Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore has suggested that some people in the marriage equality movement hope its legalization will destroy the United States.

Gay and lesbian couples in Alabama cannot marry despite a federal judge's ruling striking down the state's ban largely due to Moore's actions.

Moore ordered probate judges to ignore the judge's decision. When that began to fail, the Alabama Supreme Court stepped in, handing down its own contradictory ruling. A later federal ruling made it clear that state courts cannot overrule federal courts, but that decision was put on hold until the Supreme Court rules later this month in a case challenging bans in four states.

(Related: Federal judge says ruling striking down Alabama's gay marriage ban applies statewide.)

In an interview with CNS News, Moore warned that the justices were “toying with something that's like dynamite and will destroy our country.”

“I think there's an attempt to destroy the institution of marriage and I think it will cause, literally cause the destruction of our country or lead to the destruction of our country over the long run,” Moore said.

“And I think there are people who would like to see this country destroyed.”

“I'm not saying that everyone who's homosexual wants to see the country destroyed,” he added. “I'm not saying that. I'm saying there's a push for it.”