Cape Coral pastor has social media debate with Ted Cruz over Ugandan anti-LGBTQ law

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz snapped back at a Cape Coral pastor over his criticizing anti-LGBTQ+ Uganda law, telling the church head that their "biblical analysis is in error," and asking him if he "really believe(s) that the US (Government) should execute every person who is gay?"

Tom Ascol, a controversial senior pastor at Grace Baptist Church for 37 years who offered a prayer at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's inauguration earlier this year, was one of the voices loudly pushing back on Cruz's condemnation of the anti-LGBTQ+ Uganda law.

Ascol said he voted for the senator in the 2016 Republican primaries for president.

Cruz criticized the harsh anti-LGBTQ measure signed last week, which imposes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" and establishes lifetime prison sentences for anyone who engages in gay sex.

"This Uganda law is horrific & wrong. Any law criminalizing homosexuality or imposing the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” is grotesque & an abomination. ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse. #LGBTQ," Cruz tweeted on May 29.

President Biden also condemned the law by calling for its immediate repeal.

Cruz's tweet was met with many responses from people commending him to others shocked that he would explicitly support the LGBTQ+ community.

Just last year, Cruz called the 2015 Supreme Court ruling Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage, "clearly wrong when it was decided," by saying the marriage issue should be left to the states.

Ascol, a conservative who has railed against critical race theory and abortion, quoted Leviticus in response to Cruz's initial tweet last week.

"Tell it to God, Ted. 'If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.' —Leviticus 20:13 Was this law God gave to His old covenant people 'horrific and wrong'?," Ascol tweeted on May 30.

More Cruz criticizes Florida pastor over Ugandan anti-LGBTQ law: 'Your biblical analysis is in error'

Related Cruz criticizes Florida pastor over Ugandan anti-LGBTQ law: 'Your biblical analysis is in error'

His tweet did not get a response from the senator until Monday when Cruz told the pastor he honored his ministry but disagreed with him on this issue.

"We are talking the laws of man, not the Old Testament laws of God," Cruz tweeted on June 5.

Cruz said Ascol's usage of Leviticus ignores "grace and the New Testament" and could easily be applied to rude children.

"Leviticus also tells us: “For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Should the govt execute every child who’s disrespectful to his parents?" Cruz tweeted on June 5.

The pastor also responded to Cruz's tweet, but said the senator hadn't framed the issue correctly.

"Senator, thank you for your thoughtful response. I have voted for you & encouraged others to do so. I don't think you have framed the issue in a proper ethical & biblical fashion. I'd be glad to have a conversation with you about that," Ascol tweeted on June 5.

Ascol told The News-Press he did not believe the government should be executing gay people or children and said the point of his question was to determine if Cruz "believes that when God criminalized homosexual conduct in the Old Testament that our Maker was guilty of prescribing a law horrific and grotesque law."

He said the laws should try and follow many of "God’s unchanging moral law," like those found in the Ten Commandments," as they have in the past based on the "general equity found in Old Testament civil law."

"How and in what ways modern civil codes should seek to implement laws based on general equity found in Old Testament case laws are matters of prudence and open for debate," Ascol said.

"Our nation could benefit by having civil servants and theologians have more extended conversations on such matters," he added.

Cruz did not respond Wednesday morning to request for comment.

Luis Zambrano is a Watchdog/Cape Coral reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. You can reach Luis at Lzambrano@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Lz2official.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral pastor admonishes Ted Cruz over LGTBQ law