The Seventh-day Adventist Church yesterday declared its abhorrence for homophobia — but said gay people were meant to be “summoned to a struggle”.Reacting to Government’s plans to protect homosexuals from discrimination under an Equality Act, the Church pointed to the Bible and said it’s a myth that all differences are to be celebrated.And it urged people to counter the spread of AIDS by refraining from sex before marriage or adultery regardless of their sexual orientation.Meanwhile the Catholic Church said it supports Families Minister Glenn Blakeney’s proposal to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.Reacting last night, former Progressive Labour Party MP Renee Webb, who has campaigned for a change in law, praised the Catholic Church but claimed the Seventh-day Adventist Church is taking an inconsistent position.Asked whether the Seventh-day Adventist Church supports the Equality Act, Bermuda Conference Jeffrey Brown replied: “As Seventh-day Adventists, we attempt to uphold the highest standards of God’s law, while practicing the widest levels of God’s grace.“We abhor homophobia in all its forms and we condemn violence against homosexuals, but we do not condone homosexual practice.“The myth surrounding diversity is that all differences are to be celebrated.“We do not seek to discriminate, but we believe that the individuals mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 were never meant to be celebrated for their status, they were meant to be summoned to a struggle.“We believe that heterosexuals and homosexuals must join the same struggle: to reserve sex until marriage to a person of the opposite gender and to remain faithful in marriage, if only because AIDS is an equal opportunity destroyer.”The relevant section of Corinthians states: “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?“Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.“And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop Robert Kurtz said: “The Catholic Church would support legal efforts to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.“The Church would not support any efforts to legalise same sex ‘marriages’.“The Catholic Church’s position on homosexuality is rather nuanced based on a philosophical distinction between the person and the acts of the person.”The Bishop explained that while the Bible presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, the official Catechism of the Catholic Church states homosexuals must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.Reacting last night, Ms Webb said: “The position of the Seventh-day Adventists is not clear with respect to whether or not they uphold the rights of persons to be equal under the law.“While they ‘abhor homophobia in all forms’, and ‘condemn violence against homosexuals’, they take no position on the equality issue under law.“While they ‘do not seek to discriminate’, once again, the position of embracing this discrimination within the context of the law is not embraced.“While their belief to reserve sex until marriage to a person of the opposite gender, and to remain faithful in marriage is laudable to them from their religious perspective, it is not realistic for either the heterosexual or the homosexual.”Regarding the Church’s comments on AIDS, Ms Webb said: “The same can be said about cancer, diabetes, and all other human diseases which are not confined to one’s sexual orientation.“I respect their right to practice their religion, as I respect the right of consenting adults of varying sexual orientation to engage in sex within or outside of marriage in whatever form that they see fit.”She said of the Catholic Church: “The Catholic Church is clear on their support to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.“It is to be commended for it’s understanding that persons should be equal before the law; and for taking a clear unambiguous stance. The fact that they support ending discrimination is laudable.”In the 2010 Census, 9,340 people said they were Roman Catholic, with 4,273 Seventh-day Adventists, out of a total population of 64,237.During a take note motion in the House of Assembly last Friday, Mr Blakeney said homosexuals deserve protection against discrimination, but Government has no intention of allowing same sex marriage.MPs from all sides of the House said they supported plans for an Equality Act, which would also ban discriminating on age grounds; Mr Blakeney has declined to comment when asked how quickly he will return to the House with legislation.