MP slams Brian Tamaki's message to single mums: 'If you haven't got Christ, you are open game'

Green MP Jan Logie has criticised a video of Bishop Brian Tamaki telling single mothers to join the church for the sake of their children, calling his comments "outdated sexist rubbish".

In the short clip, posted to Facebook, the divisive religious figure talks about children's need for a father figure, adding that without one, girls will grow up to seek validation from "every other hoon around town".

"The father is the key for emotional stability and validating the son's manhood and the daughter's womanhood," he said.

"The woman relies on her man having Christ as his cover.

"If she didn't get her father's validation, she will try and seek it from every other hoon around town. I'm sorry if you haven't got Christ as your head, you are open game."

Tamaki argued an unnamed enemy's plan "is to have kids that grow up bereft in their emotions", before calling for single mums to join Destiny's Church or another like it, saying that "put[ting] yourself under the covering of spiritual fathers" is "the best thing single mums can do".

Logie, a Green MP, said considering how many children and adults in New Zealand were being, or had been, raised by single mothers doing an amazing job, Tamaki's message denied reality.

"It's that really old, outdated messages about men and women - you know, men having the answer and women needing men's protection.

"Sole mums who are parenting by themselves are heroes actually."

Logie said the video made for "pretty uncomfortable viewing" in this day and age.

"It's outdated, sexist rubbish."

Destiny Church's media liaison officer, Anne Williamson, said the clip was taken from a 40-minute message at a Sunday sermon.

The full message was for families who came into the church looking for answers and was well received by those who were there, she said.

"Please note Bishop Tamaki said 'the best thing a single mum can do is get to a church like this and many others, and herself under the covering of a spiritual father'," Williamson said.

"If you had heard the whole message it would bring clarity to your perspective and you would not see the need to sensationalise a portion of this message to harvest a story for 'fake news'."

In November, Tamaki drew criticism for blaming gay people, murderers and sinners for causing earthquakes.

In a sermon the day before the massive 7.8 magnitude Kaikoura earthquake, which killed two people, Tamaki told churchgoers quakes were a result of sexual "perversions".

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