I have a male friend, who also happens to be gay, that once told me something, and it was almost word for word your statement of, "It is not the whole of me, and it is not the most important thing in my life. It is only something about me – like brown eyes or being short." He was explaining why he'd removed the gay pride sticker from his car and how yes, he was gay, but that wasn't ALL that he was and he was tired of the "label" and all that it brought. He is brown eyed and short as well! I feel bad for you my friend, when you have to 'suffer the consequences' for being yourself. Hopefully it's not often, or very much but ANY suffering is too much.

Your views on religion are pretty close to mine. Everyone is different, has different beliefs, different things that carry them through, different personal truths. There is no right or wrong, It's what each of us do WITH those beliefs that matter. When people cannot respect (Kyriene put it so well!) each other's opinions, idealologies and decisions it irritates me to no end.

Kudos to you for sticking by your personal truths and hopefully the ignorant don't get you down too often. In the end it's obvious the better man is not the ignorant fool.