An influential evangelical leader is coming under fire for saying in a National Public Radio interview he believes in homosexual civil unions and that Christians who oppose same-sex marriage and abortion may still find reasons to support Obama.
UPDATE (12/11/08): Cizik resigns NAE position after backlash from comments below.
-- From "Evangelical leader supports 'gay' civil unions" © 2008 WorldNetDaily 12/5/08
Richard Cizik is chief lobbyist and vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, representing 45,000 U.S. churches from 59 denominations. He told NPR Dec. 2 he is "shifting" on "gay" marriage, he has an aversion to Sarah Palin and that he voted for Obama in the Virginia primary, LifeNews reported.
Cizik told NPR a candidate's character and party values are more significant to him than specific issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
"It would be possible for evangelicals to disagree with Barack Obama on same sex marriage and abortion and yet vote for him."
Cizik, named one of Time's most influential people, called Palin's stance on the environment "ignorance." He also said she lacked humility, unlike Obama. Prior to the election, he told the Independent, "Not everyone in the evangelical movement is fawning over Sarah Palin."
According to the report, Cizik suggested Christians should redirect their focus away from the debate about "gay" marriage.
"Maybe we need to reevaluate this and look at it a little differently," he told NPR. "I'm always looking for ways to reframe issues. Give the biblical point of view a different slant."
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