"What Was Once a Truly Beautifully Represented Religion"

Those were the indicting words of Tully Satre, a contributor to "The Advocate" and the founder of Equality Fauquier-Culpepper in Virginia. He's also a junior in high school.

Satre received a lot of feedback recently from Christians, none of it good according to him. Here are a couple of the most disturbing quotes from his column:

"I have seen—more often than not—Christians as a people whose sole purpose and mission in life is to “help” people be unaccepting of themselves, give up their own truths, and trade them in for a fake life. "

".....nearly every single letter and act toward me in the name of Christianity or by a Christian person has been hateful, isolating, and completely focused on my “self-destructive actions.”

Satre closes with this:

"I am not asking for an explanation; I am asking for a reason: Why have I not received a single letter from anyone saying they accept me because they are a Christian? "

I know he's received at least one because I sent him an e-mail. I suggest you do the same. Show Tully that God loves him as he is and that he is accepted by Christians who understand that. His e-mail address is tully@efcva.org

Folks, this is what we are up against when we reach out to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. We've got a lot of work ahead of us. We need to reach out futher because of those who have pushed them away from God.