Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd faced off with a Christian radio announcer during a pre-election forum on Monday over his support for marriage equality. Rudd has pledged a vote on the issue within 100 days if he wins re-election on September 7.
"If you accept that it is natural and normal for a person to be gay because that's the way they are... I don't think that it is right to say that if these two folks here who are in love with each other and are of the same gender should be denied the opportunity for legal recognition of the duration of their relationship by having marriage equality," said the prime minister, who has been very vocal about his Christian faith.
When asked why he didn't accept that the Bible dictates marriage should only between a man and a woman, Rudd responded, "Well, mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition because St. Paul said in the new testament: 'slaves be obedient to your masters,' and therefore we should all have fought for the confederacy in the U.S. civil war."