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Rick Warren Downplays Antigay Past

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Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren appeared Sunday on Meet the Press, where he presented himself as a friend of gay people, if not marriage equality, in response to a series of questions from host David Gregory.

"My role is to love everybody," said Warren, who described himself as "much more sympathetic" to gay people when asked whether his work on HIV/AIDS around the world had affected his beliefs.

Warren also agreed that the millions of dollars spent last year to pass Proposition 8 in California would have been spent more wisely on efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. However, he refused to say whether or not he would support a similar ballot initiative against marriage equality in the future, and he minimized his role in the 2008 campaign, saying it amounted to an appearance in one video, despite evidence to the contrary.

"I'm not a politician," said Warren. "I didn't fight it in the last issue. What was misunderstood is that people on both sides tried to make me the campaign leader. I only mentioned it one time, and I mentioned it to my own congregation when I was asked, 'What is our position on this?'"

Warren is currently under scrutiny by activists for his involvement with Martin Ssempa, the antigay pastor backing the draconian bill in Uganda that would punish gay people with death in some instances.

Watch Warren on Meet the Press below.

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