Marco Rubio Says Same-Sex Marriage Is "Clear and Present Danger" to Christianity

Marco Rubio, the Florida Senator who wants to be the next President of the United States, is holding the line on his feelings towards same-sex marriage. And those feelings remain consistent: He's not about it.

Rubio appeared on the Christian Broadcasting Network and called same-sex marriage a "clear and present danger" to Christianity, and once again made the argument that just because people oppose same-sex marriage or same-sex equal rights doesn't make them a homophobe or a bigot.

"We are at the water's edge of the argument that mainstream Christian teaching is hate speech, because today we've reached the point in our society where if you do not support same-sex marriage, you are labeled a homophobe and a hater," Rubio tells CBN. "So what's the next step after that? After they're done going after individuals, the next step is to argue that the teachings of mainstream Christianity, the catechism of the Catholic Church, is hate speech. And that's a real and present danger."

It would appear that Rubio is still very much targeting a very specific wing of the GOP, even if the party has warned that any candidate looking to run in 2016 needs to be more inclusive — or, at least appear that way — if they want to win over young voters, who have shown wide support for same-sex marriage.

Of course, this is nothing new for Rubio, who has been speaking out against gay rights and same-sex marriage for years. All while insisting he's not a homophobe.

Just this year, the Senator slammed Florida's legalization of same-sex marriages while insisting he's not anti-gay.

In 2013, he went the "states should have the right to define marriage in the traditional way" route while scoffing at the notion that he was somehow a bigot. Yet, even as he espoused the virtue of constitutionality, he's always been very pro "God in government," particularly when it comes to gay rights.

But Rubio, who is hitting up Iowa in hopes to drum up support for his run at the White House, has been trying to have it both ways for a while.

In 2013, he told the famously antigay Florida Family Policy Council: "We hear about keeping God out of our schools, keeping God out of our politics, keeping God out of other people's lives," Rubio said. "This is a ridiculous debate, because God is everywhere at every time."

Also in 2013, Rubio was slammed by gay rights groups for blocking Judge William Thomas' nomination to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Thomas is openly gay.

During a Faith and Freedom Forum luncheon in 2013, Rubio was asked about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill that would make it OK to discriminate against LGBT folks in the work place. In the video below, Rubio says he's for protecting American's rights, but not for "any special protections based on orientation."