Former president Jimmy Carter says he
supports marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples because Jesus
would.
The one-term Democratic president is
currently pitching his latest book A
Full Life: Reflections at Ninety.
In an interview with The
Oregonian, Carter, an ordained Baptist minister, was asked
about his support.
“I grew up in the little town of
Plains and still live there,” Carter answered. “We've had a
number of gay people who've lived there openly and I don't ever
remember where there was ever any discrimination or any condemnation
of them because they were gay.”
“I teach Sunday school every Sunday
at our local church when I'm home and I was asked if I thought Jesus
Christ would approve of gay marriage and I said yes because Jesus'
name is most closely associated with love and if two people love each
other, no matter what their sex might be or who they're married to,
it would be OK,” he added.