Town Rallies Around LGBT+ Community After Church Displays Homophobic Sign

Residents of Weed, California have rallied to support the LGBT+ community after a Presbyterian church displayed a brazenly homophobic and transphobic sign, KTVL reports.

The controversial sign reads: "Bruce Jenner is still a man. Homosexuality is still a sin. The culture may change. The Bible does not."

Residents of the town gathered outside the church to only protest the sign but show their support for the LGBT+ community.

"Just a community effort to show that we actually care about all members of our community, regardless of orientation gender or other aspects of identity that make them unique," protestor Robyn Vandiver said.

"I thought it was a poor use of religion."

"You never know who might not be out and public about it and be willing to share because of things like this," another protestor, Sophia Bullington, said. "They might be scared."

Pastor Justin Hoke has responded to the protestors, writing on Facebook: "It is not possible to preach the gospel in short pithy statements. I have used this sign for 7 years now to provoke reflection or make a strong point about a single truth. Such as this one: The culture does not determine truth God does."

While Bullington agrees Hoke has a right to express his opinions however he wants, there is a responsibility that comes with that: "Everybody has their own right to their beliefs whether it be political, religious, anything but to blatantly be hateful towards a community that is constantly growing, constantly becoming bigger."

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