Dan Savage discusses bible at High School Journalism convention

Nearly a dozen of high school journalists walked out of a lecture by Dan Savage, the prominent ant-bullying advocate that pioneered the 'It Gets Better' campaign. His comments about the relationship between anti-gay bullying and the bible sparked a walkout of Christian teens at the National High School Journalist Conference in Seattle. Mr Savage called the defectors 'pansy-assed' and would not back down from his comments. I thought this would be about anti-bullying,' Rick Tuttle, the journalism adviser for Sutter Union High School in California, told Fox News. 'It turned into a pointed attack on Christian beliefs.'

Mr Savage's keynote address was presented in a large lecture hall for thousands of people. 'People often say that they can't help with the anti-gay bullying acts because it says right there in Leviticus, it says right there in Timothy, it says right there in Romans, that being gay is wrong,' Mr Savage said. 'We can learn to ignore the bullsh*t in the Bible and what it says about gay people.' He compared dogmatic acceptance of anti-gay teachings equivalent to adhering to verses about slavery and eating shellfish, two issues that have been reinterpreted in modern day. Many people in the audience met his statements with applause, but some Christians did not appreciate Mr Savage's comparison and walked out.

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[luvdomus]

Sarah Palin is not just a national laughingstock, she is the butt of jokes worldwide. She is the attention seeking clown chasing celebrity, and therefore mocking her is not a form of "bullying."

[davitz77]

The TOLERANT Left.

[luvdomus]

You wrote: "He flat out insulted a book..." How do you "insult" a book? You are as thin skinned as any Islamic extremist. Anti-gay bigots use phrases in the bible to justify abuse of gays-- that MUST be condemned by good people. If you set your holy book above criticism then you only make your religion a home to indefensible attitudes.

[orkneysnorknie]

well he admitted to bullying sarah palin, or is it ok to bully her cause shes a republican and therefore subhuman?

[orkneysnorknie]

Narrow mindedness? He flat out insulted a book that is sacred to a lot of people, he might not think it is sacred, you might not think it, but another person might, it is called respect, it is ok to question something, and not agreeing with someone is not narrowmindedness it is having an opinion, or is that not aloud anymore? and dont play the hate card, this guy has hatred written all over him.

[Josu Garralda]

I totally agree with him.

[Stan3298]

I'll bet that more than half of those Christians that left haven't even read the bible. It's so sad how someone will claim to be religious, yet all they know is to hate gay's.

[SquaficleDude]

It's a frightening moment when I personally know the people that walked out. I took driving lessons with the first one that walked out with her when I was 16. Rick Tuttle was my Drama instructor when I was in high school, barely more than a year ago. Little Sutter's getting some attention, lol.