On Tuesday evening we published a story on Pacquiao’s anti-gay marriage stance. It rounded up a collection of quotes from Pacquiao, as well as notes about his personal life and views. You can read the piece to get the gist of things for what our intended message was. Meanwhile, the author of the original story which started this craze, Granville Ampong, the “conservative examiner” of Examiner.com, has published a follow-up to his original story, where he is blaming the media for twisting Pacquiao’s words and distorting the facts. Not. So. Fast.
In the new article, titled “Biased writers grossly twisted Pacquiao’s view on same-sex marriage,” Ampong says that his original article “has now been grossly misconstrued and regarded as Pacquiao’s text, that which is not.”
He calls other reports a “fatal twist” of his story and Pacquiao’s words, and mentions that such stories “carr[y] unfair, convoluted remarks, as a matter of opinion.” He goes as far as to demand apologies from writers on outlets such as USA Today and LA Weekly for their commentary on his piece, and Pacquiao’s opinions.
No, no, no, Mr. Ampong.
It was your words which tied Pacquiao’s views to what he is now coming out more clearly against. Below, you’ll find the text from his original story. [In case something gets removed or changed down the line, you can find a screenshot of that text in this image.]
“God’s words first … obey God’s law first before considering the laws of man,” says Pacquiao, addressing Obama’s pronoucement on legalizing same-sex marriage during an exclusive interview Friday night with the National Conservative Examiner in his residence at the Palazzo Complex in Los Angeles here in California.
Engaging a radical shift as manifested by his insights shared during Bible studies which lasted more than one hour, around 10:00 p.m., with a song and his substantive prayer, Pacquiao counsels people to “just believe” what the Scripture says.
Pacquiao’s directive for Obama calls societies to fear God and not to promote sin, inclusive of same-sex marriage and cohabitation, notwithstanding what Leviticus 20:13 has been pointing all along: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
In one sentence, Ampong says that Pacquiao has a directive for Obama, leading straight to the mention of Leviticus 20:13 and the quote from that passage. Pretty simple to follow.
After all of this controversy, Pacquiao has made new statements, saying he’s not against gay people. In a story available on MP8.ph, Pacquiao says:
“I didn’t say that, that’s a lie… I didn’t know that quote from Leviticus because I haven’t read the Book of Leviticus yet. I’m not against gay people… I have a relative who is also gay. We can’t help it if they were born that way. What I’m critical off are actions that violate the word of God. I only gave out my opinion that same sex marriage is against the law of God.”
That’s certainly a less prejudiced or bigoted response from Pacquiao, and as I originally mentioned, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. So, that’s great… he’s cleared that up.
But the rest of the media didn’t make this mess, Mr. Ampong. You did.
