This Makes Me Sad....

....and I am not a particularly religious man, at least not of the, ahem organized variety.

Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop ever, has announced that he will retire in 2013, due in part to the "constant strain" on him and his family from the worldwide backlash against his election seven years ago.

Seven years of death threats and insults and verbal assaults. Sounds like yet another case of bullying, though this didn't take place in a schoolyard, it took place in churches around the world.

Bishop Robinson: "The fact is, the last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family and you. Death threats, and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark."

Yup, a man of god, and don't forget for a moment that god is love, has been receiving death threats for seven years. In fact, seven years ago, on the day he was consecrated, he was surrounded by bodyguards and wore a bulletproof vest under his vestments. Because he was gay and professed to wanting to spread the word of god.

Bishop Robinson: "New Hampshire is always the place I remain, simply, `the bishop.' This is the one place on earth where I am not `the gay bishop,' I believe that you elected me because you believed me to be the right person to lead you at this time. The world has sometimes questioned that, but I hope you never did."

Sad to say, some in the religious community were not as accepting.

You will be missed, Bishop, you will be admired, remembered,and praised for being simply the kind of man that you are.

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