Yes, church-going used to be considered good for kids, regardless of particular belief systems. Just 20 years ago, my younger brother decided to start going back to church so he could take his kids, because church is good for kids.

But that idea is rapidly evaporating as many churches in the United States dig in their heels on conservative social values, values that often end up hurting and excluding people.

I reflected that carefully in just a few sentences of a piece of fiction I wrote not too long ago. A 13-year-old boy had just come out as gay to his dad and told him how afraid he had been to do so. His dad was confused, because he had never expressed any sort of homophobic values or dislike toward gay people. "Why would you think that?" he asked his tearful son.

"Because you make me go to church with grandma, and you should hear the things they say about gay people."

Dad apologized and explained he only sent the boy to church because he thought church was good for kids, that he wouldn't have to go again.

I think scenarios like that play out all the time, and not just over LGBTQ issues.