a choice. All lies. They are hate groups because they vigorously protest against giving equal people equal rights. They hate the sin, but they also advocate oppressing the people.

    • John Smith

      You are the liar.
      No one supports or advocates oppressing the people.
      These organizations are right.
      The so called gay marriage is detrimental to society.

      Can you have a child naturally as a result of a gay marriage?
      So does that mean that gay marriage is building society or helping in growth?
      No, and if you can’t comprehend this small basic fact, then arguing with your likes is a waste of time.

      Keep your hate and selective definitions and standards to yourself.

    • Anonymous

      Infertile couples can’t marry according to you.
      Gay couples adopt kids everyday and as far as I can see their adopted kids are doing fine.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Right… because babies can’t be made unless two heterosexuals who love each other have sex.  Gay marriage is great for society.  It ushers in further tolerance of people who are simply trying to live their lives happily like yourself.  There isn’t much to say about our society in it’s current form.  We need a nationwide campaign to tell our youth things will “get better” so the thought of suicide is pushed from their minds.

    • CandidCalum

      It looks like another dictionary definition is in order. As I have suggested previously, please educate yourself before you continue to involve yourself in ruining the lives of others.

      Here is a dictionary definition of ‘oppress’ from the Cambridge University Press dictionary:
      “to govern people in an unfair and cruel way and prevent them from having opportunities and freedom” http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/oppress_1?q=Oppress

      These organisations all aim to convince others that LGBT people should not have the same opportunities and freedoms heterosexual people enjoy, yet you try to claim they don’t support oppressing people? I suggest you study that definition.

      Gay marriage is not detrimental to society. Please explain how you feel it is. Marriage has nothing to do with procreation or children. It is a union that celebrates the love 2 people share; thus, if it’s okay to allow a couple that consists of two heterosexuals to marry, it’s okay to allow a couple that consists of two gay people to marry. Same-sex marriage helps build and grow society in exactly the same way opposite-sex marriage does. You might not be aware of what happens in these modern times, but people have children out of wedlock, and gay couples adopt. There is nothing wrong with either of those 2 facts, and they further support the idea that marriage has nothing to do with procreation.

    • Anonymous

      Your comment is self-contradictory.

      “No one supports…oppressing the people” and “gay marriage is detrimental to society”. You can’t say something that opposes equal rights is not advocating oppression. It doesn’t matter what your opinion on gay rights is – campaigning to restrict rights is oppression. So you either support gay rights or you support oppressing gay rights. You can’t say the sky is blue and then say you don’t oppose the sky being red.

      Having a child has nothing to do with the legal status of marriage. As many people have already said, there is no condition on marriage that the two spouses breed. Many people marry with no intention of having children. Some simply are not able to have children. Some adopt. This argument is completely illogical. Marriage currently comes with legal rights that have no relation to whether or not children are involved. These rights are currently only available to heterosexual spouses in most places. That whole argument is an attempt to avoid the issue that you simply hate gays and don’t want them to have the same rights as heterosexual people. If my assumption there is wrong feel free to provide some evidence that shows this is about something other than sexual preference (I have already proven that childbearing is not a valid argument). Also, people don’t need to be married to have children.

      It’s very sad that you would support a ‘green card’ marriage or an arranged marriage but not the marriage of two gay men who want to spend their lives together.

      And marriage is not at all to do with building society or helping in growth. This argument is also debunked by the fact that I’ve proved that having children is not a factor in this bigotry. It’s an excuse. Marriage is about people pursuing happiness, which should be a basic human right. Many people contribute to society without marrying, many people contribute to growth without marrying. Marriage is a legal and personal commitment between two people (I guess more than 2 in some cases).

      You are free to think of marriage in whatever way you want. If your definition of marriage is between a man and a woman and must include procreation then go ahead and restrict yourself to that kind of marriage. That’s your choice and your right. Gay people just want the same choice. Just as women once wanted to be able to vote and black people wanted to own land.

      It truly boggles my mind that in the year 2011 we still have to argue for humans to be treated equally. I can’t wait until religion dies.

    • John Smith

      You are the liar.
      No one supports or advocates oppressing the people.
      These organizations are right.
      The so called gay marriage is detrimental to society.

      Can you have a child naturally as a result of a gay marriage?
      So does that mean that gay marriage is building society or helping in growth?
      No, and if you can’t comprehend this small basic fact, then arguing with your likes is a waste of time.

      Keep your hate and selective definitions and standards to yourself.

    • Anonymous

      Hate the sin love the sinner.What a joke. What a very nice way to avoid saying that they dislike LGBT people. Also how is any of it a sin? Are infertile couples sinful?

    • Anonymous

      Exactly. It’s a convenient way of hiding intolerance while claiming to be tolerant. But if these people could think clearly they probably wouldn’t hold the views they do.

  • http://www.facebook.com/vangelder.kevin Kevin VanGelder

    Dominic, that was a completely ignorant statement. I’m not a germophobic just because I don’t support germs!

    • Abbadaba

      You are: DUMB, germophobic as well, homophobic, stupidly religious. Religions are supposed to bring peace but they only bring disgrace to the world… DIE you stupid religious that hide your stupid prejudgemental speechs behind a bible (alcoron, whatever it is). I JUST HOPE YOU ALL DIE, NOW!

    • college kid

      @Abbadaba, You don’t seem like a person who is interested in peace.

    • Abbadaba

      I just want religious people to stop hiding behind their books to pretend they’re homophobic just because of their religion!

    • college kid

      @Abbadaba, I think you’re right that there are some people who do that. Some Christian or religious people truly are bigots. But there are many religious people who aren’t. There are people who want the best for gays but who also think that marriage should be kept for man and women, and civil unions should be used for everything else.

    • CandidCalum

      Those people are still indecent because they feel LGB people are not worthy of the same treatment they receive. Anyone who supports such inequality is indecent. Even if the Bible was the word of God, it would be unfair because God has not given people a way to change their sexuality. The fact stands, there is no way to prove it is the word of God; thus, following it as the word of God is ridiculous.

    • Anonymous

      What’s the difference between your hate for religious people and the hate you believe some religious people have for gays?

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      His hate is brought on by the attempts of some religious people to oppress the LGBT community, withhold human right from them, accuse them of choosing their lifestyle, etc.  While the religious peoples hate is brought on by fear and nonacceptance. Gay minsters don’t refuse to marry straight couples.

    • John Smith

      Ahh the classic “he started it” comebacks.

      Never mind the glaring hypocrisy.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      That is exactly what it is.  But the difference here is that some religious groups are actively fighting against gay right, while the LGBT are just trying to get the rights that every human being should have.  You don’t have to support gay rights and marriage, but you don’t have to be against the rights that everyone should have, freedom to do whatever and love whoever they want.

    • CandidCalum

      It’s not hypocrisy. It’s okay to hate people who contribute to ruining others’ lives. Those who are contributing to ruining people’s lives in this case are doing so out of nothing but ignorance, unintelligence, and often hate; thus, it is okay to hate them. I would also hate people who are trying to ruin my life. Most people would. Can you really not understand that?

    • Guest

      Where does he say he hates them?

    • Anonymous

      The part where he wanted all religious people to die. That usually involves
      some form of hate.

    • John Smith

      With haters like you asking for others to die just because they don’t agree with your nonsense, who needs weapons or wars?
      Get help for your obsessions with the Bible, you need it.

    • CandidCalum

      Clearly, from your responses in this thread, no one needs the Bible. The Bible does nothing but convince idiots that God is against love, peace, decency, and morality (read: disallowing same-sex marriage and the rights of LGB people is immoral).

    • Bill

      Well, the god of the bible kind of is a huge maniacal and jealous murderous beast…

    • CandidCalum

      That’s what I’m implying :) The God of the Bible is indecent, immoral, and unfair according to these Christians who use the Bible to try to justify their intolerance.

    • Bigsweatymanlove

      Wait, the bible where your god kills a bunch of kids and villages and commits genocide then sends almost everyone who has ever lived to eternal pain and suffering wow that’s true love.

      .

    • John Smith

      With haters like you asking for others to die just because they don’t agree with your nonsense, who needs weapons or wars?
      Get help for your obsessions with the Bible, you need it.

    • CandidCalum

      It wasn’t ignorant. specieszero admitted he is against giving equal people equal rights. He is homophobic.

  • college kid

    I love Microsoft and I love gay people. I just don’t think Microsoft should be getting involved in these sorts of issues. I’m for civil unions, personally. I’m not homophobic (some of my best friends are gay) but I do think that term should be avoided. It’s way too inflamatory and misleading.

  • Renzo

    Good job Microsoft! Hopefully Apple will follow suit as well.

    I have no time for bigotry.

    • John Smith

      You don’t understand the definition of bigotry. That’s why.
      Classifying Christians and others as bigots and hating them, limiting their rights, disabling their apps, circumventing their right to their religion and to free speech just because they don’t agree with your self installed standards or personal opinions is the exact definition of bigotry.

    • John Smith

      You don’t understand the definition of bigotry. That’s why.
      Classifying Christians and others as bigots and hating them, limiting their rights, disabling their apps, circumventing their right to their religion and to free speech just because they don’t agree with your self installed standards or personal opinions is the exact definition of bigotry.

    • Anonymous

      He didn’t classify Christians as bigots he implied those 5 extreme Christian groups mentioned in the article were bigots and he’s right about that.

  • Grannyville7989

    I think it might be best to close the commenting on this post. Some of the “opinions” people are stating are not only completely off topic but many people seem to be coming across quite harsh.

    • college kid

      I agree. I came to WinRumors from Engadget to get away from fighting like this. My vision of a pure, unified group of people was shattered by this post.

  • LWSJR

    Struck a nerve, Tom?

  • Guestimated

    For me, those kind of gay people is just another sensitive group of people that society needs to pamper. 
    Hope you see what I did there. Homophobe crywolves = racist crywolves.
    Btw why is homophobia the only phobia that is not tolerated like others?

  • Guestimated

    For me, those kind of gay people is just another sensitive group of people that society needs to pamper. 
    Hope you see what I did there. Homophobe crywolves = racist crywolves.
    Btw why is homophobia the only phobia that is not tolerated like others?

  • John Smith

    So if gays are angry and want equality and therefore we should punish every one out there who opposes that opinion.
    What about those who want to legalize polygamy? Why can’t they also get their “rights”?
    Or is it just because the LBGT organizations have the money and know some good lawyers, outnumber the polygamists, and can actually swing votes in elections?

    What’s next? Supporting pedophilia? Supporting “marriage” with animals too?
    Most of you who claim they support gay marriage will avoid contact or even avoid talking to gay people.

    All you supporters of this nonsense are hypocrites or just ignorant people. whether that ignorance is by choice or just happened remains to be seen.

    • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

      Yeah, compare being gay with pedophilia, bestiality. right..

    • CandidCalum

      Why? Because we’re talking about same-sex attraction. Same-sex attraction is as much related to bestiality, paedophilia, and polygamy as opposite-sex attraction is. Do you really need to be told this? Actually, of course you do. You’ve proven you don’t understand the basic concept of attraction on an earlier post. What’s even more amusing is that you relate same-sex attraction with paedophilia, bestiality, and polygamy, but I don’t see you relating opposite-sex attraction to those. So not only is your comment ridiculous, you stance is inconsistent.

      People with your level of intelligence should not be able to vote on issues that actually affect others’ lives. Do you really not understand how unintelligent you sound? Please reply to this; I might be able to help you understand :)

  • http://profiles.google.com/carlosrfonseca Carlos Ribeiro da Fonseca

    Good for Microsoft!

    Oh, and to all the religous folks commenting here, I really don’t care what your religion says.

    You want to live by your religion? Well then, go right ahead and do it. Or don’t. I don’t care either way.

    Just don’t tell me that I have to live by your religion. Or do you see me telling you how to live your life. No, you don’t, so stop telling me how to live mine.

    And again: good for Microsoft!

    • Anonymous

      Unfortunately, a religious nutbag’s definition of ‘telling them how to live their life’ includes allowing other people to ignore their religious rules regardless of their own religious affiliation.

  • Anonymous

    The Southern Poverty Law Center is as far to the left as they claim these church groups are to the right. They’re a bunch of horn-blowing clowns who spend their days figuring out ways to add anything right of center into a group that they can label as “hate”. I’m an athiest, but I’d bet my last dollar that you’d find ten times the hate at the watercooler on the 10th floor of the SPLC building than you’d find during a get together of Focus on the Family or the Family Research Council.

    • Anonymous

      Focus on the Family are a joke. Fact.

    • Anonymous

      While I can’t comment on the two groups in question (because I know nothing about either), don’t you think hating people because they are actively trying to harm people is better than hating people simply because they have a different sexual preference to you?

  • Anonymous

    wow…. tom should write more of these post to get more comments! /jk

    i dont understand this people against and pro gay people… i mean, people really want EVERYONE to like gay people seriously? gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people.
    … but if people dont like gay people it means they are bad or something? so… that means, its acceptable people who dont like gay people, but its not acceptable people not liking gay people?
    if peopel dont like something just leave it should be ok, if others do like, its ok aswell.

    and this is for everything, people with Down syndrome, blind people, on a wheel chair, with schizophrenia, autism, etc etc etc….. they are rejected and not liked by everyone in alot of places. it would be nice if people get along with each other, but humans aren’t like that! if people fight over idiot stuff like “oh you are an idiot for paying microsoft products” “OSX is better, so you can stfu”… how can you expect people not fighting over more important stuff?

    if people dont like you, just ignore them. if people like you thats cool. noone will change ever this world and every human. people have rights to hate and love. but its not like people has rights to hurt someone for something they believe or insult someone. but humans are like that. not everyone will see something they dont like and be like “oh whatever, i will just ignore it”, some will go and punch you in the face for example.
    but people will hate and love whoever and whatever they want.
    but anyway, thats the way i think.

    • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

      Its not that easy. Us gay people can’t just ignore it. These hate groups are getting laws against us. Taking away rights that a normal straight person would enjoy. In many if not most states, its legal to fire someone for being gay. (No proof needed), i can’t visit my partner in the hospital, can’t adopt a kid, can’t get a civil union or married. Constantly being told im going to go to hell and stuff in school didn’t help.

      This will all end when gay and straight people have the same rights. Once that happens, its over.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t you guys have anti-discrimination laws in the states? I know if a business here in Australia tried to fire someone because of their sexuality the Government and Fair Work Tribunal would chuck a fit and the business probably would cease to exist. Now I can definitely see why this is such a big deal in the US if that sort of thing goes on.

    • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

      Depends on the state. Most don’t have anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation. Here is a pic showing which states have it and which ones don’t. In some states, a landlord can evict you for being gay. Not really used but its legal. Not a protected class. More and more states are fixing that. But, the religious right is fighting to allow discrimination against gays.

    • Anonymous

      What’s the religious right’s excuse for keeping gays exempt from anti-discrimination in the workplace? It’s unnatural to work while gay? 

      LOL…I really am interested in their justification.

    • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

      Oh, not only do they want us fired, they don’t want us hired too!
      http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/harvey-and-glenn-dont-hire-gays
      I’m totally lost on why me being gay has any effect on my work habits. I mean, i don’t live in africa where gays are hunted for sport or anything. (So, needless to say, i will be in to work tomorrow)

    • Anonymous

      I’m Australian too. If I’m not mistaken, the US generally has much less protection for workers than we have. In Australia you can’t fire anyone without good reason.

    • Anonymous

      I’m Australian too. If I’m not mistaken, the US generally has much less protection for workers than we have. In Australia you can’t fire anyone without good reason.

    • Anonymous

      I’m Australian too. If I’m not mistaken, the US generally has much less protection for workers than we have. In Australia you can’t fire anyone without good reason.

    • Anonymous

      I’m Australian too. If I’m not mistaken, the US generally has much less protection for workers than we have. In Australia you can’t fire anyone without good reason.

    • Anonymous

      I’m Australian too. If I’m not mistaken, the US generally has much less protection for workers than we have. In Australia you can’t fire anyone without good reason.

    • TheEnforcer

      No, it won’t end when gay and straight people have the same rights. It was never about rights. That is a re herring. It is all about forcing everyone to admit that there isn’t anything wrong about being gay. That is what it all about. They must be forced to beive this and rights is just a tool to do it.

    • CandidCalum

      And what is wrong with that? I certainly won’t stop until all of the idiots out there are convinced that same-sex attraction is right and fine. After all, it is right and fine, and many LGB people suffer abuse at the hands of unintelligent people who think it isn’t right.

    • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

      Not really. Just like civil rights did not force everybody to admit there is nothing wrong about being black so to gay rights will not force people to admit there is nothing wrong with being gay. You can have any opinion you want, no matter how backwards it may seem. What you are not allowed to do is to infringe on the rights of others because of those opinions.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not about people ‘liking gays’ or even accepting them. It’s about letting gays have the same rights as everyone else and letting them get on with their lives. 

      You say ‘gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people’. That is not true, and that’s the problem. Gays don’t have equal rights, just like women didn’t in the past.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not about people ‘liking gays’ or even accepting them. It’s about letting gays have the same rights as everyone else and letting them get on with their lives. 

      You say ‘gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people’. That is not true, and that’s the problem. Gays don’t have equal rights, just like women didn’t in the past.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not about people ‘liking gays’ or even accepting them. It’s about letting gays have the same rights as everyone else and letting them get on with their lives. 

      You say ‘gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people’. That is not true, and that’s the problem. Gays don’t have equal rights, just like women didn’t in the past.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not about people ‘liking gays’ or even accepting them. It’s about letting gays have the same rights as everyone else and letting them get on with their lives. 

      You say ‘gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people’. That is not true, and that’s the problem. Gays don’t have equal rights, just like women didn’t in the past.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not about people ‘liking gays’ or even accepting them. It’s about letting gays have the same rights as everyone else and letting them get on with their lives. 

      You say ‘gay people have right to do whatever they want, same with other people’. That is not true, and that’s the problem. Gays don’t have equal rights, just like women didn’t in the past.

  • Anonymous

    This is a tech site. What’s going on here? I see now that people are talking about HIV, etc. This is ridiculous. I think Mr.Warren is regretting posting this. Also, people who think that Tom is supporting/not supporting gay rights stuff, need to see that he is trying to get all the information out while trying to be unbiased at the same time. This is starting to look like yahoo’s comment sections. That isn’t a good thing. 

    • Bigsweatymanlove

      anal sex

  • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/dan@skaboy.net skaboy

    You know who’s to blame for this gay marriage and gay rights crap? Straight people! They’re the ones making gay babies!

  • Guest

    The Bible states that God created a man and a woman … a couple.  They were made for each other (to complement one another) and God told them to be fruitful and multiply.  Homosexuality is against God’s original creation and design for man and woman.  Homosexuality is a sin, just like stealing, lying, killing, gossip, adultery, pornography, etc.  Because of Adam and Eve disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit, we are sinners … we commit sin.  But committing sin is a choice we make with every breath we take.  If someone commits a sin on a continuous basis, it becomes a habit (e.g. lying can become a habit).  Habits can be very difficult to break, but they can be overcome with the proper help and support.  Also, the person has to want to quit the habit.

    I’ve read mostly hate and anger in this forum.  If you get upset or angry with what I wrote above, take it up with God … it’s His creation and design.  God gave us absolutes for a reason: we need them.  Everybody can’t be right … someone has to be wrong.  In math, 2+2 can’t equal 4 and 5.  2+2 always equals 4.  God tells us right and wrong in the Bible.  Homosexuality is a sin … it’s wrong.  Why should Microsoft pull this program because it’s giving money to Christian organizations like Focus on the Family since 500 supporters of GLBT complain?  Don’t worry, Microsoft supports GLBT plenty with their policies.  Actually, maybe 500 Christians who are against special rights for GLBT folks should start their own petition for Microsoft to stop supporting them?!

    • CandidCalum

      Yes, that is what the Bible states; however, what relevance is that? There is absolutely no proof the Bible is the word of God, so there is no reason to follow the Bible. Following the Bible is foolish, especially when it leads you to discriminate against people who do not deserve that discrimination. If God exists, he could prove to us at any time, but as of yet, there has been no proof.

    • Bill

      DERP gawd made A man and then the man got all lonely so god was like what and took his rib and made a rib woman and then a talking snake came and make them eat fruit so childbirth is painful and everyone is doomed to hell if they don’t follow his son who also happens to be himself that he sacrificed to himself duh it all makes sense poop

    • Derp

      The bible = 100% true, because it was written by an imaginary being.

  • http://twitter.com/AKICKTOTHEEYE AKICKTOTHEEYE

    Bill Gates is an Humanist, atheist & an extraordinary philanthropist. That is all. 

  • http://twitter.com/AKICKTOTHEEYE AKICKTOTHEEYE

    Bill Gates is an Humanist, atheist & an extraordinary philanthropist. That is all. 

  • MVE

    24 comments about Windows 8 CTP and 125 about gays. Are you serious?

  • GroundPeak

    The problem here is that marriage (a religious construct, whether you believe any particular religion to be true or not) has been politicised. The real answer is to do away with marriage altogether (politically) and allow the religions to marry people according to their beliefs. For everyone else, introduce civil unions which grant the same rights as marriage currently does.

    There’s no logical reason why any homosexual person should want to get married, as marriage is a religious construct. If they disagree with the religiion, why would they want to be married?

    People should be civil union’d by the government, and, if they wish (and they share the same beliefs), married by the church.

    Also, labelling Focus on the Family as a hate-group is laughable. It seems that saying ‘I think you’re wrong’ is a hate crime nowadays…

    • Anonymous

      While you’re correct that marriage has its roots in religion, so do science, law, philosophy, etc. Why should marriage be stuck in the bronze age while everything else has moved on?

      Marriage is mostly secular now. I don’t know anybody who’s actively religious, but I know a lot of married people. Marriage is a legal and social thing.

      But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As long as all adults have the same legal rights, what difference does it make what it’s called? But it would be very petty is religions claimed the word ‘marriage’ for a purely symbolic magic ceremony.

    • Anonymous

      While you’re correct that marriage has its roots in religion, so do science, law, philosophy, etc. Why should marriage be stuck in the bronze age while everything else has moved on?

      Marriage is mostly secular now. I don’t know anybody who’s actively religious, but I know a lot of married people. Marriage is a legal and social thing.

      But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As long as all adults have the same legal rights, what difference does it make what it’s called? But it would be very petty is religions claimed the word ‘marriage’ for a purely symbolic magic ceremony.

    • Anonymous

      While you’re correct that marriage has its roots in religion, so do science, law, philosophy, etc. Why should marriage be stuck in the bronze age while everything else has moved on?

      Marriage is mostly secular now. I don’t know anybody who’s actively religious, but I know a lot of married people. Marriage is a legal and social thing.

      But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As long as all adults have the same legal rights, what difference does it make what it’s called? But it would be very petty is religions claimed the word ‘marriage’ for a purely symbolic magic ceremony.

    • Anonymous

      While you’re correct that marriage has its roots in religion, so do science, law, philosophy, etc. Why should marriage be stuck in the bronze age while everything else has moved on?

      Marriage is mostly secular now. I don’t know anybody who’s actively religious, but I know a lot of married people. Marriage is a legal and social thing.

      But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As long as all adults have the same legal rights, what difference does it make what it’s called? But it would be very petty is religions claimed the word ‘marriage’ for a purely symbolic magic ceremony.

    • Anonymous

      While you’re correct that marriage has its roots in religion, so do science, law, philosophy, etc. Why should marriage be stuck in the bronze age while everything else has moved on?

      Marriage is mostly secular now. I don’t know anybody who’s actively religious, but I know a lot of married people. Marriage is a legal and social thing.

      But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As long as all adults have the same legal rights, what difference does it make what it’s called? But it would be very petty is religions claimed the word ‘marriage’ for a purely symbolic magic ceremony.

  • Bludbaut

    Sexual perverts are liars without scruples and will malign anyone who doesn’t endorse their perversion.

    People who support such malignity and hatred are very foolish indeed. You’re rooting for those who want to pervert and destroy our society.

    That’s not “homophobic” or “anti-gay.” It’s the simple truth. To regard the hateful and dishonest rhetoric of sexual perverts shows how shallow and empty headed people are today. This society has been going downhill for decades and the perverts and jumping up and down in private over it while whining and bitching in public about how so mistreated they are.

    Don’t be conned, either by their perversity or their deceit.

    • CandidCalum

      You’re talking about sexual perverts. LGB people are not sexual perverts, so why would you bring the concept of homophobia into your comment?

    • Bigsweatymanlove

      This guy is definitely a closet case.   I would know, I see them all the time.  

      GAYS ARE DESTROYING SOCIETY.   lol, wut?  You’re scared, closet case.  Scared.  

      You know who can’t wait to destroy not only society, but the world and send 5/6hs of its people to a fiery pit of eternal pain and suffering?

      Your “god”

      You’re disgusting. 

  • TryllZ

    I don’t understand M$ getting scared of this shyt…there’s no gay, its always Male and Females…gay-shyt is just another man-made evolution to take him stray of the real path…nonsense…If i was a judge, i’d shoot gays myself rather than sentencing them..

    • Mo0019

      The true Christian love, this is what all Christards believe but none dare to say.

    • Biggaychristianmanlove

      I’d like to give some of these christians some very sweaty and hairy man love with jesus

    • Mo0019

      The true Christian love, this is what all Christards believe but none dare to say.

    • CandidCalum

      I bet you’d also suggest religion isn’t man-made. Right? Right? Ahhhh, you people make me laugh. Your comment is one of the most amusing I have read in a while. Thanks :) Be careful though, such a comment might convince actual idiots that this is the right way to feel.

  • BludBaut

    BTW, just in case microsoft reads this.

    I don’t and won’t buy your software. 

    • Biggaysweatyfatguy

      : ( :( :( :(   I’m crying because big bad microsoft won’t baby my iron age religion

  • BludBaut

    BTW, just in case microsoft reads this.

    I don’t and won’t buy your software. 

  • http://twitter.com/starksimon Stark

    God does not exist. Religions are retarded. Period.

  • Entegy

    Wow…. For a site that maybe gets at most 30 comments an article, of course it takes something like LGBT rights to pass 150… And I’m actually sickened by the mud-slinging on both sides.

  • OMG55

    All I want to know is why the focus group or any other group cannot express their opinions just as members of the gay community does? The first Ammendment protects everyone’s right to FREE SPEACH, PRESS, AND RELIGION. Why is it that gay rights groups, peta, and the like can express themselves but no one else can? I have several gays in my family & I didn’t hate them at all. I don’t agree with their life style, but again I don’t hate them. I’ve also teach my children that it is un-natural for people for the same gender to be together. Does anyone remember Sodom & Gamorah? This was one of the things the lead to its destruction. It appears that normal people have no right anymore even if may of us choose not to cause a seen & petition out in public or in group on the net. I do feel the we need to start asking the question of: WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR RIGHT TO EXPRESS OUIRSELVES & WHY WE HAVE TO GIVE IN TO THESE GROUPS. their not condemmend for their opinion’s and we shouldn’t be either; we shouldn’t have to give up our rights for these people. HOW ABOUT STARTING A PETITION OF OUIR OWN.

    • Bigpolesmoker

      nice spelling and rambling, you slack jawed idiot. 

    • Anonymous

      Nobody’s free speech has been denied. Microsoft have every right to partner with whoever they choose. They chose to stop an association with a hate group. The hate group still has the right to their opinion under the law. The right to free speech does not include the right to a soapbox on which to stand while speaking.

      I hate to break it to you, but referring to mythology (Soddom and Gamorah) doesn’t make a logical argument.

      Your cognitive dissonance is quite impressive though. To say you don’t hate gays and then go on to say that you basically brainwash your kids into thinking gay people are evil monsters that are out to destroy the world.

      You (and many religious people) seem to have a hard time understanding the difference between free speech and other rights. Let me explain.

      Saying you don’t like gays or don’t agree with gay marriage is an act of free speech. Actively trying to prevent gays from having equal rights is not free speech; it’s oppression. The difference is that exercising free speech doesn’t infringe upon anyone else’s rights. Actively blocking someone’s rights DOES infringe upon their rights.

      I will defend your right to have whatever opinion you want regardless of whether I agree with that opinion. But I do not condone you using that opinion to deny human beings the right to be treated equally.

  • CandidCalum

    Many people seem to be having a go at Microsoft here, but the fact is: This isn’t Microsoft getting into political issues; they are simply pleasing a vocal minority who spoke out. Microsoft haven’t spoke or made a statement about either side of the issue here; they have simply removed an online store because some people created a petition against it. Remember, there was a petition against the store, but no petition for it; thus, Microsoft could be sure some people didn’t want the store. Microsoft have not got into the political arena here; they are just responding to customers.

  • Mestiphal

    I have no issue with gay people wanted to lose half their shit like the rest of us.  I’m catholic, yet not a preacher, people do whatever they want to do, it’s up to them to have a good argument at time of judgement.

    However, I’m not okay with gay couples adopting… just like you should not raise your kid in an unhealthy enviroment, like killing people, stealing stuff, you should also not raise them in an unatural way.   And by unatural, I mean, if 90% of society were gay, there would not be any procreation..

    Then again, if all gays were to die off AIDS or even old age, we would not have such an over-population problem.

    • Bill

      That’s dumb.  There’s absolteuy no research that says gay couples “screw up” their kids.  

      An unnatural way? What?  Like single parent adoption?  Or divorced familes with 2 moms and 2 dads.  

      You’re disgusting.

  • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

    Those two are non comparable, namely due to the fact that a gay relationship is between consenting adults, whereas a pedophilic or zoophilic one not, as neither children nor animals can give consent. Father daughter relationships are associated with a risk in birth defects for children, which is significant enough that as a society we have determined that these relationships are bad.

    • Anonymous

      And what about polygamous marriage.. why is it not allowed?

    • Anonymous

      It is allowed in some places. I haven’t seen many arguments for or against polygamy. I don’t have a problem with it myself, but I’m open to any rational reasons why it should/shouldn’t be legal.

      But I can’t really understand anyone getting into a polygamous relationship voluntarily (i.e. without religious or strong cultural pressure).

  • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.s.waters Andrew Waters

    Nobody is limiting the rights of Christians. Christian churches are just
    as free to decry homosexuality, to not marry gays, and to do what they
    do now. Having an app in a store is not a right, and Microsoft, Apple,
    or any other software company (as private entities)  has the right to
    not have any apps in their stores that they either disagree with or that they think will hurt their business. However, by not allowing gay marriage you are not only discriminating against the rights of gays, but also against the rights of churches, temples, and other places of worship that have no problem in marrying gays. Your church doesn’t want to marry gays, they don’t have to. However, not allowing them to get married in a church that does allow it or in city hall is plain discriminatory.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t see the sense of your argument.. in one instance you say Apple, Google etc are able determine which apps they should accept in their marketplace because they are private entities.. in another breather you say churches are discriminating by not allowing gays to have their ‘marriage” ceremony in their churches… hello.. the church is not your town hall. 

    • Anonymous

      No, he said that churches are free to not marry gays if it against their beliefs. Legally, a church should have no say in whether two people get married, but the church itself can’t be forced to hold the ceremony or endorse the marriage.

      Perhaps you really don’t understand the difference between discrimination and exercising rights. Giving gays marriage rights doesn’t override a church’s right to choose who they marry or who can enter their church.

      Perhaps some of the religious people actually think that giving gays marriage rights means that they will be forced to participate in these marriages or themselves be forced to marry same sex partners.

  • ali

    I’m sad religion is still taken seriously these days…
    Keep your cult out of peoples private lives.

    • Anonymous

       You are not minding your won business either being sad about the religiousness of other people.

    • Eatdapoopoo

      Shut up, religitard.  Keep it to yourself, because youre crazy.  DO you really want people to know you’re crazy?  Keep it to yourself.

    • Anonymous

      He’s clearly sad that religion is still trying to influence the lives of people who don’t subscribe to that religion.

      Laws should be based on treating all people equally and giving people as much freedom as possible so long as they are not causing harm to others. Laws should not be based on religious superstitions and 2 thousand year old bigotries.

  • ali

    I’m sad religion is still taken seriously these days…
    Keep your cult out of peoples private lives.

  • Eatdapoopoo

    Dey eat da poo poo

  • Renzo

    Damn are people still replying to this thread?

    FABULOUS!!!!

    • Anonymous

      That is the reason why MS shouldn’t be involved with things like this 

    • Anonymous

      Since when is it wrong for a company to do the right thing? If you think about it, Microsoft has probably hundreds of gay employees, so they are supporting their staff.

      I don’t think there would be any complaints if this was about the Ku Klux Klan rather than some anti-gay group.

  • Anonymous

    religious freedom is in the constitution. anybody is free to belive whatever they want even if it offends some group. I think calling them hate groups goes too far. that’s just smear tactics like calling the tea party racists because of the comments of a few individuals.

    in the end, these so called “gay rights watch dog” groups looking for “christian hate groups” are in turn hate groups themselves targeting anybody with a view other than their own.

    they are all hypocrites and all should just shut up. they all have an agenda. if you boycott one group you should boycott all for they all use the same hate smear tactics on one another and they are all just there to further their aganda and force pople to agree with their ideas.

    They should read the constitution instead and let people believe and live in whatever they want even if they dislike their partner preferences or religion.

  • Joe

    Libtards are so intolerable.

  • Jesus

    So proud of Microsoft for taking a stand! CVN is evil. Just another back door scam created by the Focus on the Family crew to syphon money into their hate group.

  • SevenSinners

    Live your Life.
    Die.
    Let God decide.

  • Tyke37

    I find it almost laughable that these homophobic Christians rely on the Old Testament to justify their views and ignore the New Testament. Hmmm, let’s see, Christ hung out with a group of guys who kissed each other when they met, he never married and when he died the only people mourning at the base of the cross were a prostitute and his mother. You loons need to have a strong look at your Book. Further, as the Bible says, God created Man in His image. Why do homophobic “Christians” deny homosexuality as against God? The argument is self-serving and verging on insane. God created homosexuality. Accept your Lord’s creation in total.

  • James

    Speaking as a someone who will soon be a Catholic it saddens me to hear other Christians and the like expressing themselves in such a hateful way, I don’t ever remember seeing a verse in the scriptures that said it’s ok to express hate towards another human bieng, however I do remember seeing many about love and respect for human life (and that includes the LGBT comunity). In fact we as Christians, Catholic or otherwise are required to love others, and that especially includes those we may have differences with. I refuse to speak or express views such as I have read here regarding the LGBT community, LGBT people are human just as you are, they are Gods children just as you are. If you don’t agree with someone or who they are, that is your right, however to express hate towards someone for something they can do nothing about is totally wrong!

    If you are attracted to someone of the same sex, it’s who you are, and not something you can do anything about. Same sex attraction is NOT A CHOICE. I will not be one of these people that sits on my holy perch judging others but this is what happens with many people of faith, some think that they have some God given right to hurt people with their judgemental attitudes.