Televangelist Pat Robertson has denied that he's anti-gay.
Following a 700 Club story on the demise of "ex-gay" ministry Exodus International, Robertson insisted that "we're not anti-gay" and chided Exodus President Alan Chambers for shuttering the group.
"I am very pleased that we have many, many, many homosexuals watching this program and many of them are looking for love and acceptance and help," Robertson said. "And I'm glad to report that we have thousands of these people who are saying, 'Yes, we want to follow Jesus. We're not happy with the lifestyle we're in and we want to have a better way.'I think it's wonderful that that's happening."
"And I just think, you know, we're not anti-gay or anything."
People are gay, Robertson said, "because they have forsaken God."
"There are a lot of people into this homosexual thing because they've been abused by a parent, abused by a coach, abused by a sibling, abused by a friend. They're little boys and little girls and they don't know any better and then they somehow think, 'Well, I must be gay.' They aren't, they are heterosexuals and they just need to come out of that."
"I don't understand what [Chambers] is saying, 'We'll now let the church do what we were doing.' The church ain't going to do it. It hasn't been doing it. So, I'm sure some other organization will rise up to help people who want out."
Brian Tashman at RightWingWatch.org, a project of People for the American Way, responded: "After all, how could blaming gays for 9/11, warning that gay rights will destroy America, using anti-gay slurs, linking homosexuality to pedophilia and disease and saying that Facebook should create a 'vomit' button specifically for pictures of gay couples possibly make someone seem anti-gay?"
Following a 700 Club story on the demise of "ex-gay" ministry Exodus International, Robertson insisted that "we're not anti-gay" and chided Exodus President Alan Chambers for shuttering the group.
"I am very pleased that we have many, many, many homosexuals watching this program and many of them are looking for love and acceptance and help," Robertson said. "And I'm glad to report that we have thousands of these people who are saying, 'Yes, we want to follow Jesus. We're not happy with the lifestyle we're in and we want to have a better way.'I think it's wonderful that that's happening."
"And I just think, you know, we're not anti-gay or anything."
People are gay, Robertson said, "because they have forsaken God."
"There are a lot of people into this homosexual thing because they've been abused by a parent, abused by a coach, abused by a sibling, abused by a friend. They're little boys and little girls and they don't know any better and then they somehow think, 'Well, I must be gay.' They aren't, they are heterosexuals and they just need to come out of that."
"I don't understand what [Chambers] is saying, 'We'll now let the church do what we were doing.' The church ain't going to do it. It hasn't been doing it. So, I'm sure some other organization will rise up to help people who want out."
Brian Tashman at RightWingWatch.org, a project of People for the American Way, responded: "After all, how could blaming gays for 9/11, warning that gay rights will destroy America, using anti-gay slurs, linking homosexuality to pedophilia and disease and saying that Facebook should create a 'vomit' button specifically for pictures of gay couples possibly make someone seem anti-gay?"
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine