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Hate and Discrimination

Robertson: 'We Are Not Anti-Gay' Since Gays Are Just Confused Straight People

Pat Robertson is disturbed(link is external) that people, for whatever reason, might believe that he is somehow anti-gay. After all, how could blaming gays for 9/11(link is external), warning that gay rights will(link is external) destroy(link is external) America(link is external)using anti-gay slurs(link is external), linking homosexuality to pedophilia(link is external) and disease(link is external) and saying that Facebook should create a ‘vomit’ button(link is external) specifically for pictures of gay couples possibly make someone seem anti-gay?

Well, following a story on the Exodus International head Alan Chambers’ decision to shut down the ex-gay ministry, Robertson insisted that “we are not anti-gay(link is external).”

“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.”

He claimed that people are gay “because they have forsaken God, it’s not something that is natural and when people reunite with the Lord, the Lord will get their priorities the way it is supposed to be…. You work through it and if you meet the Lord it should be, it can be instant.”

The televangelist has frequently(link is external) endorsed(link is external) ex-gay(link is external) therapy(link is external), so Robertson’s criticism of Chambers’ apology(link is external) came as no surprise.

He argued that many gay people are simply straight but are confused due to child abuse: “A lot of people are 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 heterosexual and they just need to come out of that.”

Robertson maintained it may be possible the some gay people “maybe got some chromosomal damage that’s different from heterosexuals,” and concluded by calling for another ex-gay ministry to emerge “to help people who want out.”