Gay rights

I would like to comment on Pastor Johann Christoph Arnold’s letter in the July 22nd issue about “his” opinion about how the ills of gay marriage will destroy our society. I would like to make some points of my own: 1. God did not write the bible. Not a single pen stroke. Not to imply that it is invalid but just remember that only men wrote it. Although they believe that God told them what to write, it was still the hearts and minds of men that drew the words, men with human bias and belief of the times they lived in. 2. The arguments we have been hearing against all gay rights are exactly the same as those used during the suffrage and civil rights movements. The bible was used then too as an inspirational guidebook; citing scripture that warned of the destruction of our society that would come for inclusion of those “others.” 3. We live in a country founded on freedom, the great American value. Freedom to live in peace and harmony with others without biased and oppression from a few. You say that we are all doomed to destruction because “your” rule book says so. That was the reason why our founders saw the importance of a separation of church and state; not everyone has the same rule book. I pray (yes to God) that the hatred being spewed toward wonderful normal people (that most of us love as we love ourselves) will come to an end. Bob Linguanti Warwick