I think this is a little nutty... just because religious beliefs make you disagree with homosexuality does not make it okay to practice hateful behavior and discrimination. If you are that religious, judgment and hate should not be part of your behavior anyway. If we really want to get into threatening liberties....

to address above comment: no, not all religions stress loving their enemies. that's not what was crossing the minds of the radical terrorists who flew planes into the Tower
But Jesus, who is God come to Earth as man, taught that we are "to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us."
But who ever said "love" was letting people do whatever they wanted? How is that love? When you were a toddler and you reached for the hot stove, hopefully your parents loved you enough to pull you away or slap your hand.

Love isn't easy. Love isn't a feeling. Its a choice that people aren't choosing to make. Instead they choose "tolerance", which isn't love at all; it simply apathy towards the actions of others. "Live and let live."
Why would we stand by and let God's children continue to reach for that "hot stove?" The hard truth is homosexuality is a sin; as is lying, adultery, stealing, coventing and a TON of behaviors we ALL commit or have committed.The hard truth is WE'VE all had to overcome. The Glorious Truth is that no matter WHAT we've done, Jesus loves us.
THAT's what they're trying to teach, or should be.

And encounter w/ God shouldn't leave you feeling hopeless and worthless, but repentant, willing to grow and excited at the hope you now see in Christ. If you walk away from an encounter w/ a "religious person", and feel hopless, dismayed, etc; there was not enough Christ present and too much religion. God IS love, true love, and He loves us enough to tell us when we're messing up. John 3:16 Let His Word be heard.

This does violate not only freedom of speech but most definitely threatens religious rights. And here's why: Christians follow what the Bible Says. God calls homosexuality a sin. There's no opinion in there, it's just what God says. No different than fornication, idolatry, etc. Calling the act for what it is shouldn't be condemned, no more than the homosexual has the right to their lifestyle, beliefs and to say what they think is right or wrong. This as such should never be considered a 'hate crime' nor should churches be forced to abstain from preaching against such acts. The only thing that should be a hate crime is when it actually becomes a hate crime... Or is this no longer America?

loving your enemy and not agreeing with sinful acts are two different things which shouldn't be confused. For example, I have a cousin who is homosexual. I love her, she's a great person, but I don't agree with her choice of lifestyle. I know where she stand, she knows where I stand and we both know where God stands. We are civil and loving towards one another...and I would never consider her or any other homosexual my enemy. It doesn't change the fact that what she's doing is explicitly forbidden in the bible. The bible doesn't say being black is wrong. Color of skin is just color...we are all people. What choices we make is what separates us... just a fact, not a discrimination. Also, what "violence towards a group of people" are you talking about? What about Christians, who are persecuted everyday, ridiculed, made fun of, killed even all over the world? How tragic it would be if we lost our freedom of speech. Freedoms lost is what enslaved our african american population... Now it's like we're returning to those same close minded times, only with a new group of people...and this time, it's the Christians.

i agree w/ shalamyisrael, i don't consider people who practice homosexuality "enemies;" i myself fought w/ bisexuality for a few years, before giving my life to Christ. But I wouldn't consider anyone else who disagrees w/ Christianity my "enemy" either, but it DOES seem to be that the people who are offended by the Gospel have no problem touted us as "enemies." And only by that token would they be considered "enemies" and therefore, need love and prayer more than anything else I could give.
Please, America...you are the voice that the world used to turn to and be able to trust. We need to be that shining city on a hill again.

Honestly you should live the way you wanna live. You shouldn't have to live up to people's expectations and yet people do. If I was lesbian I know my friends opinions wouldn't change of me because I know how they feel about that sort of thing. But if my mom found out that I was lesbian since she is so Christian she would disown me and kick me out the house. Which makes no sense because you're supposed to forgive and eventually accept that you can't change the way a person feels. You can't change the way a person wants to be and if you do then there is something wrong with you. Everybody should be the way they wanna be. That's why God invented free will. To see how people would change. This Hate Crime Bill is a waste of time and energy and people should just let people be the way they want to be.

Did you say you agreed?

freak4jc
Hate is the absence of love and God is Love; therefore, hate must the absence of God in a person's life. It's sad that people equate going to church w/ knowing God. (Hangin' out in a garage certainly doesn't make me an SUV!) It's simply not true. Look at the history in the Bible; His people constantly walked away from Him and doubted Him; they even crucified Him.

And I think we got the whole idea backwards, the church would be guilty of "hate crimes" for preaching the Bible and living the way that is aligned w/ the Bible; i.e. not hiring homosexuals to conduct a marriage Bible study for a random example.

But I guess the rights of "Christians" aren't as valid as those in other minorities. Look around, Christians are becoming more and more persecuted even in USA. Home Depot fired someone recently for having a pin w/ "God" on it and reading his Bible at lunch.