Ken Ham Strikes Back at Paper's Claim He Blamed Hurricanes on 'God's Punishment for Homosexuality'
Young Earth Creationist Ken Ham has slammed a newspaper's claims that he blamed the recent string of hurricanes that hit the United States on God's punishment for the nation embracing homosexuality.
"The @heraldleader lies about me and others once again in their attempts to sell their failing newspaper," Ham wrote on Twitter Sunday, referring to an op-ed piece in the Lexington Herald-Leader on Friday.
"I defy @heraldleader to show where I specifically connected Irma and Harvey with homosexuality," the Answers in Genesis and Ark Encounter president added in another tweet.
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The article in question states that "Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell Jr., Pat Robertson, Mike Huckabee and now Ken Hamm [sic] of Answers in Genesis and the Ark Park state without reservation that disasters like Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma are God's punishment for homosexuality."
"Implicit with their accusations is the belief that the sin of homosexuality is the determining factor that God uses to mete out biblical punishment," it adds.
The article, however, does not provide links to what the evangelicals in question have allegedly said on the matter. Ham, who has been a vocal opponent of gay marriage, insists that he did not make such a connection.
Ham, along with some of the others mentioned, have in the past said that the hurricanes should remind Christians that they live in a fallen world.
"Devastating Hurricanes — reminder we live in a fallen groaning world as a result of our sin against a Holy God — it's our fault not God's fault," Ham tweeted on Sept. 6.
Graham, who is the president of Samaritan's Purse, one of the Christian relief groups helping in the areas affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, said in a separate Facebook post on Sept. 10 that the Bible predicts there will be an increase in natural disasters before the return of Jesus Christ.
Graham insisted that "nobody knows the day or hour, not even the Son of God" of the return, but argued that the hurricanes should serve as a "reminder to all of us to be ready — to repent and confess our sins, and ask for God's forgiveness."
Ham said that he will continue speaking for truth despite the attacks against him.
"In the midst of slander and attacks, we must stand boldly on the authority of the Word of God and speak up for truth," he vowed.
