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Those of you who have had less than supportive things to say, please know that I really do understand where you're coming from, and I'm sure many of you actually mean well, and want to help me. "Your words of kindness have been life-giving. "I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that I have received in recent days." Swilley said in a church blog post. Swilley has recently reached his 5,000-friend limit on Facebook and his wall is adorned with praise for his decision to come out. Online, those hateful messages have been drowned out by an outpouring of support. "As a father, thinking about your 16-, 17-year-old killing themselves." "To think about saving a teenager, yeah, I'll risk my reputation for that," he told ABC News' Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV before before tearing up. The 52-year-old founder of Church in the Now in Conyers, Ga., said he's coming out to help stem the recent tide of gay suicides in America and won't be swayed by some hateful messages that have been written about him online.
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Though Swilley said coming out was a decision he's struggled with since childhood, he made the announcement last month not for personal reasons - he said he hopes to save lives.