'Would Jesus Discriminate' the Billboard

A 20-mile stretch of Interstate 30 that cuts through the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is now home to four billboards that ask passing motorists "Would Jesus Discriminate?"

Local Metropolitan Community Church congregations launched the effort under the website banner WhyWouldWe.org. Billboard messages include "Jesus affirmed a gay couple" -- a reference to the gospel story of Jesus healing the "servant" of a Roman soldier (his male lover, according to some biblical scholars) -- and "Ruth loved Naomi as Adam loved Eve."

The campaign is a play on the "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelet phenomenon, embraced by many evangelical Christians earlier in the decade. The predominately LGBT Metropolitan Community Church denomination, which has 250 congregations in more than 20 countries, has used the antidiscrimination message in previous campaigns in Texas and Indiana, among other states.

"Our viewpoint is that discrimination was not a part of Jesus' message, nor is it part of the best of any Christian church's ministry," says the MCC website WhyWouldWe.org. "This campaign seeks to educate people through active dialogue and friendly discussion."