In response to the last 2 replies:

First George Hubka, simple Googling 'same sex rights denied' will lead you to the information you asked for. The first two links alone from the HRC, and the Freedom to Marry organization speaks of 1,184 rights denied. There are many more links there. I hardly made these numbers up.  You can see for yourself they speak to specific laws and are not simply a matter of opinion. We can try to fault the sources but there is no denying the facts.

Scott, we have roughly similar Christian backgrounds.I am 56, raised in the church, have studied the Word my entire adult life. I have been involved in church ministries and support, and taught and attended Sunday school for years. I have family and many friends who are professional clergy.

As for doing your homework, I am talking about studying on this specific issue as people of many churches and denominations have done, many of whom after such study went on to create open and affirming congregations. A place to start such study is at the godmademegay.com , letter to Louise site already provided which must not have been looked at. You can also read some of the resources at the United Church of Christ site, UCC.org, for some theology and polity.  Peter Gomes, the former head of Harvard Divinity has written on specific passages. Soulforce.org has info.

The Bible has indeed been used to justify slavery. 'Slaves, obey your Christian masters'. Sorry but this is history and not in dispute. There are instructions about how to treat slaves. Wilberforce would not have had to work so hard to eliminate the slave trade, nor the US,  without  fundamentalists thumping their bibles. The bible has been used to keep women out of ministry, still is with some. It has been used against mixed race marriages, and now to regulate same sex marriage. Interpretations are everything. We interpret simply in Sunday school classes what it says to us. This is core to study. A literal reading of Leviticus for example, would have us stoning our children to death if they cuss us, sacrificing pigeons at the temple, not cutting our hair, not eating shrimp, not planting two kinds of seeds in the same patch,wearing mixed fabrics, or playing football because we touch pigskin. We know more now. Literal reading, which itself depends on what version of the bible is being read and who interpreted that version, is blind and unthinking. It cherry picks and reinforces self held prejudices. Some just think a gay relationship is icky and unnatural and use the bible to prove it, for instance. A gay person might think the same about straight people.Some interpret to condemn, some to witness to grace and love.

As for statistics, we know anyone can get them to say anything. We do not need to start throwing those around. Nothing is solved here.. I merely submit info if anyone cares to study the issue further as a matter of compassion for our GLBT families who have every right to be treated with the same dignity, respect and rights as everyone else.