There are some major battles for gay rights raging across the North American frontier. As each battle is won, gay rights proponents get closer to winning the war.

Consider some of the recent triumphs.

On Monday, the Vermont Supreme Court, in an unprecedented decision, ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same marriage benefits as heterosexuals. It is the first state court to do so. When Vermont legislators meet next month, they must decide whether to allow gay marriages or establish some other system. But practically, the effect will be to give equal protection and recognition to gay marriages. Gay advocates realize the significance this will have on the national debate over this issue. The decision will have great impact on society, as laws dealing with adoption, inheritance and health care are rewritten.

A New Jersey Court ruled in August that Boy Scout groups are subject to the laws of "public accommodations," and therefore cannot ban homosexuals from holding leadership positions. The group, with a membership of 3.4 million, faces similar challenges in California, Washington, DC, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The group is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn this decision.

Trinity Western University (TWU), a private Christian institution in Langley, British Columbia, has been embroiled in a fight it never saw coming. The University has been battling with the British Columbia College of Teachers to have its bachelor of education program accredited. In 1996, the College, charged with professional certification of teaching programs in B.C., refused to approve TWU's education program on the grounds that the university's "community standards" included a ban on "sexual sins including viewing pornography, premarital sex, adultery and homosexual behavior." The College feels that the University's position against "sexual sins" would result in discrimination against homosexuals. Is this not imposition of homosexual values on a religious institution? Two courts have already ruled in favor of TWU, but the homosexual lobby's determination to fight this has landed the matter in the Supreme Court of Canada.

"The case has dire implications for religious freedom," says Thomas Langan, president of the Catholic Civil Rights League, as quoted by the National Post. "When it comes to denying a license to teach in public schools to competent graduates of a Christian college because that college upholds biblical teaching, then we are forced to speak up and to protest this effort to marginalize Christians and along with them, the Muslims and the Jews who uphold Koranic and biblical teaching in moral matters."

Although homosexuals have made strong gains, the religious communities must stand up to at least get equal treatment.

Since Hollywood -- society's new moral yardstick -- has already appropriated homosexuality, the next strategic move is to permeate the educational system. What better gateway to ensure that this lifestyle is fully integrated into society. Where else would they get an audience without any strong views of their own to bombard with their ideas?

Interestingly, a community, which has very few students in the system, is increasingly being given the right to set the agenda for the rest of us. In some cases they have been able to even bypass any public discussion of the issue. For instance, in the recent vote on accommodating and including the question of homosexuality into the Toronto School system, the Equity Committee refused to present the policy for public discussion. The Committee decided that allowing such public discussions would result in a backlash from the mainstream community and would hinder the progress of integrating homosexuals.

According to the Committee, the policy would not survive public scrutiny. Now that's a great tactic: hide it from the parents if you can't deal with the consequences.

While the anti-homophobia policy was being rammed through, a Faith Accommodation policy, which was being worked on at the same time, was put on the back burner until the homosexual concerns were resolved.

While fostering tolerance is the stated goal of introducing the homosexual agenda, it is clear that this tolerance is only being extended to the homosexual community. Nobody should have a problem with the teaching of tolerance. All children, regardless of who their parents are, must be free from harassment and humiliation. But overtly propagating the homosexual lifestyle to impressionable children, who are not ready for any talk of sexuality, is a totally different ball game. All religious expressions are prohibited while homosexuality is glorified. Why must religious parents sacrifice their principles and beliefs?

A documentary produced by two lesbians called It's Elementary, will give you a taste of what your children will be exposed to. The documentary, produced by a non-profit San Francisco based lesbian production company called Women's Educational Media, would scare any parent. The documentary, which has aired on PBS and other stations, is used as an educational and promotional film in American schools. It was recently aired in Canada (incidentally just before the vote by the Toronto District School Board). When is the last time you remember a documentary on religious tolerance made by members of a religious group being shown in classrooms?

Some parents may be deluding themselves into thinking that they can simply pull their children from class when the topic is discussed. Think again. How will one do this when the topic permeates all subjects? Moreover, the homosexual lobby is working to ensure that you can't pull your kids out. They claim that this would be teaching intolerance. And from a practical point of view, there may be no requirement to give you advance notice even if it were taught as a stand-alone course. In fact, parents were not able to pull their kids from school even during the filming of It's Elementary. For instance, in Wisconsin the Superintendent overruled objections by many parents and made attendance mandatory and even the police were called to force parents to comply.

Those who advocate homosexuality are accepted as normal, while those espousing religious ideals, family values and marriage are looked upon as non-progressive. Gay issues have moved from the fringe to mainstream political debate in no time, while religious groups have been marginalized. This results in an interesting situation. Many in religious communities pay taxes, which are used to encourage homosexuality and promiscuity in the public system, but are forced to send their children to private school so they can have a say in their upbringing. What happened to a parent's right to have say in their child's education?

One thing the religious communities in Toronto have realized is the importance of getting involved before -- well before -- such matters reach the voting stage. Other things of which to be mindful include: focusing away from moralizing on this issue; calling on school boards to pursue faith accommodation policies as aggressively as the homosexual accommodation agenda; calling for continued parental control of and input into the education of their children; networking and cooperating with other faith groups; and supporting and funding any legal challenges and/or opposition to the homosexual agenda.