Televangelist and CBN host Pat Robertson said in an interview that there is nothing bigoted about Christians labeling homosexuality a sin, in light of controversy stirred over the recent coming out of NBA player Jason Collins.

"It's what Christianity says, ladies and gentlemen! Christianity says fornication is a sin. Somehow we've said if it's heterosexual fornication, it's bad; if it's homosexual fornication, that used to be called an abomination in the Bible, now it's a protected civil right. And so somebody that says that that kind of conduct is sinful is now being pilloried in the press," Robertson said on CBN.

When Collins spoke about his homosexuality in an article for Sports Illustrated, several prominent figures, including President Barack Obama, congratulated him for becoming the first player from a major American sports league to come out. Others, however, such as ESPN analyst Chris Broussard, pointed out that according to the Christian faith, living a homosexual lifestyle is sinful. more >>

A group of Republican donors have launched an effort to get Republicans to support redefining marriage to include same-sex couples.

American Unity Fund was recently formed from the American Unity PAC, which spent money on pro-gay marriage advocacy in the 2012 election. American Unity Fund has already spent more than $250,000 to lobby Republicans in the Minnesota legislature, according to The Associated Press. The legislature may vote soon on whether to redefine marriage in that state to include same-sex couples.

"They have money, but they're small in number," Family Research Council President Tony Perkins told The New York Times. more >>

The Roman Catholic Church has excommunicated the popular Brazilian priest Father Roberto Francisco Daniel for teaching that same-sex marriage is OK.

Reuters reported that the church decided to impose on Daniel the rare punishment because he has "injured the Church with grave statements counter to the dogma of Catholic faith and morality."

Excommunication, or expulsion from the church, bars a believer from participating in the liturgy in a ministerial capacity, but encourages the guilty party to work toward restoring their relationship with the church. more >>

A California megachurch pastor involved in the National Day of Prayer who has recently come under fire for his views on homosexuality has declared that he will not be intimidated.

At a prayer event held Wednesday morning at the Washington, D.C., office of the Family Research Council, Pastor Greg Laurie told those gathered, "I won't back down."

"They do not want me to pray. They describe me as 'homophobic' and so forth. How can you deal with such a situation? We're in a time in our country now where I'm attacked because I believe what the Bible teaches," said Laurie, ahead of Thursday's National Day of Prayer. more >>

Rep. Paul Ryan, last year's Republican vice presidential nominee, said Monday that he regretted voting to ban same-sex couples in the District of Columbia from adopting children.

Ryan, who is considered a possible presidential nominee for 2016, was answering questions from his constituents in Janesville, Wis. An audience member asked him about his positions on same-sex marriage, the Employer Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and allowing gay couples to adopt children.

"Adoption, I would vote differently these days," Ryan answered. "That was a vote I think I took in my first term, in 1999 or 2000. I do believe that if there are children who are orphans who do not have a loving person or couple, I think if a person wants to love and raise a child they ought to be able to do that. Period. So, I would vote that way." more >>

President Barack Obama said he is proud of NBA player Jason Collins during a news conference Tuesday, just one day after Collins became the first male athlete from any of the four major professional sports in the U.S. to announce that he is gay.

"I had a chance to talk to [Collins] yesterday. He seems like a terrific young man, and I told him I couldn't be prouder of him. You know, one of the extraordinary measures of progress that we've seen in this country has been the recognition that the LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality, not just tolerance but a recognition that they're fully a part of the American family," Obama said, according to a video from CBSnews.com.

He later added, "I think Americans should be proud that this is just one more step in this ongoing recognition that we treat everybody fairly ... and we judge people on the basis of their character and their performance, not their sexual orientation." more >>