Louisiana floods destroy home of hate preacher who claimed gays were responsible for floods
Tony Perkins was forced to escape his flooded home in a canoe after saying natural disasters were a message from God
THE president of an anti-gay Christian group who once said natural disasters were a message from God condemning the increasingly gay-friendly world has had his own home flooded.
In an ironic twist, Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, had his home flooded by more than 10ft of water during the Louisiana floods.
Calling into his own show, Perkins described the floods as being "near biblical proportions", saying his family of seven had been forced to abandon their home in a canoe.
Perkins had been on holidays from his radio show on the Family Research Council radio when the floods struck, with the presenter and part-time pastor calling in to share the misfortune that had fell on his family.
He said: "This flood I would have to say is near biblical proportions.
"This is unlike anything we have ever seen before."
Last year, Perkins was interviewing Jonathan Cahn, who claims to be a Christian prophet, when the guest said that Hurricane Joaquin was a sign of God's wrath for legalising gay marriage.
Perkins agreed, saying while "those on the left like to mock these things", it was often "God trying to send us a message" through natural disasters.
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Perkins said he was now living with his wife and five children in an RV while they try to restore their home.
His was one of more than 40,000 homes damaged in the floods which have been labelled as "worst natural disaster to strike the United States since Superstorm Sandy" by the Red Cross.
So far, 13 people have been killed.
Others had to be rescued off their roofs after trying to escape the rising flood waters.
People whose homes were swamped in the heavy rains have been forced to take refuge in shelters or bunker in with relatives, US media has reported.
Many victims do not have flood insurance with many left grappling with how to cope.
The Chicago Tribute reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency
But it is not the first time religious leaders have made controversial statements about natural disasters.
Televangelist Pat Robertson suggested that God was punishing the US for legalising abortion in 2005 while Megachurch Pastor John Haggee said the floods had been sent to stop a Gay Pride parade.
Perkins has previously been criticised in the media when he praised the infamous "kill the gays" bill in Uganda in 2010.
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