Another Indiana first

In a culture where sound bites define presidential campaigns, what's more natural than debate by billboard?

Indianapolis, Indiana) "Would Jesus discriminate?''

The question has been popping up on billboards, yard signs and in newspaper ads around conservative central Indiana lately in a new, Bible-based appeal for acceptance of gays and lesbians. It's a campaign organized by a predominantly gay and lesbian denomination - Metropolitan Community Churches - and a Jewish gay activist.

Organizers say the effort is the first in a planned series of campaigns across the United States aimed at getting people to take a fresh look at the social justice passages in the Bible.

``Jesus taught us to love everyone, even our enemies and those who are different from us, not destroy and mistreat them,'' said one ad published in the Indianapolis Star.

Not sure how far this campaign to push Christians' discrimination-guilt buttons will get. Aren't Christians supposed to live by a certain set of principles, risking eternal damnation if they get it wrong? That's not only discriminating, it's downright judgmental. And they need to be careful with the "love our enemies" metaphor -- following that path does not require us to passively let them do whatever they will with us.

Stick with the civil-rights arguments and trying to influence legislation. That might be a more complicated and time-consuming approach, but it's the best way to win converts in our freewheeling republic.