That man needs to be educated about climate and weather. To come off with a stupid comment like that shows his lack of knowledge about weather cycles. I've come across a lot of religious homophobes, but I usually ask them "What do gays lack that makes you so perfect and so much better?" They can't normally answer that without looking stupid and up their own arse. People (not everyone) generally do judge others and when religion is thrown in there as well, it tends to make people more judgemental about other's lifestyles.
Being gay is not a choice, just like being born male/female is not a choice. Yes, acting on gay impulses is a choice, but the fundamental feelings of being gay have a natural basis. There are studies in the animal kingdom that show that male animals will demonstrate homosexual tendencies by relieving their sexual urges with other males, if there are no females in the group. This doesn't apply to all male animals, only some, but if being gay can be found in animals, then it stands to reason that the same can be applied to humans and is totally natural.
People should be rewarded for their services, by all means, but there should be a condition that if they make racist/homophobic/religiously bigoted comments etc, then they can have that reward taken off them.