Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a devout Catholic who has been public with his evolution on marriage equality, was confronted by a pastor of a local church on his stance and whether it was simply a ploy to garner more votes. That’s when Rudd got into his Holden sedan and went to town:
“I concluded in my conscience — through an informed conscience and a Christian conscience — it was the right thing to do [supporting marriage equality] and let me tell you why. Number one, I do not believe people when they are born choose their sexuality. They are gay if they are born gay…it is how people are built. And therefore the idea that this is somehow an abnormal condition is just wrong. I don’t get that…Secondly if you accept that it is natural and normal for someone to be gay because that’s the way they are, then it follows from that I don’t think it is right to say that if these two folk here who are in love with each other and of the same gender should be denied the opportunity for legal recognition of the duration their relationship by having marriage equality.”
When the pastor argues that he just believes in what the Bible says, and asks Rudd why he — as a fellow Christian — doesn’t subscribe the word of Jesus, Rudd reminds him that “the Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition.”
Cue applause.
“What is the fundamental principle that the New Testament? It is one of universal love. Loving your fellow man. And if we get obsessed with a particular definition of that through a form of sexuality then I think we’re missing the centrality of what the gospel — whether you call it a social gospel, a personal gospel, or a spiritual gospel is all is all about…If you think homosexuality is unnatural condition then, frankly, I cannot agree with you based on any element of the science and, therefore, if a person’s sexuality is as they are made, then you’ve got to ask the second question: should their loving relationships be legally recognized and the conclusion I’ve reached is that they should…it was the product of some many many months and years of reflection in good Christian conscience.”
We think the pastor got the point:
LadyL
Saw this just last night on “The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell”–thoughtful, brilliant reply. I loved also the audience’s response to Rudd’s words.
Dakotahgeo
The Prime Minister is spot on the mark which is what is driving the religious extremists nuts! More and more Christian people are getting it right when they say that Gay is HOW one is born, not a chosen trait. When one interprets the Bible’s misinterpretations correctly, people begin to see the common ground of Christ’s love, not God’s hatred!
twoguysbrooklyn
Advance! Australia Fair..
GayTampaCowboy
I watched this video yesterday afternoon and HAD to post a link to it on my Facebook page because this politician, who is a Christian, has encapsulated the argument FOR marriage equality like NO OTHER before.
I hope this video becomes viral.
Fitz
I think that it is high time for Christians to reclaim their
religion from the freaks who had taken over. I hope
that they can do it. I would love to be proven wrong about them.
Oh– and that “Pastor” looks like the biggest glory hole faggot in town.
1EqualityUSA
The tongue thrusting by the pastor in the audience was very telling. In body language, when one thrusts their tongue out, it means what was heard is quite distasteful to them, much like an infant who pushes bitter or sour food out of it’s mouth. Then seeing the auto loop of this at the end was especially pleasing. Kevin Rudd was so articulate. Mighty.
Lawerence
In America we Must stop calling these absolutely demonic repugnant vile disgusting hypocritical ignorant arrogant frauds Christians! They’re not what so ever, they’re soulless zombie Rethuglican sheeple! They don’t love Jesus Christ, they seek to defame, destroy the image of Christ and turn people away from love, equality, family and peace! Just look at what these putrid frauds have done and how people have turned away from Jesus because of them. Soulless zombie sheeple exist in other countries as well, they’re easily spotted by their hatred and selfishness!
Polaro
I thought he was going to cry. What a crushing embarrassment to be captured on TV, especially when he thought he was going to put the PM on the defensive. Pastor got owned. The defeat was so massive it stuns me still.
redspyder
Kevin Rudd is not a devout Catholic. He was raised Catholic, played around in the Evangelical Union at university, and has attended Anglican services since his marriage in that church in 1981. He has been accused of playing up his Catholic past when it has been politically expedient – in other words, he’s a Catholic when its to his benefit.
The same holds true of gay marriage. In 2007, Kevin Rudd is quoted as saying “I have a pretty basic view on this, as reflected in the position adopted by our party, and that is, that marriage is between a man and a woman”. His change in perspective now is also seen as politically expedient, as gay marriage is largely supported by Australians and he hopes it will shore up his falling popularity. It helped him take the leadership of the Labor party back earlier this year as Gillard’s opposition was out of line with the public view and aligned with the opponent Coalition Party. He hopes it will make a difference on election day as well. In other words – he’s pro-“Gay Marriage” when its to his benefit.
While I appreciate the value of the speech and his sentiments, and I hope it has longer term implications, it would have been nicer if it had come from a man of substance who actually believed what he was saying. His party’s other policies are a disaster for Australia and it has been suggested that they may suffer a massive loss of seats in Friday’s election. While his opponent Tony Abbott is opposed to gay marriage, the previous leader of the Coalition (Turnbull) does support it, and the Deputy Leader (Bishop) has said she will break ranks with the party if it ever comes up for a vote. Hopefully one of them can lead in the near future (without mimicking the vicious backstabbing that allowed Julia Gillard to rip leadership from Rudd back in 2010). Hopefully gay marriage will become a reality, as supported by the majority of Australians.
Triple S
Yeah, he lied about what the Bible said. He has lied about everything he has done in his incumbency. Don’t say he’s a great guy cause he is an arrogant narcissist who doesn’t care about anyone else. It’s all about what’s politically correct and the fad at the time. He will lose on Saturday, and thank Christ for it. Wasted going on 400 billion of taxpayers’ dollars
Complete fool.
boring
That pastor looked like the dude at the end sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Motherfucker wasn’t prepared for unmitigated truth.
Dakotahgeo
@Triple S: As long as he wins, people can say anything they want and HOPE somebody listens… which I doubt will happen!
Cam
I love all these religious bigots coming in claiming “Oh, he just supports gay marriage because it’s popular”
My response…so what? Better than him being against it because it’s popular.
David
People are gullible lol. His change on equal marriage was an election winning strategy (which didn’t work anyway lol.
1).He would have allowed his ruling party members a conscious vote (each politican decides to vote yes or no). In Australia, politicians vote according to party lines (except for conscious votes ).
2) the opposition government (now the government in power lol) has stated it does not support equal marriage, so the legislation would never pass, irrespective of who is in government. Don’t be fooled !!! Australia will remain a back water hick town for the foreseeable future.