Televangelist Pat Robertson claims gay men in San Francisco deliberately spread HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, with special rings that cut others when shaking hands.

A 700 Club viewer asked whether it was wrong for her church not to inform her that she was driving to worship services a man who is “dying of AIDS.” Robertson told the woman she would be fine provided she didn't “have sex with them,” then added, “unless there's a cut or some bodily fluid transmission.”

“There are laws now,” Robertson continued. “I think the homosexual community has put these draconian laws on the books that prohibit people from discussing this particular affliction. You can tell somebody you had a heart attack. You can tell them they've got high blood pressure. But you can't tell anybody you've got AIDS.”

“You know what they do in San Francisco. Some in the gay community there they want to get people so if they got the stuff they'll have a ring, you shake hands, and the ring's got a little thing where you cut your finger,” he added. “Really. It's that kind of vicious stuff, which would be the equivalent of murder.”

The Christian Broadcast Network (CBN) edited out Robertson's comments in a video posted online, and the video was later removed.

In remarks to The Atlantic, Robertson said that he “regretted” that his remarks had been “misunderstood.”

“[T]his often happens because people do not listen to the context of remarks which are being said,” Robertson said. “In no [way] were my remarks meant as an indictment of the homosexual community or, for that fact, to those infected with this dreadful disease.”