Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) had a Twitter dust-up with a Christian pastor over the anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda, asking if he truly believes that LGBTQ people should be executed for simply being who they are.
Cruz spoke out against the law last week, which applies the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and threatens life in prison for people caught engaging in gay sex, calling it “horrific and wrong.”
“ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse,” Cruz tweeted at the time.
One of those responding to Cruz’s tweet was Florida pastor Tom Ascol, who asked Cruz, “Was this law God gave to His old covenant people ‘horrific and wrong’?”
Cruz replied on Monday, telling Ascol that his “biblical analysis is in error.”
“Do you really believe that the US govt should execute every person who is gay??” Cruz tweeted, adding “Leviticus also tells us: ‘For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.’”
“Should the govt execute every child who’s disrespectful to his parents?” Cruz shared.
Ascol responded by giving a statement to USA TODAY, saying, “I appreciate the thoughtful response that Senator Cruz gave to me on Twitter.”
“First, he asks, ‘Do you really believe that the US govt should execute every person who is gay?’ My answer is simply, ‘No,'” the pastor wrote in an email to USA TODAY. “Then he asks, ‘Should the govt execute every child who’s disrespectful to his parents?’ My answer is again, ‘No.'”
Image via Matt Johnson (Flickr)
