at way point did liberal (supporter of freedom) become a term of abuse?

I think to be liberal is quite a good thing. freedom is what our fathers fought for - so that we wouldn't have eejits making arbitrary decisions and judgements about how we should live.

The churches must be crazy. they're all empty as it is - the mainstream ones. They stand some meed to be excluding and disaffecting people, whole sections of the community.

I think you need to ask yourself, does this reflect the reality of the lives of my gay friends - all these statistics. Ake?

Because you do know gay people, they are very numerous - and people who maybe you don't know very well - some of them will be gay. If they've heard you saying this stuff, I would imagine they must be pretty guarded when they talk to you.