Christian Churches Supporting Homosexuals

[Richhamleigh, DC]

Compiled from a website that lists churches that openly welcome GBLT by region as defined by the US Census Bureau...States with more than 70 churches are in bold. Population figures are based on 2004 estimates.

NORTHEAST:

CT 50

ME 25

MA 111

NH 17

NJ 168

NY 266

PA 149

RI 17

VT 20

TOTAL CHURCHES: 823

TOTAL REGIONAL POPULATION: 54,571,147

CHURCHES/POPULATION: 66,307 people for each church

SOUTH:

AL 28

AR 16

DE 14

DC 59

FL 115

GA 58

KY 27

LA 14

MD 119

MS 4

NC 77

OK 26

SC 8

TN 42

TX 156

VA 90

WV 9

TOTAL CHURCHES: 862

TOTAL REGIONAL POPULATION: 105,944,965

CHURCHES/POPULATION: 122,905 people per church

MIDWEST:

IL 152

IN 40

IA 49

KS 35

MI 106

MN 148

MO 64

NE 20

ND 6

OH 143

SD 7

WI 83

TOTAL CHURCHES: 853

TOTAL REGIONAL POPULATION: 65,729,852

CHURCHES/POPULATION: 77,057 per church

WEST:

AK 6

AZ 66

CA 571

CO 77

ID 6

HI 16

MT 11

NM 26

NV 9

OR 73

UT 13

WA 138

WY 3

TOTAL CHURCHES: 1015

TOTAL REGIONAL POPULATION: 67,409,440

CHURCHES/POPULATION: 66,413 per church

So what does this mean? I don't know...I suppose it depends on your spiritual perspective. Unfortunately these numbers don't cast a particularly good light on the South (numerically - as compared to the other regions; it's not, and should not be considered by any stretch of the imagination, an indication of one region's level of "acceptance" over another. Nevertheless, the numbers are interesting and there were some surprises like NC and VA being so high and GA being low; VT so high relative to her small population; NJ and PA high compared to MA...CT high, RI low...ME as high as it is...etc... I wasn't surprised by the Rocky Mountain states...Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, but Nevada kinda surprised me....)

What do you think?

[Recchia]

Funny you should bring this up, I just saw a commercial for a church (United Church of Christ maybe?) that says they accept anyone, it was a great commercial too, people sitting in a church getting ejected (two men holding hands, a young woman with a baby) followed by "god doesnt reject people, come to our church" or something like that.

Anyway, I know there are a bunch of churches in Providence with rainbows on their front steps.

[Cotuit]

NJ and PA high compared to MA...CT high, RI low...

MA and especially RI are heavily catholic. The catholic church is not accepting, but I believe one would find that many of the congregations in RI and MA catholic churches are more open minded and accepting than the church's doctrine is.

[dimebag1980]

I'm not sure about other cities in Louisiana, but I know of two in Shreveport and they both even do "wedding" ceremonies. I put wedding in quotations, because as we all know, in Louisiana it's not a true marriage until our state's constitution is changed. I have a few good gay friends, both male and female, who were "married" at churches in Shreveport.

[runawayjim]

MA and especially RI are heavily catholic. The catholic church is not accepting, but I believe one would find that many of the congregations in RI and MA catholic churches are more open minded and accepting than the church's doctrine is.

don't forget that this isn't a per capita thing... RI has fewer churches than the other states in question because it has fewer people (and fewer areas to cover). NJ and PA have more than MA because they are more populous. the RI and MA numbers might be off because catholic churches won't openly admit that they are accepting of gays (or anyone that doesn't fit the official doctrine).

[Snowguy716]

I found it surprising that Minnesota is 6th in the nation despite being 21st for population.

Minnesota does have a high number of main-line protestants however, who tend to be more accepting of gays/lesbians.

I've seen TV commercials for the Methodist Church saying "Our hearts are open, our minds are open, our arms are open."

Some Catholic churchs, quite a few Lutheran, and Episcopalean tend to be the most accepting here. The Baptists tend to be the most conservative.

[Scott]

Does this include Unitarian churches because I thought there were at least 100 of them in Massachusetts?

[Richhamleigh, DC]

Does this include Unitarian churches because I thought there were at least 100 of them in Massachusetts?

I don't believe the numbers include Unitarian Churches (I didn't see any listed...).

The per capita thing is something I wanted to calculate - maybe I'll do it...it explains Texas...

Personally, pretty proud of NC.

[Claws]

TN did pretty well considering that many people think of it as a state full of bible-beating holier-than-thous.

[krazeeboi]

TN did pretty well considering that many people think of it as a state full of bible-beating holier-than-thous.

It still is; now we know that a lot of them are gay.

[dimebag1980]

I don't believe the numbers include Unitarian Churches (I didn't see any listed...).

If this is the case, then note that Shreveport only has one Christian church that I know of which supports homosexuality. Not knowing how UU is classified, I considered it to be "Christian."

[Miesian Corners]

The Episcopal church I belong to here in Charlotte has a lesbian associate rector. Great lady, but gives terribly boring sermons and homilies.

[Joope19]

I can't figure out why a church would except something like that in the church. It's funny regardless of catholics or other christians. In their bible the churches where warned about this.

[runawayjim]

I can't figure out why a church would except something like that in the church. It's funny regardless of catholics or other christians. In their bible the churches where warned about this.

what in the bible warned the churches of homosexuals? nothing flat out condemns homosexuality.

[damus]

what in the bible warned the churches of homosexuals? nothing flat out condemns homosexuality.

I've only read it once for the laughs at not screwin with animals and stupid stuff like that while "working" at workstudy, but if anything condemns homosexuality it would be the book of Leviticus. Also keep in mind that there are many different interpretations of the bible out there. The guy who I "worked" with who showed me Levitucus said he liked to have as many translations of the Bible as he could get his hands on.

on edit: http://www.whosoever.org/I2Leviticus.html

[Snowguy716]

Oh yes.. wonderful Leviticus.

Be sure to ask anybody who cites Leviticus as justifaction for hating gay people if he/she also follows kosher laws or works on Sundays...

It's these type of people that pretty much drove me away from church.

[Recchia]

I can't figure out why a church would except something like that in the church. It's funny regardless of catholics or other christians. In their bible the churches where warned about this.

Yes and in the Bible it also says we should stone hookers and adulterers to death.

[dimebag1980]

Oh yes.. wonderful Leviticus.

Be sure to ask anybody who cites Leviticus as justifaction for hating gay people if he/she also follows kosher laws or works on Sundays...

It's these type of people that pretty much drove me away from church.

Very, VERY true...

[MJLO]

Why do religious people put so much emphasis on homosexuality, when it's not by far the biggest battle they face. Or did I miss that part in Corinthians, you know the scripture that talks about those who won't inherit the kingdom, Adulterors, theives, murderers, and yes if we are quoting scripture, men who lie with men. But will one of you religious types point out where it says that hell burns just a little hotter for those big nelly queers? It doesn't! In fact any sexual act outside the plan of God is a sin. It's all the same thing. So why do you all go around giving a pass to a guy and a girl that randomly hook up and have promiscuous immoral liasons, while you wage war on homosexuals? This society has already mainstreamed behavior outside of wedlock. And you say that it's the homosexuals who drive it down. Being around gay people might open youthful eyes. But are you going to ignore the fact that most young people are not gay, and there are hundreds of millions of people in our society, who go around and do whatever they want whenever they want. Why don't you stop and take notice of what you all are doing, focus on your own sins, and leave other people alone.

The hypocrasy of it all astounds me.

[dimebag1980]

Why do religious people put so much emphasis on homosexuality, when it's not by far the biggest battle they face. Or did I miss that part in Corinthians, you know the scripture that talks about those who won't inherit the kingdom, Adulterors, theives, murderers, and yes if we are quoting scripture, men who lie with men. But will one of you religious types point out where it says that hell burns just a little hotter for those big nelly queers? It doesn't! In fact any sexual act outside the plan of God is a sin. It's all the same thing. So why do you all go around giving a pass to a guy and a girl that randomly hook up and have promiscuous immoral liasons, while you wage war on homosexuals? This society has already mainstreamed behavior outside of wedlock. And you say that it's the homosexuals who drive it down. Being around gay people might open youthful eyes. But are you going to ignore the fact that most young people are not gay, and there are hundreds of millions of people in our society, who go around and do whatever they want whenever they want. Why don't you stop and take notice of what you all are doing, focus on your own sins, and leave other people alone.

The hypocrasy of it all astounds me.

You go, boy.

[suburban george3]

There are 2 churches here that have "openly gay" services. However, I feel like it's almost an extension of the meat market at the nearby club the night before. Plus the pastors seem really "strange" to me. Can't quite explain it...

[cityboi]

I'm straight but I always believed that the church should welcome everyone. From the point of view of the Southern Baptist Convention, homsexuals arent welcome in the church because its a sin. that logic doesnt make sense because if people came to church without sin, what would we need church for? why would we need God? This send the wrong message to people by have having our representives of God say that certain people are not welcome in the church. It says to those people that God doesnt love them. I think part of the reason is that the church thinks people can just switch their sexual orientation which you cant. sexual orientation is not a choice. You cant make a gay person straight and you cant make a straight person gay. A person's sexual orientation is fixed. People spend to much time pointing out what other people are doing when they need to look in the mirror at themselves.

There is also alot of irony with those people who holds signs that say "God hates fa_ _". The last I check, the devil hates not God. I think people really need to be careful using God as an excuse to hate a certain segmant of the population.

[dimebag1980]

I'm straight but I always believed that the church should welcome everyone. From the point of view of the Southern Baptist Convention, homsexuals arent welcome in the church because its a sin. that logic doesnt make sense because if people came to church without sin, what would we need church for? why would we need God. THis send the wrong message to people by have having our representives of God say that certain people are not welcome in the church. It says to those people that God doesnt love them.

There is also alot of irony with those people who holds signs that say "God hates fa_ _". The last I check, the devil hates not God. I think people really need to be careful using God as an excuse to hate a certain segmant of the population.

That little church that goes around carying those signs should be ashamed of what it's promoting. Satan works through people, and there is no doubt he's working through those people by making them think they're doing right. They're not.

[runawayjim]

That little church that goes around carying those signs should be ashamed of what it's promoting. Satan works through people, and there is no doubt he's working through those people by making them think they're doing right. They're not.

there's more people than just that phelps guy and his "church" (aka, his family) saying god hates gays. i have to say, i find baptists to be highly amusing, especially when it comes to their naivety. i spent the past several days at a conference for higher ed IT and i hung out with a few... they don't drink, so they assume anyone who does is drunk off of 1 drink. they think people who party and drink a lot are alcoholics. they think people who hang out with gays are questionable (i went to a gay bar with a few of the people while i was here). and then there's the whole no dancing thing, which is just really odd to me.

call me crazy, but that's not morals, that's dictatorship. i grew up catholic and i think they worship a different god and a different jesus than i was taught about. jesus gave people wine for crying out loud. i was always taught that christianity meant accepting everyone for who they are... not accepting gays is against christianity. jesus's best friend was a prostitute. i think those christians who don't accept everyone are a bit hypocritical.

[dimebag1980]

there's more people than just that phelps guy and his "church" (aka, his family) saying god hates gays. i have to say, i find baptists to be highly amusing, especially when it comes to their naivety. i spent the past several days at a conference for higher ed IT and i hung out with a few... they don't drink, so they assume anyone who does is drunk off of 1 drink. they think people who party and drink a lot are alcoholics. they think people who hang out with gays are questionable (i went to a gay bar with a few of the people while i was here). and then there's the whole no dancing thing, which is just really odd to me.

call me crazy, but that's not morals, that's dictatorship. i grew up catholic and i think they worship a different god and a different jesus than i was taught about. jesus gave people wine for crying out loud. i was always taught that christianity meant accepting everyone for who they are... not accepting gays is against christianity. jesus's best friend was a prostitute. i think those christians who don't accept everyone are a bit hypocritical.

I don't know what kind of Baptists those were, but Southern Baptists don't mind drinking. They just don't want to be seen doing it. One of my Baptist friends will drink and go to strip clubs with me (out of town or across the state line, that is,) but he won't step foot on a casino property, even just to see a show or dine at a fabulous restaurant. I call that hypocritical more than naive.

My wife's mother is a Jehovah's Witness... now there's a naive bunch. And they're the most outspoken bunch against every "sin." They don't smoke, they shave daily, they don't grow their hair long, they drink only in extremely limited quantities, they don't lie, cuss, cheat, steal, etc. And my mother-in-law won't come right out and say "hate," because "hate is a sin," but she very strongly dislikes homosexuals. She did finally admit recently, though, that "homosexuals are some of the nicest people." Duh. lol