Donaire worried Pacquiao comments could lead to violence

Following Manny Pacquiao's controversial views on same-sex marriage, fellow Filipino champion boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. expressed worry over what Pacquiao's message could possibly incite.

The Filipino ring icon has come under fire for his "worse than animals" comment on homosexual relations. He later apologized and clarified that he is not condemning the LGBT community, only "telling the truth of what the Bible says."

In a since deleted Instagram post, Pacquiao quoted a Bible verse: "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

A fellow devout Christian, Donaire was concerned that some people may take the message literally and react with violence.

"I humbly pray that nobody takes the bible verse Pacquiao posted about 'put to death gays' LITERALLY. You don't need to accept their lifestyle but I'd rather not see it turned into actual action," Donaire said in his Facebook account.

"Crazy people may use it as an encouragement to do so just like how others say rap music made them violent or how Islam extremists kill in the name of their Holy war like Sept 11th," he added.

Donaire called for compassion and love, and added that Pacquiao's message was probably "communicated improperly."

But pressed by a Facebook user to air his own thoughts on the application of the said Bible verse, the boxer said Christians should adhere to the New Testament, which he called the "Jesus Christ law."

"If you bind yourself to the Old Testament you are saying Christ died for nothing. We are to use it for learning but not law," he said. —Marisse Panaligan/JST, GMA News