A clip of Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu standing in silence after he stated he would recite what Jesus Christ "stated about homosexuality" has gone viral.

The California lawmaker was giving a one-minute speech on the Home flooring on Wednesday, which he used to criticize the GOP for pushing by way of a variety of payments concentrating on LGBTQ folks.

Throughout his speech, Lieu cited a narrative in The Washington Publish with the headline GOP lawmakers push historic wave of payments concentrating on rights of LGBTQ teenagers, kids and their households.

The article famous how Republicans have filed practically 200 state payments referring to LGBTQ restrictions between January and March, together with banning college books which debate homosexual or trans points or stopping transgender youth from taking part in aggressive college sports activities in groups that align with their gender id.

Lieu then cited one other Washington Publish article from April entitled Some Republicans worry get together overreach on LGBT measures, during which GOP figures spoke out towards the so-called "do not say homosexual" legal guidelines first launched in Florida.

"I simply thought I'd now recite for you what Jesus Christ stated about homosexuality," Lieu stated earlier than standing in silence for greater than 20 seconds.

"I yield again" he then concluded.

Ted Lieu jesus homosexuality
Consultant Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, stood in silence for greater than 20 seconds throughout a speech after he stated he would recite what Jesus Christ “stated about homosexuality.” Pictured, Lieu speaks after a tour of the Ports of Los Angeles and Lengthy Seashore throughout a press convention on the Port of Lengthy Seashore on January 11, 2022 in Lengthy Seashore, California.Patrick T. FALLON / AFP/Getty Pictures

A clip of Lieu's speech was posted onto Twitter by consumer @Acyn, who continuously posts snippets of interviews and public feedback from lawmakers. The footage of Lieu has been seen greater than 1.3 million instances.

Lieu made a comparable comment in a June 5 tweet during which he criticized baseballer Jason Adams and the opposite Tampa Bay gamers who refused to put on the rainbow flag brand on their uniforms over the weekend to commemorate the begin of Pleasure month.

"Pitcher Jason Adam ought to learn the New Testomony. That is what Jesus stated about homosexuality," Lieu tweeted earlier than leaving a protracted hole within the submit to signify silence.

"Jesus is about love, not about hating people who find themselves completely different from you."

Talking to The Washington Publish for the April article Lieu cited in his speech on the Home flooring, Dan Eberhart, a outstanding Republican donor with shut ties to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, stated DeSantis could have gone "too far" together with his feud with Disney.

Disney, who're the most important on-site employer in Florida with practically 80,000 staff, publicly spoke out towards HB 1557, a invoice which might bans the dialogue of sexual orientation and gender id in Florida faculties from kindergarten by way of to third grade.

In response, DeSantis signed laws in April that may dissolve the Reedy Creek Enchancment District, the legislation which permitted Disney to basically run as its personal self-governing authority within the state of Florida, in April 2023.

In March, Florida state Consultant Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, instructed The Publish that the variety of payments concentrating on the LQBTQ neighborhood in latest months had been "staggering."

"These painful state-level fights are proof optimistic that discrimination continues to be a really actual menace that immediately harms members of our most susceptible communities, together with and particularly younger people who find themselves transgender," Eskamani stated.

Newsweek reached out to Lieu for additional remark.