OK, from Bryan Fischer to the Duggars, "sodomite semen" James David Manning, reparative therapy defenders, and even LGBT genocide supporter Steven Anderson, we've seen plenty of people take religiously motivated anti-LGBT stances this year.
But the news hasn't all been bad. Many LGBT and allied people are working to make the world, and in some cases their own religions, better for queer folks. Some advocate for social change, some for change within their denominations; others focus on ministering to and affirming LGBT people.
We decided to round up a list of religious folks who give us hope. We know that religions grew more LGBT-inclusive between 2006 and 2012; hopefully 2014 marked further steps forward.
1. Rev. Frank Schaefer"The UM Church needs to find a way toward reconciliation, full inclusion of our LGBTQ community and an open altar for all God's beloved children. I will continue the fight alongside thousands of others in the reconciling movement for full inclusion and an open altar for all. I know the day is coming when this dream will be reality and I don't think it is that far in the future," Schaefer said in a statement when his reinstatement was affirmed in October.
2. Rev. Chester Wenger"What would Jesus do with our sons and daughters who are bullied, homeless, sexually abused, and driven to suicide at far higher rates than our heterosexual children?" Wenger wrote in a column for The Mennonite. "We believe this is an opportune moment for the church to boldly proclaim a pastoral, grace-filled readiness to include both homosexuals and heterosexuals within the blessing of a marriage covenant designed to be wholesome and God-honoring."
3. Rabbi Debra Kolodny
4. Ani Zonneveld
5. Sister Monica
We don't know the true identity of the straight nun (with two queer siblings) who uses the moniker "Sister Monica," but we're moved by her story of secretly ministering to transgender people since the 1990s.
6. Rev. Troy Perry
7. Marie Alford-Harkey and Rev. Debra W. Haffner of the Religious Institute 
8. The Mississippi Christians Featured in the "All God's Children" Ads
9. Zach Phelps-RoperHe told the Topeka Capital Journal that he feels "unconditional love for every person around the world" and that gay people were "among the most loving and supportive people he ... met" in the weeks after leaving Westboro.
10. Archbishop Desmond Tutu"You don't choose your sexual orientation. The Bible is the word of God. But it is the word of God through human beings," he told Ann Curry in an NBC News interview.
11. General Synod of the United Church of Christ "We are thrilled that the judge's order specifically recognized the religious freedom implications of this case and our clergy will be able to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies as faith practices call for without fear of prosecution," UCC associate general counsel Heather Kimmel said, according to an item on the UCC website.
12. Taz Tagore
We know that some LGBT people face heart-wrenching issues with their families -- from denial to a lack of acceptance to the outright rejection (often religiously motivated) that lands many on the streets without a place to call home.
"Many [of these youth] feel negatively towards religion since it has contributed to their isolation from their family and/or homelessness," Taz Tagore told The Washington Post. A Buddhist who cofounded the Reciprocity Foundation, Tagore helps organize retreats where youth participants, she says, "are free to experience the retreats as secular or bring their faith backgrounds. ... Some say that retreats inspire them to pray again, or to be spiritual again."
13) "God"Per the successfully funded Indiegogo campaign:
"God is tired of having hate-speech put into his mouth by bigots. Therefore the LORD shall put up a billboard in Topeka, Kansas that declares to all that 'God Loves Gays!'"Not only did the campaign succeed; it also hit stretch goals that raised money for organizations that fight homelessness and support LGBT youth. A heavenly move!
