Manny Pacquiao went on the defense Wednesday trying to quickly defuse a crisis that arose from allegations that the world champion boxer had used scripture referencing bringing harm to homosexuals.
“What I said is a reporter asked me about gay marriage…I am against gay marriage, but I’m not condemning gays,” Pacquiao said to the Los Angeles Times. “I have family—a cousin—who’s gay, and friends, too. I’m just against gay marriage. I don’t even want to talk about the issue, but I was asked about it, so I gave my opinion.”
The original story, which ran on a website called Examiner.com, asked the boxer, who is a congressman in the Philippines, his opinion of President Obama’s decision to endorse gay marriage.
“God’s words first … obey God’s law first before considering the laws of man,” Pacquiao replied. “God only expects man and woman to be together and to be legally married. It should not be of the same sex, so as to adulterate the altar of matrimony, like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.”
The article went on to quote Leviticus 20:13, which states: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
Pacquiao released a statement denying any hostility toward homosexuals or ever using the scripture. “I didn’t say that, that’s a lie. I didn’t know that quote from Leviticus because I haven’t read the book of Leviticus yet.”
While the article never quotes Pacquiao as using the scripture, several media outlets began quoting the boxer as saying “gay men should be put to death.”
“I’m not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay, we can’t help it if they were born that way. What I’m critical of are actions that violate the word of God. I only gave out my opinion that same-sex marriage is against the law of God.”
