Duck Dynasty Star Phil Robertson's Anti-Gay Easter Sunday Sermon Leaks—Watch the Video

A&E TV personality says the media thought he "was just mouthing off" in his GQ article

By Zach Johnson May 23, 2014 12:17 PMTags

Phil Robertson is steadfast in his beliefs.

The Duck Dynasty star delivered a sermon at his church in West Monroe, La., on Easter Sunday. Video footage surfaced a month later, and it showed the 68-year-old reacting to the fallout from the GQ profile in which he linked homosexuality to bestiality and made racist remarks. At the time, GLAAD said Robertson's comments were "littered with outdated stereotypes and blatant misinformation."

A&E briefly suspended Robertson, and he addressed his temporary leave during his Easter sermon.

"What's [Jesus] coming back for?" Robertson asked the congregation. "To bring salvation to those who are waiting for it. Are you waiting on Jesus? Or are you afraid to see that sky busting, you see him coming?" The reality TV star added, "You got two lists. I gave some guy one list," he said, apparently referring to GQ interviewer. "You say, 'Were they mad at you about that list?' They were mad at me."

"You say, 'Why'd they get mad at you?' 'Cuz instead of acknowledging their sin, like you had better do, they railed against me for giving them the truth about their sins," he said. "Don't deceive yourselves."

"You want the verse?" he shouted during his 43-minute sermon. "The news media didn't even know it was a verse! They thought I was just mouthing off. Is homosexual behavior a sin? The guy asked me. I said, 'Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?' Don't be deceived."

Paraphrasing a verse from Corinthians in the Bible, Robertson told churchgoers, "Neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

"That list of sins covered me in my past life," said Robertson, who battled substance abuse in the '70s. "We've all been there. The reason we're here today is to remind us of the gospel that's preached."

Duck Dynasty is scheduled to begin its sixth season on June 11.