Former President Jimmy Carter has endorsed gay marriage.
The 87-year-old Carter, who is pitching his latest book, NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter, discussed marriage for gay couples in an interview with The Huffington Post.
When asked what the Bible says about homosexuality, Carter answered: “Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things – he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.”
“I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs. So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to.”
Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, applauded Carter’s comments.
“President Carter’s support for the freedom to marry is a real-life example of practicing what your preach. He has been married for over 65 years and cherishes marriage – and the Golden Rule he has taught in Sunday School for decades says we should treat others as we want to be treated,” Wolfson said in a statement. “President Carter understands that the love and commitment of marriage matters to gay and lesbian couples and their loved ones, just as to non-gay couples like Rosalynn and him, and that the law should respect us all. Ending marriage discrimination help families, while hurting no one, and that’s why the president, like so many Americans, has opened his heart and changed his mind to join the majority for marriage.”
Carter has previously said America is ready for a president who is openly gay.
by On Top Magazine Staff
Source – On Top Magazine
