Arguably the most controversial issue facing Christians today is their attitude towards homosexuality. In recent years, secular and political attitudes have changed, and same-sex unions are increasingly common. With homosexuality increasingly portrayed positively in the media, how sensitively does the church deal with gay people?

What many churches do is condemn gay people to hell, but do very little to demonstrate God’s grace towards them. They also choose to overlook many other issues raised in the Bible. The last place many gay people would ever think of turning to is the church. Yet Jesus embraced those outcast by the church leaders of the time, whether they were tax collectors, prostitutes, heretics or whatever. Fortunately, few Christians openly fall into the "God hates fags" camp. Many claim that they love the sinner, but hate the sin. Yet life for Christians dealing with homosexuality can be particularly difficult. They can often feel isolated by the church, believing that they would be shunned if they made known their feelings. Many argue that the church's traditional teaching on homosexuality is mistaken — they cite the fact that the church's teaching on the role of women, slavery, and divorce has changed over the years. Recently, leading evangelical Tony Campolo opened up the debate:

As a sociologist, I know from my colleagues in my field that research indicates that people do not choose to be homosexuals. Whatever it is that creates that orientation occurs so early in the physical/social development of the individual that decision-making on this matter is never an option. Furthermore, while believing that God can do anything, I have strongly pointed out that sexual orientation does not normatively change even for those who have had deep spiritual experiences and who have had extensive counseling. It is interesting to note that even the leaders of the EXODUS ministries have recently declared that while it is possible for homosexuals to change their behavior and enter into heterosexual marriages that the tendencies towards same-gender attraction is likely to continue throughout the lifespan of gay and lesbian persons. If you read my books, (ie Speaking My Mind), you will find that I have no easy answers for my gay brothers and lesbian sisters. I call them to celibacy but point out that the church, which is quick to affirm this call, is reluctant to provide the emotional support and the prayerful encouragement that is essential for those who would enter into a celibate lifestyle. This is because in most instances, any person who “comes out” as being homosexual is likely to find that the church reacts with rejection and hostility. Hence, our congregations are filled with closeted gays and lesbians. I believe that the church should be open to gays and lesbians. It seems strange to me that the church has become so open to people who are divorced and remarried even though Jesus speaks directly against such relationships but will have little if anything to do with people who are in gay and lesbian relationships. — Tony Campolo, in an open letter to Drew Dyck, New Man Magazine

The church needs to demonstrate God's love to all. Christians need to reach out to gay people in a spirit of friendship rather than fear or even hatred; Christians should remember that all have fallen short of God's standards. Only then can there be a positive dialog between gay people and Christians.

I have examined my own upbringing in a small town in Southern Ohio. I left my little town cocoon quite proud of myself because I was not, in my prideful opinion, a bigot. My definition of a bigot was someone who looked down or demeaned blacks. Because I played basketball with black athletes and had black friends I was pridefully blissful about my "openness" and lack of prejudice. But I found that what lies beneath was not so mature. You see, in Chillicothe, Ohio, I had never met and certainly not befriended any gays, Jews, or Hispanics. I was pretty progressive because I had one very good friend who was Catholic. So when I was exposed to the world I realized that bigotry had many heads. It took me awhile to develop a Christlike attitude toward gays. It is so easy to be judgmental when you don't care enough to love people who are different than you. When you begin to develop a heart for all of God's lost lambs you simply want them to come into a full and deep relationship with Jesus. And then the Holy Spirit will start shining the spotlight on the dark recesses of sin that lies beneath. — Dave Burchett

People on Christian radio have portrayed gays as insatiable, promiscuous people, which they are not, and they describe gay people as fungus on society that must be exterminated. What we're seeing is a growing awareness among evangelicals that they have oversimplified, made false judgments and been very, very mean to the gay and lesbian community. — Rev Dr Tony Campolo

People say that being bisexual, gay, lesbian is wrong, yeah! In the bible it does say that God doesn’t like that. But it also says that God accepts all his children no matter what. — 16 year old gay youth

There are so many issues crying out for concern and application by the church of its resources, and here we are with this kind of extraordinary obsession. — Archbishop Desmond Tutu, calling on Africa's Anglican church to overcome its "obsession" with the issue of gay priests and same-sex marriages

Is it possible to be gay and Christian? How should the church deal with the issue? How do Christians show love for gay people without compromising their beliefs? Let me know what you think.

I want to tell you a story: I am gay and have been a very outspoken gay person and I have always had a tremendous compassion for people in general. During the last two years God has shown me His Truth, and the only Truth. I have been on an amazing road with God, with no shortage of miracles, and through all this I just realise each and every day how wonderful God is, and how much love, compassion and patience He has. I believe that God has called me to work with gay people very specifically, and I am also writing a book at present about my life and how I have experienced everything. I have been in contact with so many people and healing ministries, and I have had so much resistance and rejection from Churches and Christians (and also amazing support from others). This is really sad as God is a God of love and compassion, and He is like that even though He doesn’t condone our behaviour. I don’t believe any more that gay people are born like that, but rather that most gay people have been sexually, emotionally or verbally abused, and I am an example of this as well. The time has come to approach gay people without quoting scriptures from the Bible, and saying things like ‘this is from the devil’, or ‘you are going to hell’. The time has come to realise that inside most gay people is someone who has been abused when they were small, and this small child is crying out for help. The time is now to tell all gay people of the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, and to approach this in a way that does not necessarily suit our own frame of reference, but rather displays the love and compassion of God and how badly He wants to welcome His children home. It takes so much for any gay person to go somewhere for help, and I am a testimony of how often I have been rejected. We have a responsibility to be there for all people, and should we not follow God’s example? For the gay people out there: look to God and not to people, and He will show you peace, love and compassion beyond what you could ever imagine. He is wonderful and almighty. Let us start to make the difference and not wait for others because we can and we will. I would love to hear from you! — Louis

The conflict between 'homosexuality' and Christianity is historically recent and the result of fraudulent propaganda, which may well be related to the wide introduction of the contraceptive pill, the 'sexual emancipation' of women, and the rise of modern feminist movements. The common current allegation that the Bible particularly denounces 'homosexuality' is flawed. Thus those few over-frequently quoted verses of the Bible that are repeatedly claimed to support the allegation are always taken out of context, and none of them anyway are directly from Jesus Christ Himself. The context of the verses in question far from singles out 'homosexuality' as sinful but cites it along with other (hetero)sexual activities, within then contemporary complaints about promiscuous sexual conduct in general. The dictionary definition of 'homosexuality' in fact does not presume conduct (active homosexuality) at all, yet the term is regularly misused such that it is coming to wrongly presuppose involved sexual activity. Thus, correctly defined, the term homosexuality refers to orientation with or without sexual involvement. Accordingly the commonly applied concept of treating 'celibacy' and 'homosexuality' as strict alternatives is totally flawed. Unfortunately society in general does not appear to understand the correct definition of the word 'homosexual' at all. In the light of all this, I do not understand at all how the Roman Catholic Church can justify its frequent pronouncements that homosexuality is sinful. Surely Catholic theologians realise that their arguments are false. I can only conclude that that institution has deviated from the truth by reason of political expediency, and I find that to be religiously unacceptable. Every time there is such a pronouncement, harassment of gay people is exacerbated and the declarations are therefore incitement to crime. The pronouncements are never accompanied by any ameliorating counter-complaint about violence against gay people. Nor are they accompanied by any equivalently levied complaint about heterosexual misconduct such as adultery, promiscuous pre-marital sex, etc, etc. I realise that the Christian churches in their understanding of original sin recognise that sin is inevitable, but that God provides forgiveness. However to single out gay activity or orientation as being in any way uniquely sinful, or particularly more sinful than other, but heterosexual, behaviour or conditions is a total nonsense. — Raymond

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Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet Tackles the Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face Fifteen years ago, Tony Campolo's 20 Hot Potatoes That Christians Are Afraid to Touch pushed, pulled, and prodded Christians into serious consideration of controversial but critical issues related to the Christian life. Campolo challenged his more than 150,000 readers to re-think their convictions (and prejudices) and to do something about them! Dubbed by Christianity Today as "the positive prophet" and "a ferocious critic of Christians left and right," Campolo lives up to his reputation in this latest book examining some of today's toughest questions and issues: Is evangelical Christianity anti-feminist? Is our affluent lifestyle at odds with our faith? Is America really in moral decline? Is Islam really an evil religion? Should Christian parents pull their kids out of public schools? Was the war with Iraq a "just" war? Speaking My Mind…Tony Campolo at his best. USA UK Canada

Be Not Deceived: The Sacred and Sexual Struggles of Gay and Ex-Gay Christian Men Michelle Wolkomir explores the difficult dilemma that gay Christians face in their attempts to reconcile their religious and sexual identities. She introduces the ideologies and practices of two alternative and competing ministries that offer solutions for Christians who experience homosexual desire. One organization — the Metropolitan Community Churches — believes that God made people gay to suit divine purposes. Changing one's sexuality is therefore impossible and a defiance of God. In contrast, Exodus International preaches that homosexuality is a sin and a symptom of disordered psychological development — one that can be cured through redemptive prayer. By comparing participant experiences in these ministries, Wolkomir explores the paths and processes by which members learn to become gay or ex-gay Christians. Be Not Deceived goes far beyond the obvious differences between the ministries to uncover their similarities. USA UK Canada

Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views Few recent issues have sparked such debate in the churches as homosexuality, same-sex unions, and ordination of gays and lesbians. A key point of contention is the meaning and authority of the biblical witness. In this brief book, two New Testament scholars discuss the relevant biblical texts on the subject of homosexual behavior and orientation. Discussing both Old and New Testament texts, each author also raises important interpretive and moral questions and then offers a response to the other’s main assertions. Chief questions examined by each include what the Bible has to say about homosexuality and homosexual behavior, the meaning of those texts in their cultural contexts, and the larger hermeneutical dilemma of what kind of authority the Bible’s teaching, if recoverable, has for Christians today. A thoughtful and irenic dialogue, this volume can facilitate reflection and discussion among church members on a vital and contentious issue in church life. USA UK Canada

The Cry of A Little Boy — Overcoming the Struggle: Tracy J Sipp Can you imagine a little boy, five years old, living in a world full of confusion because he doesn’t understand what sexuality has to do with his innocent life? He always knew he was different; how else could he explain the cruel teasing he was forced to endure at the hands of the children and adults in his community? This little boy suffered teasing as being a homosexual, and was repeatedly molested by his older brother, men as old as his father, and young boys from the neighborhood. These relentless acts of torment would eventually cause him to suffer from a sexual addiction so damning that it would ultimately bring him to the brink of destruction, almost resulting in an untimely death. Ultimately, this little boy grew to live most of his life as a homosexual. Afflictions continued to plague his life and he lost a sister and the brother who once molested him to AIDS. In an effort to define his own existence, this little boy searched his whole life for love in all the wrong people. USA UK Canada

When Bad Christians Happen to Good People Throughout history, Christians have done considerable damage to others — both independently and in the name of Christ. Each time this occurs, one of God’s precious creations is wounded and the church’s witness to the world is grievously weakened. For years, unbelievers and Christians have rejected the church because of damaging encounters with a Christian, a Christian leader, or a group of Christians. No matter how much we wish to reverse the damage, however, we cannot reach the unchurched with the life-changing message of the gospel — nor can we protect those still within the body — unless we insist upon dramatic changes within our church communities. Targeting every person who has ever been hurt by a Christian — as well as those believers responsible for inflicting such damaging wounds — author Dave Burchett calls for a new way of relating that will bring healing to the church and transform our witness to the world.USA UK Canada

Many black men who sleep with other men do not consider themselves to be gay. These men live "on the down low," and their sexual activities have gained notice as the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in black women has skyrocketed, with the vast majority of cases coming from heterosexual sex. On The Down Low

After making headlines — and enemies — by becoming the first NBA player to come out, John Amaechi is trying to lose the tag of "that gay British basketball player". A project to give thousands of young people a better start in life may provide a different kind of legacy. John Amaechi: Man in the Middle

If there is only one African American gay video superstar, it's Bobby Blake. While many black models have briefly enjoyed surge of popularity, none have broken through like Blake. "You can put Bobby’s face on anything – any kind of movie and it will sell," says one filmmaker. The Bobby Blake Story

Photographer Pedro Virgil takes you on an intimate journey behind-the-scenes giving you candid glimpses of sportsmen as they bare their muscular physiques chiseled by combat on the field, and relax, often nude in front of the camera in a highly-charged interpretation of the naked spirit of masculinity. Gods of Sport