While man sees the external actions and hears the spoken words, only God sees to the heart.

Whether it be the Christian baker, Israel Folau or St. Paul, only God or possibly His prophets can tell whether the very first thought that led to their words and actions was devotional or bigoted.

We must be very careful not to judge and always err on the side of caution to assume that their motive was truly religious. We need not worry if we happen to be wrong because in that case, God has plenty of perfect ways to repair their souls.

This is what I think.
I think the truth of the following is self-evident....^_^
People must think for themselves.
Not just follow blindly because it sounds right.
Whatever anyone says, be critical and cautious.
Think, and arrive at your own conclusion.
Seek other opinions if you are unsure.
Give yourself a wider knowledge base.
Allow yourself time to assemble facts.
A society where all people follow sound, and carefully thought out, principles, which principles are based on truth, is preferable to one where groups of zombie like humans predominate?
So use truth as your engine.
Truth is the one indispensable, and unchangeable, facet of life.
Truth in all things is essential for progress.
Regrettably, I have noticed a rather unfortunate trait, evident in some humans.
They cannot handle the truth.
Jack Nicholson got it right?

The current opinion of mental health professionals, for example both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association, on conversion therapy is that it is fraudulent, even if the homosexual is desperately anxious to change. You might compare its practitioners to the charlatans who tell you that coffee enemas will cure your cancer. Not only is it highly unlikely to work, but it can be actually harmful to the mental health of the patient.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=American+Psychological+Association+conversion+therapy

https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/apa-reiterates-strong-opposition-to-conversion-therapy

There is increasing evidence that homosexuality has biological causes. Search "fraternal birth order effect homosexuality". A man who has several older brothers is more likely to be homosexual, provided that they have the same biological mother, than one who does not. The theory is that some women have an overactive immune system that reacts against a fetal protein needed for normal male development, once she has been sensitized by a previous pregnancy with a male fetus. The more boys she has, the stronger the effect.

Christians no longer burn witches or condone slavery, so why persecute homosexuals? Better to concentrate on your own sins.

Did this man sin or his parents that he was born blind? John 9:2

different was some kind of sin!
Alan B,
Different as in being more conscientious, respectful & caring is definitely deemed a sin now !

"The irony...is that Latham, who has professed not to be a Christian, has become one of the most notable defenders of religious freedom..."
No irony in that, none at all. It is precisely what a true lover of free thought and free speech should profess. There is zero value in a belief in those freedoms if it applies only to beliefs shared between two parties.

I once postulated to a friend that homosexuality was nature's way of curtailing population growth.
I said it is a function built in to the reproductive process.
I said we should be thankful it is so, and not rail against those whose sexuality does not match their physical person.
We should be thanking them instead.
As an aside, about five years later he said the same thing back to me, as if it were his own thought.
It is interesting how minds work.
Anyway, I didn't remind him of our previous conversation.
I didn't say a word.
But I still think it entirely possible that nature's hand is in the till.
I have another thought.
Enabling homosexuals to reproduce goes against any good that nature has wrought?
So I don't exactly approve when I hear of it happening.
But, who am I to deny others the right to fulfil their instinctive need, when nature is clearly directing that too.
And in all and any circumstance, for any person to say that homosexuality is sinful or degrading, is total nonsense.
Such persons really need to understand more about the human body, and get a grip on reality.
And it would be helpful if they were to be guided by fact as well.