Watch: George W. Bush Uses Bible To Say People Shouldn’t Judge Same-Sex Marriage

Former President George W. Bush this week used the Bible to tell a reporter that people shouldn’t judge those who are in same-sex relationships. Bush, famous for driving voters to the polls to win election and re-election by ensuring bans on same-sex marriage were on state ballots, responded to a question on same-sex marriage while in Africa by saying, “I shouldn’t be taking a speck out of someone else’s eye when I have a log in my own.”

Later, still in Africa, in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl that aired this morning, Bush had this exchange:

KARL: I saw a journalist in Zambia asked you about gay marriage and whether it is compatible with Christian values. And you had an interesting response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I shouldn’t be taking a speck out of somebody else’s eye when I have a log in my own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I meant that I’m not going to answer the question then and I’m not going to answer it now in terms of the political question about whether or not, I just don’t want to weigh back in the debate. I’m out of politics.

But I meant it’s very important for people not to be overly critical of someone else until you’ve examined your own heart.

KARL: Have your views on this evolved at all? I mean you were —

BUSH: Jon, I didn’t, you didn’t hear my answer. I’m not going to weigh back into those kinds of issues. I’m out of politics. The only way I can really make news is either criticize the president, which I don’t want to do, criticize my own party, or weigh in on a controversial issue. And I’m off the stage. Unless I’m promoting something I strongly believe in, and I believe that what we’re doing in Africa is incredibly important. And will continue to do so, so long as I’m ambulatory.

The same-sex marriage exchange begins at 6:14 in this video:

 

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Bush’s wife, former First Lady Laura Bush, recently announced she has long supported the right of same-sex couples to marry, even while her husband was president. President Bush used anti-gay hatred to win election and re-election, by promising to support and pass an amendment to the Constitution banning same-sex marriage, in a scheme created by Karl Rove, whose father was reportedly gay.