Gay Rights Critic Scott Lively: Obama 'May Well be a Homosexual Himself'
Correction Appended
A controversial gay rights critic running for governor of Massachusetts has recently stated that he believed President Barack Obama "may well be a homosexual himself."
Scott Lively, gubernatorial candidate and head of Abiding Truth Ministries, stated in an interview with local media that he felt President Obama was "a radical homosexualist."
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"I think Mr. Obama may well be a homosexual himself," said Lively to Channel 4 news, arguing that Obama was attempting "to break down the protections for the natural family and legitimize sexual perversion."
"He is certainly a radical homosexualist – meaning a person, whether they are homosexual or not, meaning a person who is 100% invested in the homosexual agenda."
A native of Springfield, Mass., Lively also told Channel 4 that Obama "is lending the weight of his office to a movement that's goal is to overturn the Judeo-Christian sexual ethic and replace it with the gay ethic of sexual anarchy."
Last autumn, Lively announced his intentions to seek the office of governor in the first state in America to legalize gay marriage via a press release on his website.
"The people of this state need a candidate who can clearly and unapologetically articulate Biblical values without fear or compromise. They need a candidate who will tell the simple truth that abortion is murder, and homosexuality is condemned by God (but that Jesus forgives and heals those who repent)," read the press release.
"I expect to often be asked by reporters what I think my prospects are for winning this election. To this I reply that it would take a miracle from God for Scott Lively to become Governor of Massachusetts – and I wouldn't want it any other way."
A notable campaigner against LGBT organizations, Lively has taken credit for inspiring recently passed anti-gay legislation in Russia. While critical of the recently passed law in Uganda, he has campaigned against LGBT groups in the East African nation.
Lively's political ambitions came as he battled a lawsuit filed against him in 2012 by a Uganda-based LGBT rights group.
Sexual Minorities Uganda has argued that by promoting and contributing to the success of anti-gay legislation in the East African nation, Lively has committed crimes against humanity.
While U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor has allowed lawyers to "exchange discovery" on the case, the process remains a slow one reported Stephanie Barry of Masslive.com.
"Ponsor set a deadline late last year for lawyers to exchange discovery but put off deadlines to file final motions and disclose information about witnesses until next year. The next pretrial hearing is set for May 6, 2015," wrote Barry.
"The complaint alleges Lively encouraged government-backed acts of violence against gays as a result of his rhetoric. Lively has denied this, and has contended chiefly that his First Amendment rights protect free speech."
Massachusetts' next gubernatorial election will be held later this year.
Correction: April 7, 2014
An article on April 7, 2014 previously stated that Lively supported the recently passed anti-gay law in Uganda. Lively has publicly stated that he does not support that law.
