Modern-day bigots like the Westboro Baptist Church advocate the persecution of gay people and blame them for the deaths of US soldiers. Christian homophobia seems to have ancient roots: the bible recommends punishing homosexuals with death, and Jesus (or St Paul) said gays couldn't enter heaven. Why were the ancient Jews and early Christians so hostile to gay people and fornicators? Was it out of desire to increase the population, or because premarital sex was thought to spread disease?