Quitting Scientology Because of Homophobia

Hollywood director Paul Haggis, whose film "Crash" won best picture several years ago (over "Brokeback Mountain," no less) has penned a heartfelt and poignant letter to the leaders of the Church of Scientology, breaking with the religion over what Haggis sees as homophobic actions in the debate over California's Proposition 8 -- the ballot measure passed last year that rescinded the rights of gays and lesbians to marry in the state.

Haggis writes in his letter that in the lead up to Prop 8, and in the wake of its passage, the director urged the official church to distance itself from the discriminatory ballot measure, and issue a statement saying that it respected the rights of gays and lesbians to marry. After almost a year of run-around from church officials, Haggis made his resignation from the body official with a letter to the church's spokesperson, Tommy Davis.

"The church’s refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. I can think of no other word. Silence is consent...I refuse to consent," Haggis wrote. "I have finally come to the conclusion that I can no longer be a part of this group. Frankly, I had to look no further than your refusal to denounce the church’s anti-gay stance, and the indefensible actions, and inactions, of those who condone this behavior within the organization."

You can read Haggis' full letter here. It couples nicely with a statement that Bishop John Shelby Spong wrote a few weeks ago, pretty much taking mainstream Christian denominations to task for their support of the anti-LGBT movement. Bishop Spong challenged the biblical ignorance that led conservative religious folks to denounce homosexuality.

Haggis, more or less, is challenging the same thing -- religious intolerance and ignorance that leads people down a path of homophobia.