Both The Advocate and U.S. News and World Report are reporting that there were six surprises that came from Obama during the roundtable, including this:

For the gay and lesbian community in this country, I think it’s clear that they feel victimized in fairly powerful ways and they’re often hurt by not just certain teachings of the Catholic Church, but the Christian faith generally. And as a Christian, I’m constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians.

Yeah.

I understand that, with a statement like this, Obama is attempting to appeal to and probably change the thoughts and emotions of people who use religion as an excuse for anti-LGBT bigotry. by creating a religious path for them to align themselves with him, he can guide them to a better understanding of equality. Got it.

The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer thinks that by invoking a struggle between his faith and our civil rights, Obama is replicating Lincoln’s methods of believing one thing privately and another publicly in order to, ultimately, expand rights.

But there is nothing to struggle with, and there is nothing to reconcile. There is no argument outside of one narrow interpretation of a religious text that makes homosexuality wrong.

Homophobia is wrong. Real plain. Real Simple. And instead of trying to appease the outdated notions of a fading minority and an evaporating religiosity, Obama should have been a leader and said, “I see no contradiction between my faith and my understanding the LGBT people deserve full civil rights because there is no contradiction.”