As Australia nears its general election on 7 September, recently installed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has delivered a passionate defence of equal marriage – and a superb rebuke to those who believe the literal word of the Bible.

A pastor asked Rudd why anyone would vote for him, given the Bible’s position on marriage being ‘between a man and a woman.’ The pastor said: ‘If you call yourself a Christian, why don’t you believe the words of Jesus in the Bible?’

[tweetable alt=”Kevin Rudd @KRuddMP’s surprising answer to a question about the bibles stance on homosexuality”]The answer – which Rudd later uploaded to his own YouTube channel – impressed many[/tweetable].