Jenkins said that, like church policy, the honor code is directed only at a student's behavior, not at orientation or feelings.

However, the Equality Riders say lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students face suspension, expulsion or are coerced into counseling.

Jenkins denied that students are forced into counseling. She declined to elaborate on how honor code violations are treated, saying that they are handled on a case-by-case basis.

"We are very, very public with our honor code," Jenkins said. "We want students to know before they come to the university what the environment will be when they come here."

But Herrin said it's inherently discriminatory to tell heterosexual students to date, fall in love and get married, while homosexual students should remain celibate and alone.

"They are teaching thousands of people everywhere that who I am is not OK in the eyes of God. That becomes a part of culture," Herrin said. "The real results are suffering, self-hatred, broken families and death."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com