Last week, Bishop T.D. Jakes did an interview with HuffPost Live in which he seemed to be supporting marriage equality, but he would like to set the record straight: he does not support same-sex marriage.
“My comment on HuffPo TV drifted into issues of the Supreme Court ruling and changing the world through public policy [versus] personal witness,” he said. “Further, I have come to respect that I can’t force my beliefs on others by controlling public policy for taxpayers and other U.S. citizens. Jesus never sought to change the world through public policy but rather through personal transformation. All people didn’t embrace Him either. That’s what I said and what I meant… Nothing more and nothing less.”
He then went on to criticize the Huffington Post and called them a “so-called Christian publication” that “misconstrued” his words “using lazy journalistic tactics to further their own agenda.”
“I simply meant that my method is evolving — not my message,” he said. “I was shocked to read that this was manipulated in a subsequent article to say I endorsed same-sex marriage! My position on the subject has been steadfast and rooted in Scripture. For the record, I do not endorse same-sex marriage, but I respect the rights that this country affords those that disagree with me.”