Bryan Fischer, a controversial mouthpiece for the conservative Christian American Family Association, voiced his support for embattled anti-homosexuality crusader Scott Lively on Monday.
During a segment of his daily "Focal Point" broadcast, Fischer said Lively, who is currently being sued in the U.S. for his work in support of Uganda's so-called "Kill the Gays" bill, was simply standing up for moral values and "natural marriage" in the same way Fischer does on "Focal Point," reports Right Wing Watch.
Lively, an American evangelist, is on trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The suit, filed by Sexual Minorities of Uganda, claims that "Lively’s involvement in anti-gay efforts in Uganda, including his active participation in a conspiracy to strip away fundamental rights from LGBT persons[,] constitutes persecution."
In 2009 a bill was introduced in the Ugandan legislature that imposed harsh penalties on homosexual behavior, and originally proposed death sentences in some cases. A revised version of the bill was reintroduced in the spring of 2012.
Fischer's support of Lively glosses over the unsavory parts of Uganda's proposed legislation and points instead to what he called a liberal conspiracy designed to "destroy" opponents of same-sex marriage.
Fischer also prayed for Lively, calling him a man of courage, and asked God to send "confusion into the camp of the enemy."
In March, Lively was a guest on Fischer's show, where he spoke at length about his efforts to save Uganda from what he sees as "homosexualization." Fischer also believes Lively's farfetched theory that Adolf Hitler‘s Nazi Stormtroopers were largely comprised of gay men, and that gays helped plan the Holocaust.
Monday's comments should surprise no one familiar with Fischer's particular brand of conservatism, which often lays blame on the LGBT community for various tragedies. In December, Fischer said banning prayer in schools contributed to the Sandy Hook massacre, and he claimed that former U.S. Congressman Todd Akin's infamous comments about "legitimate rape" were accurate.
The American Family Association claims to have millions of supporters and works to counteract the the "homosexual agenda" through various publications and spokespeople including Fischer, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.