Coming from a town that has nearly as many churches as people (Oshkosh, Wisc.), I used to hate it when the big signs trying to lure people into the churches used pop culture to do it (as if god needs advertising). I especially remember one about Star Wars when the prequel movies came out: “Satan: The Not-So Phantom Menace,” said one, and I’m not joking in the least.

Apparently in Ohio, Havens Corner Church’s tactic of choice involves pop music lyrics-- specifically “I kissed a girl and I liked it, then I went to hell.” A gay rights group in the area didn’t like that so much (for obvious reasons) so they spray-painted their own message: GAY: God Adores You on the sign. There’s no word on the church’s reaction to the sign, but I’m sure they’re not pleased. [Via Angry Ape]

But really, I think they had this coming, and not for gay bashing. They have no idea what the song is really about: and that’s trying lesbianism out for a little while and deciding to go back to your boyfriend because it’s not “wrong.” The song has lines like “I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it” and the video even shows her waking up next to a guy, not a girl. The line “I kissed a girl, and I liked it” is merely to cause controversy and get the song on the charts. If anything, Katy Perry should be a hero on the church circuit because the song is essentially a tale of a girl going out into the non-religious world, trying out the vices of the devil, and returning to her old Christian and god-fearing ways.

If anyone has the right to be mad, it’s the gay community, because Perry’s song flaunts sexual preference as something you can use to sell records, not something serious that could cost you acceptance in society.