Social conservative pastor E.W. Jackson last week blamed the “homovirus” for destroying the black family.

Jackson, who ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2018 as a Republican, made his comments on his The Awakening radio program.

On the program, Jackson, an outspoken opponent of LGBT rights, described Virginia Representative Bobby Scott as “an enemy of Christ, an enemy of God” for his support of reproductive rights and LGBT rights.

(Related: E.W. Jackson: U.S. will become “homocracy” if Pete Buttigieg is elected.)

“The last thing in the world the black community needs is more destruction of the family, more attacks on the family, and that’s all this whole homosexual movement amounts to,” Jackson told his listeners. “It is a virulent, violent attack. You know what? I’m going to get in trouble for this one, but this is right off the presses: It is the homovirus for the family.”

“Of course, I am speaking from a spiritual and a psychological perspective,” Jackson said. “I hope that no one misunderstands my little putting together of two things, because you know we’re talking about this coronavirus. I’m not talking about physical illness. I’m not talking about pronouncing any physical curses on people. I feel the need to explain myself here. I’m talking about the spiritual and psychological element that is introduced into a community that is already having major problems with family formation, and family maintenance, and rearing of children, and now you want to throw this garbage into the mix as well.”

In 2013, Jackson described gay people as “very sick.”