Bishop Brian Tamaki hits out at gay community

Controversial Destiny Church leader Bishop Brian Tamaki has again criticised the gay and lesbian community, less than a year after he was widely condemned for blaming gay people for earthquakes.

During a sermon on Sunday, Tamaki referred to gay and lesbian clergy as a "contamination".

"You've got to understand that there's been such a breakdown and contamination in churches and in denominations it's gone beyond a joke," he said.

"Churches are so unguarded and [have] so lost their way that now you can have lesbian ministers... and gay..."

"You might be saying 'Yay' and clapping, but I'm not clapping with you - and neither is God."

Reverend of Auckland's Metropolitan Community Church Doug McGee told TVNZ that Tamaki's comments were outdated.

"God is unconditional love - and inclusive love too," he said.

"The church should be leading some of the changes in society instead of dragging behind."

Tamaki believes that natural disasters are side effects of environmental pollution, abuse, and sexual sins.

In a sermon delivered just 24 hours before the Kaikoura earthquake last November 14, Tamaki blamed earthquakes on gays, sinners, and murderers.

"The land actually speaks to God. Out of the soil ... Abel's blood spoke to God from a murder. The earth can speak. Leviticus says that the earth convulses under the weight of certain human sin.

"It spews itself up after a while - that's natural disasters. Because nature was never created to carry the bondage of our iniquity," Tamaki said.