LEXINGTON, Ky. — Drivers in Lexington, Ky., have been caught by surprise by a new billboard condemning homosexuality and abortion using Old Testament references.

The billboard by the Bluegrass Church of Christ, an organization that appears to be based out of Georgetown, Ky., has upset several in the community for its hateful message, including resident Joe Groves, who is trying to have it removed with help from the Human Rights Commission.

Groves says he’s already contacted the Lexington mayor’s office and the Human Rights Commission, and, despite this being an issue of free speech, he wants the message taken down immediately, reported WLEX-TV.

The Kentucky Equality Federation called the billboard “a grandstanding attempt by a local church to divide Lexington’s community and to provide moral cover for discrimination, asserting that homosexuality is somehow anti-God and making a vague comparison of homosexuality to murder.”

While we respect the right to free speech, we condemn Bluegrass Church of Christ for leaving out other parts of the Bible, a practice known as “prooftexting” in some Christian circles. There are plenty of passages extolling good behavior, such as helping the widow and orphan, aiding the sick, and forgiving others. Likewise, there are portions of the Bible which also contain stories of graphic violence and practices which we question today. For instance, there are plenty of passages which describe beating people to death with rocks for minor crimes, amputating limbs for petty offences, endorsing polygamy, allowing incest to go unpunished, and recommending genocide and repression of women and certain ethnic groups. Is the Bluegrass Church of Christ prepared to endorse these Bible passages?

Last year, the church put up a similar billboard about 600 miles south of Lexington, along Interstate 75 in Adel, Ga.

Daniel Moody, the Minister of Bluegrass Church of Christ, told WCTV-TV last November that he believes homosexuality is a sin, and his church is putting up the billboards throughout the region in hopes of converting people

“God said homosexuality is an abomination. Now my take on it is God said it very plain and I can always quote God and feel safe,” Moody said.