Did this UKIP spokesman really just compare Nigel Farage to Jesus?
UKIP’s Commonwealth spokesman who previously equated same-sex adoption to “child abuse”, has spoken in a bizarre interview to compare Nigel Farage to Jesus, and deny being homophobic.
In the interview with ChatPolitics, Winston McKenzie, who unsuccessfully stood for UKIP in the 2012 Croydon North by-election, and unsuccessfully audition for X-Factor, compared UKIP leader Nigel Farage to Jesus.
Asked whether UKIP “is Nigel Farage”, McKenzie says; “Listen, Jesus was one man – we are his army. Farage is one man – and we are his army – and that’s what it’s all about.”
He is then asked whether some churches have “gone too far”, in marrying gay couples, to which he replies: “Oh gosh. I think personally – issues like that should be a matter for the people. The church does sometimes have to be neutral, but if you are a Christian and you read your bible, it’s not something Christians advocate for.
“It’s not something that the church would sit by and allow to take them over. It is something that the church are obviously going to speak up about and try to defend Christianity. They have every right to get involved, but I think the way this issue of gay marriage and all the other aspects of gay people, they, the Coalition – the Tories especially- could have been more thoughtful in their attitude with regard to introducing it. And they haven’t.
“They’ve just been in there fighting for political points, fighting to win people over, hoping they get the gay vote. I have nothing against gay people – I am not some kind of homophobe, but I am entitled to express my heartfelt opinion.
Asked to expand on what his “heartfelt opinion” might be, he said: “I’m not going to be drawn on that one. Because I know what will happen. But what I can say is that I am a Christian man – and I do my best – my utmost – to follow Christian ways, the way that God said, or taught that we should always live – and that doesn’t make me some vicious evil man, but I do believe that people have a right.
“Peoples’ rights should be expected – their human rights. The last thing I’d hate to see is gay bashing or people lambasting gays for what they are or what they’ve achieved. No. Many of them work hard and strenuously put together things, in order that they can live. You have to remember – there are some people who are genuinely gay, and believe in who and what they are, and what they have achieved. Let’s not lambaste people who are just genuinely that way.”
McKenzie unsuccessfully fought the Croydon North by-election for UKIP in 2012. He was widely condemned for saying gay people should not be allowed to adopt children.
McKenzie, at the time UKIP’s spokesman for culture, media and sport, told the Croydon Advertiser: “If you couldn’t look after your child and you had to put them up for adoption would you honestly want your child to be adopted by a gay couple?
“Would you seriously want that or a heterosexual family? Which would be more healthy for the child?
“A caring loving home is a heterosexual or single family. I don’t believe (a gay couple) is healthy for a child.”
He then went further with his remarks, saying that same-sex adoption is the same as “child abuse”.
In 2005, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the X Factor and has previously been a member of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
