American Idol alum David
Archuleta has apologized for a tweet viewed by many as anti-gay.
Over the weekend, the 24-year-old
Archuleta quoted Boyd K. Packer, a leader of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), from his Saturday speech
at the church's 185th annual General Conference.
“Romantic love is incomplete,” he
messaged over the weekend. “It is a prelude. Love is nourished by
the coming of children, who spring from the fountain of love ...”
“...expressed between a man and a
woman in marriage. #PresPacker.”
The Mormon church believes all sex
outside of marriage is sin and does not support marriage equality.
It played a big role in lobbying for passage of California's gay
marriage ban, Proposition 8, which has since been struck down.
“I apologize if I have offended
anyone with the quote I sent out Saturday,” Archuleta
said in a statement on his website. “I guess I didn't think
about the line 'expressed between a man and a woman in marriage'
being stressed when the whole quote didn't fit in just 1 tweet. I am
sorry my intentions were misunderstood, as my main focus was that too
often romance is looked at as the end-all when there is so much more.
The bonds that can be there within a family and raising kids, as
that is the most valuable thing I have: my family. I do hope
however, that whoever may have been offended may know I respect
everyone's freedom to believe and live as they choose. I hope others
can respect what I value most in my life as well. Again, I'm sorry
and please forgive me if I offended you. David.”
In 2014, Archuleta completed a two-year
Mormon mission in Chile.