However, in all honesty I believe some of the “blame” falls directly at the feet of many well-meaning pastors who have scolded their congregations into silence. They have told members that we should not focus on the sin of homosexuality, which is true in part, but the implication many heard was to stifle their criticism of the practice of this sin.
Then, many well meaning churches ran to comfort those with AIDS. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but many did so out of tacit embarrassment of their Christian brethren who sought to speak out against the practice of homosexuality. Churches held out those with AIDS as those with Leprosy in Jesus day. Very bad analogy and you see how Christians got the message that they need to shut up about the sin of homosexuality.