Alabama Gov. Defied His Own Pastor In Reaction To Gay Marriage Ruling

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley speaks during the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Lunch, Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley)
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When Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) declined to fight a federal court ruling that brought gay marriage to Alabama this month, he did so against the urgings of his own pastor, AL.com reported Thursday.

In a Feb. 8 sermon surfaced by Christian News Network on Monday, Rev. Gil McKee of First Baptist Church – Tuscaloosa recounted trying to sway the governor during a 30-minute phone conversation.

“Governor, I don’t care if all 49 other states go for this same-sex marriage business,” McKee said he recalled telling the governor. “Let’s be different in the state of Alabama. Let’s do what we know is the right thing to do.”

McKee said he urged the governor to take advantage of widespread disapproval of gay marriage in Alabama. “We’re still living in a very conservative state,” he said.

“It’s like I said to our dear governor yesterday: There’s nothing gray about this issue — not if you’re going to go on what God says,” McKee said.

Bentley’s office didn’t return messages left by TPM seeking comment on Friday.

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