Washington

Seattle-based sex-advice columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage chose to stand by his controversial remarks about the Bible that made a number of Christian students leave a recent seminar. Savage was severely criticized for saying people should "learn to ignore the bull**** in the Bible about gay people." He did not apologize for the comment, although he did apologize in a recent column for using the term "pansy-assed" against the students who took issue with his remarks.

"I was not attacking the faith in which I was raised," Savage, who was raised Catholic, wrote in the column. "I was attacking the argument that gay people must be discriminated against – and anti-bullying programs that address anti-gay bullying should be blocked (or exceptions should be made for bullying 'motivated by faith') – because it says right there in the Bible that being gay is wrong."

Savage, who recently launched a sex advice show targeted toward college students on MTV and whose "It Gets Better" anti-bullying campaign is supported by the Obama administration, uttered the controversial remarks on April 13 at the Journalism Over the Edge/National Scholastic Press Association National High School Journalism Convention. In a room full of high school students, Savage said that "people [use] the Bible as an excuse for gay bullying." As many as 100 students left the room because of the remarks, witnesses said. Savage responded to the walk-out by saying, "It's funny to someone who is on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the Bible how pansy-assed people react when you push back." A video of Savage's profanity-laced remarks has been published online. more >>

In the past, the church has not been a major player in the fight against malaria, but World Vision, along with Christian leaders and churches across the U.S., is working to unite the faith community in its war against the disease responsible for the deaths of millions of children.

Malaria is a completely preventable disease that can be caused by a single mosquito bite, yet its impact on Africa has been enormous.

Malaria is estimated to take the life of a child on the African continent every 60 seconds and remains the leading cause of death for children under the age of five, but a simple bed net – costing $6 dollars – can prevent children from succumbing to the deadly disease. When properly supplied, the insecticide -treated bed nets have proven to significantly reduce the spread of malaria. more >>

A group of high school students attending a recent national journalism conference in Seattle had to walk out on sex-advice columnist, author and gay anti-bully activist Dan Savage, after he allegedly made offensive remarks about the Bible. Contradictory his anti-bullying efforts Savage also reportedly called the Christian teens "pansies" for leaving during his speech.

Savage, who recently launched a sex advice show targeted toward college students on MTV, was the featured guest speaker April 13 at the Journalism Over the Edge/National Scholastic Press Association National High School Journalism Convention. During his remarks, which students reportedly thought would focus on bullying as the author would later sign copies of his new book about the subject, Savage said "people [use] the Bible as an excuse for gay bullying," according to one teen who walked out on the columnist.

The 17-year-old California student, whose name was not given, told CitizenLink's Karla Dial that Savage said people using the Bible to justify their views on homosexuality being a sin often cite Leviticus and Romans in saying that "being gay is wrong." more >>

Willow Creek Community Church is hosting a 5k run/walk on Saturday, April 21 to raise funds to buy shoes for children in developing countries. The megachurch will be using the run to kick off its annual "Celebration of Hope" campaign, a part of the ministry's initiative to encourage Christians to live a "lifestyle of compassion."

Willow Creek is a community church with six regional campuses where thousands in the Illinois-area come every weekend to worship.

Saturday's 5k run will take place at three of the church's six campuses and has generated a lot of excitement in the church community, with 2,600 runners having registered at the church's South Barrington, Ill., main campus alone. more >>

A Washington pastor fed up with the "hijacking" of the symbol of God's covenant of peace created after what the Bible calls the great flood, wants to rouse Christians from their apathetic slumber and "take back the rainbow" from those using the symbol to push against biblical standards, especially the institution of marriage.

In the Book of Genesis, God makes a promise with Noah to never again flood the earth. As a sign of that vow, God creates a rainbow, explaining in chapter nine, verse 13 (NIV): "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth."

The rainbow, God tells Noah, stands as a reminder of His "covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind" to never again bring a flood to destroy all life. more >>

Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain is urging area Catholics to help collect signatures to place a referendum seeking repeal of Washington state's newly enacted gay marriage law on the ballot in November.

Archbishop Sartain has written to area parishes to support Referendum 74, which would put the gay marriage law on the ballot if at least 120,000 signatures are collected by June 6, according to ABC News.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat and a Catholic, signed the marriage equality legislation into law on Feb. 13, making Washington the seventh state to grant gay couples the right to get married. more >>