Rep. Jim Banks defended NFL quarterback Drew Brees Thursday for participating in a Focus on the Family video that encouraged students to bring Bibles to school.
The 40-year-old New Orleans Saints quarterback and 12-time Pro Bowler encouraged students to share their faith with others as part of a “Bring Your Bible” initiative.
“It’s disgraceful that Drew Brees’s encouragement to kids to share God’s love with their friends is turned into hate-mongering by the Left,” Banks, an Indiana Republican, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Brees and Focus on the Family are promoting Bring Your Bible to School Day — that’s it.”
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Posted by Focus on the Family on Thursday, August 29, 2019
“One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:7: ‘For we live by faith, not by sight,'” Brees said in the video shared on Facebook. “So I want to encourage you to live out your faith on Bring Your Bible to School Day, and share God’s love with friends. You’re not alone.” (RELATED: California School District Will Not Allow Parents To Opt Children Out Of LGBTQ Content, Emails Show)
Critics bashed Brees on Twitter for participating in the video.
We are starting a hashtag, #SaintsDontHate #IsitTrueDrew concerning @drewbrees commercial for an anti-LGBTQ group. Help us. https://t.co/RJSMngiaax
— Big Easy Magazine (@bigeasy_mag) September 3, 2019
We knew @drewbrees was conservative but it’s disappointing he’s lending his face to a video targeted at schools on behalf of an bigoted organization that presents a threat to the lives of kids who weren’t born to fit into their little Christian box. https://t.co/BTaCh1mTWf
— Louisiana Atheists (@LA_Atheists) September 3, 2019
Banks noted on Twitter Thursday that some have come to the conclusion Brees hates LGBTQ people because of the video.
“The relentless assault on Christians must stop,” Banks tweeted.
.@drewbrees, a Christian, recorded a video with @FocusFamily (a popular org that provides resources to families) encouraging kids to carry Bibles. Somehow, some have leaped to the conclusion he hates LGBT persons.
The relentless assault on Christians must stop.
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) September 5, 2019
New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson also defended Brees.
“Have done plenty of work with @FocusFamily and will continue to,” the tight end tweeted Thursday. “No problem speaking up for my friends when they are being slandered.”
Focus on the Family said Bring Your Bible to School Day — set for Oct. 3 — is driven by its “belief and conviction that young people are permitted to politely express and share their faith with classmates.”
“We have great respect for New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and appreciate him encouraging young people to show God’s love by participating in this year’s celebration,” Focus on the Family President Jim Daly told the DCNF, adding:
“America’s pluralism demands tolerance and civility towards those who may hold to a different point of view. As such, it’s our hope that those who may object to us expressing our deeply held religious beliefs may nevertheless afford us the same respect they rightly expect in return.”
The organization is an evangelical Christian ministry that believes sex is not only intended to be “shared and enjoyed exclusively between a husband and wife,” but also that “the Bible leaves no room whatsoever for confusion or ambiguity where homosexual behavior is concerned,” according to its website.
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