ESPN has issued a stern response to an on-air appearance by reporter Chris Broussard during which he stated he did not consider NBA player Jason Collins, who came out as gay, to be “a Christian.”
Speaking on the network’s "Outside the Lines" program, a news discussion show, Broussard said, “If you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits. It says that, you know, that’s a sin.”
He continued, “If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality. . . I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. So I would not characterize that person as a Christian, because I don’t think the bible would characterize them as a Christian.”
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ESPN later released a statement on Broussard’s comments. “We regret that a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints became a distraction from today’s news. ESPN is fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins’ announcement.”
Broussard himself then took to Twitter to tell his followers, “Today on OTL, as part of a larger, wide-ranging discussion on today's news, I offered my personal opinion as it relates to Christianity, a point of view that I have expressed publicly before. I realize that some people disagree with my opinion and I accept and respect that.”
“As has been the case in the past, my beliefs have not and will not impact my ability to report on the NBA,” he continued.
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