Donaire hopes Pacquiao’s Bible verse post doesn’t incite violence against gays

MANILA, Philippines – Nonito Donaire says he hopes that Manny Pacquiao’s recent offerings on homosexuality do not incite violence, expressing concern over a Bible scripture Pacquiao had posted in a since-deleted post on Instagram.

Speaking on his Facebook account, the 4-division boxing champion Donaire writes “I humbly pray that nobody takes the bible verse Pacquiao posted about ‘put to death gays’ LITERALLY,” after Pacquiao cited Leviticus 20:13, which states “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”

Pacquiao, an 8-division boxing champion and a two-term congressman who is running for a seat in the Philippine senate, sparked global outrage after a viral video surfaced of him saying gay couples were “worse than animals.”

The comments, which Pacquiao’s own promoter Bob Arum described as “reprehensible,” caused Pacquiao to lose his relationship with Nike.

(READ: Brands stick by Pacquiao despite LGBT comments, Nike termination)

The reigning WBO junior featherweight champ Donaire, who was born in Bohol, Philippines and describes himself as a “devout Christian,” is scheduled to fight April 23 at Araneta Coliseum against Zsolt Bedak.

He adds: “You don’t need to accept their lifestyle but id rather not see it turned into actual action. Crazy people may use it as an encouragement to do so just like how other say rap music made them violent or how Islam extremists kill in the name of their Holy war like Sept. 11th.

“From witchcraft to the Holocaust to the more recent ISIS…without compassion we will fall. Without love we will fall.”

Donaire later clarified the post saying “All in all I’m sure what was posted is just Pacquiao’s way of saying what his belief was coming from was deep rooted in the Bible and it’s just being communicated improperly.”

Pacquiao’s official Facebook account was one of those who had “liked” the second post. – Rappler.com