Jimmy Carter: Jesus would approve of same-sex marriage
Jimmy Carter (Getty)
Former US President Jimmy Carter has claimed that Jesus would have approved of same-sex marriage.
Although the Democrat had conflicted views on the issue in the past, he said in a recent interview that, from a religious standpoint, he believes Jesus would approve of same-sex marriages.
A born-again Christian, Carter told HuffPost Live’s host Marc Lamont Hill: “I believe Jesus would approve gay marriage, but that’s just my own personal belief.
“I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, and I don’t see that gay marriage damages anyone else.”
Carter previously affirmed his support for same-sex marriage in 2012 – before President Barack Obama did so – saying that, although religious institutions shouldn’t be forced to wed same-sex couples, the option should be available in courthouses.
However, he later claimed that individual states should be permitted to not perform same-sex marriages, ahead of the Supreme Court ruling.
In the interview, he highlights the influence that his strong faith has on him, but says that, when it comes to same-sex marriage, “that’s no problem with me.”
The two discuss Carter’s recently published memoir, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety.
The former president and avid missionary thinks his political career hasn’t had an effect on his beliefs.
Although he supports same-sex marriage, he argues that Jesus most likely would not have backed abortion, with the exceptions of rape, incest and imminent danger to the mother’s life.
