This pastor didn’t literally mean he would set himself on fire over gay marriage

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A Texas pastor has clarified comments he made ahead of the SCOTUS ruling on same-sex marriage to say he didn’t mean he would literally set himself on fire.

Texas pastor Rick Scarborough made the claim ahead of yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage which will bring the right to all gay and lesbian couples in the US.

One-upping the Australian Christian couple who have threatened to divorce if the ban on same-sex marriage is lifted, the Texan appeared to threaten to burn himself alive.

He said: “We’re simply being pre-emptive and saying, no matter what the cost, we are not going to bow, we are not going to bend, and we will burn.”

Scarborough has now clarified, however, saying in a statement: “I made that comment to paraphrase a spiritual song, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in which the three were given a choice—to bow to the image of Nebucahdnezzar or burn in a furnace.

”‘We will burn’ means that we will accept any sanction from the government for resisting today’s Supreme Court decision. We do not support any violence or physical harm.”