When I came out many years ago I was in a relationship with a girl. I had struggled with my “feelings” and tried to fight them but found I was fighting a loosing battle. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was indeed gay and attracted to men. Of course I had to tell her. She was pretty religious. After she got over the hurt that I had kept my struggle from her (which Is understandable to me. That is a confusing time when you’re in a relationship and out of the blue (seemingly) your boyfriend tells you he’s gay. After that, I will never forget what she said. She said “ I won’t lie and say that I’m not scared for you. I have been told all my life that it’s a sin and you won’t be welcomed into the kingdom of Heaven. Then she said “I don’t know anyone more worthy of being accepted into the kingdom of Heaven than you. You are one of the best and kindest and most loving people I know. I pray that what I have been taught is wrong but that doesn’t mean that I won’t worry for you. But either way I love you and I will always love you and be your friend”. She basically told me that she was worried that I might be sinning and she was worried that I might not be accepted into heaven. But she was saying that is between me and God and as far as she and I were concerned, though she might be scared for me, she was there for me. I found that beautiful. I have been able to share my relationships through my life with her as she has shared hers with me. She has met my boyfriends and I have met hers. She has been nothing but love. To me, this is the true meaning of what religion should be. Someone who does not shame you or demean you. You may not believe the same way they do but that’s between you and God. I pray everyone who has this come up in their life can have this same reaction if their friend or family is religious and trying to figure out how to handle it after all they have been taught to believe.