WHITEWATER — Kelly Reynolds and Laura Steigerwald might disagree about a lot of things, but they agree on one thing—they want to learn about and respect people who are different from them.
That was the goal of a movie and panel discussion hosted by Impact, a group for gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual students and their allies at UW-Whitewater.
The group met with members of Campus Crusade for Christ and other students Wednesday for a discussion about homosexuality and Christianity.
"There's this separation between homosexuals and Christians, and that's why we responded to the invitation" from Impact, said Reynolds, 23, West Allis, a member of Campus Crusade for Christ.
Students from Impact and Crusade say there has always been tension between groups that support homosexuality, such as Impact, and those that think homosexuality is a sin, such as Crusade.
But the situation came to a head earlier this month when a Milwaukee-based group, Faithful Soldiers, arrived on campus to preach about sin and sexuality. The group's message created hostility among people with different views on homosexuality, Reynolds said.
Impact organized a showing of "For the Bible Tells Me So," a documentary that suggests people have misinterpreted the Bible to say it condemns homosexuality. Afterward, it held a panel discussion with people of various opinions, moderated by a local clergyman.
"I think it's important to at least be educated and know what the opinions are," said Maggie Augustin, 22, Janesville. Augustin is a lesbian, Christian and Impact member.
Campus Crusade for Christ was the only Christian group to accept Impact's invitation, Steigerwald, 29, Brookfield, said.
"Hopefully in the future we can hold more events and foster a relationship," she said.
Crusade members said the same.
"Our main objective is to build a bridge between the Christian group and the homosexual (support) group," said Jordan Shimon, 21, Waukesha.
Even though Crusade as a group believes homosexuality is wrong, members wanted to have a friendly dialogue with people who disagree. They also wanted to tell homosexuals that Christians don't condemn them, said Derek Pratt, 21, Milton.
"My goal … is to show with actions that Christians and homosexuals can be friends," he said. "The message of Jesus Christ is one of love, not of condemnation."
Sometimes Steigerwald, a lesbian, is wary of meeting Christians because she assumes they're against her, she said.
She hopes to overcome that feeling with events such as Wednesday's discussion, she said.
"We can all live together and respect and tolerate each other," she said. "A mutual respect of our differences and beliefs is key."