The Christian conservative group Minnesota Family Council, which asked for a “respectful debate” on a public vote to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage, believes gay people are likely pedophiles and “abnormal.”

Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday agreed to put the amendment on next year's ballot.

If approved by voters in 2012, Minnesota's Constitution would be amended to define marriage as a heterosexual union, thereby banning gay and lesbian couples from the institution.

After the vote, Tom Prichard, president of the group – which has led the fight to get the amendment on the ballot – said he hoped that Minnesotans could have a “respectful discussion” that refrains from becoming “personal.”

But documents excavated from the group's website by GoodAsYou.org blogger Jeremy Hooper reveal Prichard's more likely approach.

In several documents, the group asserts that gay people are more likely to be pedophiles, that being gay is a choice and that gay people are not normal.

“The homosexual population includes a disproportionate number of pedophiles,” the group claims in it's “legislative manual.” “Many prominent homosexuals and organizations have the stated objective to remove age-of-consent laws from state statutes.”

“The social acceptance gay rights laws give to homosexual behavior creates a climate in which opportunities for homosexual behavior multiply.”

“Some homosexuals, especially lesbians, consciously choose a homosexual lifestyle as part of a political agenda.”

“Accepting homosexuals as 'normal' victimizes homosexuals themselves. If a person has a disorder, it is far worse to tell him that he is fine (and encourage him to blame society for problems associated with his disorder) than to point out his problem and offer a means of help.”

“What gay rights laws ask for is a special privilege for homosexual behavior not generally available to other groups identified by aberrant behavior – such as those who commit incest, adultery, bestiality or pedophilia.”

The group also objects to anti-discrimination laws based on sexual orientation and all forms of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples.