NFL quarterback Drew Brees is responding to criticisms from a video he released where he encouraged students to bring their Bibles to school.
Critics addressed the initial video, accusing the New Orleans Saints’ star of being anti-gay or bigoted as it was backed by Focus on the Family, a faith-based group.
In the initial video, Brees described one of his favorite Bible verses is 2 Corinthians 5:7 which talks about “living by faith and not by sight.”
“I want to encourage you to live out your faith on Bring Your Bible To School Day and share God’s love with friends,” the quarterback said in the video.
After critics ripped Brees and his encouragement, the NFL star responded in a more direct video on his Twitter.
“Hopefully this sets the record straight with who I am and what I stand for,” Brees said in the tweet, accompanying the video. “Love, Respect, and Accept ALL. I encourage you not to believe the negativity you read that says differently. It’s simply not true. Have a great day.”
“I do not support any groups that discriminate or that have their own agendas that are trying to promote inequality,” he is seen saying.
Hopefully this sets the record straight with who I am and what I stand for. Love, Respect, and Accept ALL. I encourage you not to believe the negativity you read that says differently. It’s simply not true. Have a great day. pic.twitter.com/4RdTahE7EZ
— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) September 5, 2019
Brees later addressed these criticisms when speaking to a group of reporters at the New Orleans Saints locker room.
“I know that there are, unfortunately, Christian organizations out there that are involved in that kind of thing,” he said, per the Fox News report. “And to me, that is totally against what being a Christian is all about. Being a Christian is love, it’s forgiveness, it’s respecting all, it’s accepting all.”
Focus on the Family also responded to the controversy, reminding everyone that Jesus loves them and died for each of them.
“Our goal is to say, ‘Jesus loves you, cares about you, no matter who you are — your race, your creed, your sexual orientation. Jesus died for every one of us.’ That’s the message we want to get out,” Jim Daly of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Focus on the Family said.