Pro-Gay Rights Religious Billboard Vandalized
by 365Gay.com Newscenter StaffPosted: April 26, 2007 - 11:00 am ET in this place.
(Indianapolis, Indiana) Church leaders sponsoring a pro-gay religious billboard campaign in Indianapolis say they will not be deterred after several of the huge signs were painted out.
One of the billboards was completely obliterated with black spray paint. Another had the words “lie, lie, lie,” spray painted in red.
The campaign is being coordinated by Jesus Metropolitan Community Church of Indianapolis, with support from Faith In America and Metropolitan Community Churches worldwide. Faith In America is a national organization devoted to ending the injustice of religion-based bigotry against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
Twenty-two billboards featuring pro-gay Biblical messages were put up throughout Indianapolis. The campaign which began earlier this month (story) is to last 30 days.
One billboard proclaims “David loved Jonathan More than women. II Samuel 1:26″ another says “Jesus affirmed a gay couple. Matthew 8:5-13.” Yet another says “Ruth loved Naomi as Adam loved Eve. Genesis 2:24; Ruth 1:14.”
Police said that to deface the signs the vandals would have needed an extension ladder. A police department spokesperson said that it would be hard to find the culprits, unless they were caught in the act.
Police stations throughout the city have been told to be on the lookout for suspicious activity around the other billboards.
Jesus MCC also has distributed about 2,000 yard signs around the city. Many of them have been pulled out of the ground in front of LGBT supporters homes.
“There was a sense of disappointment, a sense of shock, the church’s pastor, Rev. Jeff Miner, told WRTV.
Milner said he hopes a community sense of outrage helps spur debate.
“We’re going to share a positive, powerful message how the Bible affirms gay people and we know there is going to be some opposition as we try to get that message out here,” he said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the vandalism.
The Indiana Family Institute which has been pressing for a constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage denounced the vandalism but also criticized the billboards messages.
“I think homosexuals are noted in the Bible in a couple of key passages that were an example of sexual sin that is decried by God,” said spokesperson Curt Smith.
Earlier this month a proposed amendment banning same-sex marriage and likely barring any benefits for unmarried couples - same, or opposite-sex - died in a committee at the legislature.
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