Hit A&E reality TV show Duck Dynasty has been all over the news this week after star frontrunner Phil Robertson caused quite an uproar that metastasized into a national controversy with his most recent comment.

Robertson recently sat down with GQ Magazine, and the topic of his perspective on homosexuality came into the conversation. During the interview, he basically correlated homosexuality with bestiality

“We’re Bible-thumpers who just happened to end up on television,” Robertson says in reference to his family’s television status. Then, Robertson went on to discuss is views on modern immorality, and things took a deft turn.

“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” Robertson tells the publication.

Paraphrasing a Corinthians bible passage, he says, “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

Many thought Robertson’s comments to be rather racist and offensive. However, Robertson has finally decided to respond to the claims made against his character due to his personal opinion. While most would have retracted the statement for the sake of publicity, Robertson is standing strong in his belief, and refuses to be deterred or coerced into an empty apology to save face.

According to Fox News, Mail Online reported that Robertson actually allowed a reporter to sit in on a bible study session he taught yesterday at White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ. Robertson finally weighed on the recent debacle derived from his opinionated remarks.

“I love all men and women” Robertson said, according to Mail Online. “I am a lover of humanity, not a hater.” When a member of the class thanked Robertson for saying what he said in the interview, he appeared to shrug it off, saying “I didn’t think much of it at all, but it seems a lot of other people did.”

Robertson also shared his personal reaction to everyone’s disdain toward his comments. “I am just reading what was written over 2,000 years ago. Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom. All I did was quote from the scriptures, but they just didn’t know it. Whether I said it, or they read it, what’s the difference? The sins are the same, humans haven’t changed.

“If you give them the bad news, they’ll start kicking and screaming. But you love them more than you fear them, so you tell them.”

Robertson casually went on with the bible study session ignoring all of the issues shrouded around his infamous comments. “Hope your week went well,” he said. “Ours was kinda’ slow.”

Refusing to give any life or energy to the situation, Robertson concluded the session with a prayer, went on to indirectly address his view on retracting the statements. “I will not give or back off from my path because you conquered death, Father, so we are not worried about all the repercussions.”

Image via Facebook | Duck Dynasty on A&E