Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson doubles down: I will not back off from my path
During a Sunday sermon in his hometown church, Duck Dynasty‘s Phil Robertson stood by the controversial statements he made to GQ about homosexuality and life for African-Americans before Civil Rights laws were enacted.
“I will not give or back off from my path,” the Robertson family patriarch said, quoting scripture during a Bible study session exclusively opened up to The Daily Mail.
During the 45-minute testimony, Phil explained he strives to follow Jesus’ word.
“Commonsense says we are not going to procreate the human race unless we have a man and a woman. From the beginning Jesus said, ‘It is a man and a woman.’ Adam was made and Eve was made for this reason. They left their fathers and mothers and be united to become one flesh, that’s what marriage is all about,” Phil said during the Bible study, which was followed by a church-wide sermon from son Alan Robertson. All I did was quote from the scriptures, but they just didn’t know it. Whether I said it, or they read it, what’s the difference? The sins are the same, humans haven’t changed.”
Although Phil said he tries to live as righteously as possible now, he admitted to sinning regularly in the past.
“Sexual sins are numerous and many, I have a few myself. So what is your safest course of action? If you’re a man, find yourself a woman, marry them and keep your sex right there,” Phil said while speaking about the “microbes running around now.”
Phil concluded the Bible study by saying he’s never attempted to mask his position on human sin — from A&E nor from America. This also isn’t the first time people have opposed his stance (he claimed people frequently walk out of his speeches). Still, he said he will continue to preach.
“Jesus will take sins away, if you’re a homosexual he’ll take it away, if you’re an adulterer, if you’re a liar, what’s the difference? If we lose our morality, we lose our country.”
According to The Daily Mail, Phil’s audience was extremely receptive. Outside of the church, many people still take issue with Phil’s statements — even people within his community.
Speaking with The News Star, the local newspaper that covers the Robertsons’ Louisiana hometown, Northminster Baptist Church’s Rev. Welton Gaddy said Phil Robertson does not speak on behalf of all Christians.
“There are some of us who are working hard every day for justice for everybody in this nation, for equality for everybody in this nation, and we don’t appreciate people tearing that down,” the Louisiana reverend said. “If Robertson wants to do that as an entertainer, go to it. But to do that in the name of religion crosses the line.”
As we reported late last week, A&E is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the future of Duck Dynasty. Entertainment Weekly quoted a production source last weekend who said everyone hopes to “figure out a solution” after the holidays.
