Pastor Clint Echols of First Baptist
Church in Zeeland, Michigan is being criticized for comparing being
gay to being an “axe murderer.”
According to MLive.com,
Echols told his congregation that allowing gay couples to marry was
wrong because God considers homosexuality to be an “abomination.”
“It's an internal compass and a
person can discover their sexuality at any moment…oh wait a second,
I’m gay, I’m bisexual, I want to change my gender, these things,
and that’s being true to themselves and being true to their
internal compass,” Echols said.
“For instance … tomorrow, if I wake
up and say, 'Well, I think I'm an axe murderer, now I’m an axe
murderer,' would you be happy with that? Would you agree? Would you
want me to follow that internal compass?”
Zeeland resident Daniel Vanderley said
Echols should apologize.
“I would like them to apologize for
comparing people who come out as gay to people who come out as axe
murderers,” he told the publication. “Don't bully by making this
comparison. Coming out is a hard enough time for people.”
In a statement given to WXMI,
First Baptist Church backed up the pastor's comments, saying that
“sexual behavior outside of monogamous marriage is contrary to
God's design and is therefore a sin.”
The Supreme Court on April 28 will hear
oral arguments in a case challenging Michigan's ban on gay marriage.