Minister who survived 2011 earthquake denounces Brian Tamaki's homophobic sermon

A minister who survived the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake but lost his home, has spoken out against Brian Tamaki's sermon blaming gay people for earthquakes.

It comes as a petition to have Destiny Church's tax-free status stripped continues to attract supporters, this afternoon at 111,000 signatures.

Tamaki told his congregation on Sunday morning the earth "convulses under the weight of certain human sin".

It came one day before a massive 7.8 earthquake struck central New Zealand killing two and stranding thousands with limited food, water, shelter and communication.

Tamaki also blamed a gay priest and the people of Christchurch for the devastating earthquakes that hit Canterbury in 2010 and 2011, which killed 185 people.

Yesterday Tamaki told RadioLive it wasn't just gay people whose "indecent" sexual conduct was to blame for earthquakes, but all "extra-sexual behaviour", including adulterers and child abusers.

But Youth for Christ NZ chairman and itinerant minister Doug Allington said Tamaki's views "cannot be justified from scripture".

"Brian's views in my opinion are importantly not the views of God and misrepresent his character and nature.

"They are not the views of many pastors and leaders within even the evangelical church."

Allington and his wife were at their home in Redcliffs when it was damaged beyond repair in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

"I was on the third floor at the time. I came close to serious harm at the property in both the February and June earthquakes," Allington said.

"We slept in 23 different beds or on people's floors in the first three months. For the first six weeks we lived in third-world conditions without sewerage, electricity and running water.

"I also know of Christians who were killed in the earthquakes."

Allington said at the time there were self-proclaimed prophets saying God was judging Christchurch.

It was the same in Samoa following the September 2009 tsunami, which killed 189 people including New Zealanders, he said.

"There were people then in Samoa saying God was judging that nation.

"There were two little girls, who were cousins playing on the beach. They died. God was not judging them or their families or nation. They unfortunately were in the wrong place at the time."

Allington said no one could use the Bible to prove the Christchurch earthquakes, or any natural disaster happened because of the sexual behaviour of its inhabitants.

"I would agree man is damaging the environment through misuse of resources, but human sexual morality has no influence on natural disasters.

"Were we being judged when we lost our home, and the Christians being judged who died? We live in a country prone to earthquakes, and earthquakes were happening in New Zealand before the Europeans turned up."

Allington said concentrating on weaknesses and shortcomings did more to turn people off, than to help them.

"What New Zealand and the world needs is a church that is full of compassion, love, grace, mercy and hope."

Tamaki declined a Herald request yesterday for an interview but defended his comments on RadioLive, blaming the media for sensationalising his views.

A Destiny Church spokeswoman said the church was not concerned with the petition.