"I work in HIV and AIDS. Faith can be resource, support for SOME. This is a list of lgbt groups (support or gay friendly) within each denomination listed. Let's start by contacting them and starting a dialogue and inviting them. Leaders in each city find your local chapter if you have one. Stop the h8 against the religious NOW. Start with Stopping the anti Mormon H8. There are gay mormon chapters in SF and LA.
(Mormon) www.affirmation.org www.ldsfamilyfellowship.org (American Baptists) www.rainbowbaptists.org; www.wabaptists.org (Buddhism) www.gaybuddhist.org ( Disciples of Christ-Christian ) www.gladalliance.org; (Episcopal USA) www.integrityusa.org; (Evangelical Lutheran) www.goodsoil.org; www.lcna.org (Hinduism) www.glava108.org; (Islam)www.al-fatiha.org; (Judaism Conservative, Orthodox or Reformed) www.glbtjews.org (Methodist United) www.rmnetwork.org (Metropolitan Community- the whole church is welcoming and supports marriage of LGBT people) (Presbyterian Church USA) www.mlp.org; (Roman Catholic) www.dignityusa.org; (Seventh Day Adventist) www.sdakinship.org; (Unitarian Universaliist - Accepts LGBT people and performs marriages where legal. www.uua.org) (United Church of Christ- welcome LGBT people supports equal marriage, some bless gay marriages. www.ucccoalition.org; (Evangelicals) www.ecwr.org also check out www.religioustolerance.org Let's start working with those groups who voted against us, find the people who didn't and have them work within their groups to change them from the inside.
Thanks for listening. These groups are our friends. PS. also check out the podcast "Oh God I'm Gay" on Itunes. Done by an African American Lesbian where she talks to people on the intersection between sexuality and spirituality. Example: a Transgender Methodist Pastor. or www.uusf.org podcast done by a Gay Reverand of a UU church. "What is Marriage For"
Hugs River "

"If we start with this list and we get involved with these religious communities in a big way it will get the attention of other gay friendly organizations and I believe they will make themselves known to us. But people in our community have to be willing to get involved in this way. Even Atheists and Agnostics need to be in on it. Go to churches that except you and wear your white ribbons. Speak candidly, but without venom or anger with the church members after services over coffee and doughnuts. We can get more people directly involved by doing things like this. Not everything has to be banners and chanting. Little things over time have a habit of becoming big things. We are building a snowman, and the only way to make a really great snowman is to make it layer by layer, slowly but surely. Rolling each snowball in turn until it is big enough to make a snowman whole. "

"I require that we compile a long list of all the major and minor religious denominations throughout America.

But how are we going to find all of them? There is so many.

I believe if we can engage all of the religious denominations - from Christians, to Jews, to Muslims, to Buddhists, to Hindus - and many sub-categories from within, I think we can do this!

Anyone care to help me and others here??? THANK YOU!"

"Thanks for the links to the podcasts, I'm excited to listen to them. I found this one interesting as well: GayAgenda.com speaks with OUT Mormon Serena - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Hipps/page/1. That interview made me seriously consider issues regarding gay Mormon LGBT people which I hadn't previously considered. There's also an interesting documentary on the Documentary Channel titled "Straight Acting" from 2006 where a Gay Mormon is struggling with church and sexuality through ---- oddly enough ---- Rugby. Personally, I got kinda bored when the sports talk got to be too much.

I do think religious hate is an improper and generalized term for what is happening. It's regrettable that when a dialogue about religion takes place, there isn't a term in place for exclusionary religions and thus all churches and religions are thus associated with the conversation, regardless of their friendliness or acceptance or whatever we want to call it toward LGBT people. A nice simple term that doesn't require a five page disclaimer...

But by ignoring the intolerance associated with evangelical and extreme/radical/whatever you want to call them religious people, we ignore the source of many of the problems - including the use of religion to further abuse LGBT youth by comments (often by their parents) such as: You are going to hell. God doesn't love homosexuals. You can't be gay and get to heaven.... etc... etc...

How do we create a dialogue about this without sounding like "religious hate" - even LGBT people think we are "hating" on religion? What should we do? What is your solution so it is not perceived as religious hate? How do we avoid our allies getting hit with "friendly-fire"?"

"I am very glad to see this post, it is sometimes hard to be Christian and be gay, even with in our own community. These are great ideas and resources.
Thank you!"