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Kirk Cameron 'surprised' by firestorm comments on homosexuality caused

Updated 8:30 a.m. PT: When Kirk Cameron spoke out against gay marriage and homosexuality as "destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization" on "Piers Morgan Tonight" earlier in March, he started a firestorm of controversy. But on Tuesday, the 41-year-old staunch Christian and former star of "Growing Pains" told TODAY's Ann Curry that what he told Morgan was nothing new."I was surprised

Updated 8:30 a.m. PT: When Kirk Cameron spoke out against gay marriage and homosexuality as "destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization" on "Piers Morgan Tonight" earlier in March, he started a firestorm of controversy. But on Tuesday, the 41-year-old staunch Christian and former star of "Growing Pains" told TODAY's Ann Curry that what he told Morgan was nothing new.

"I was surprised, frankly, that people were surprised by the things that I've said," he explained. "I have been consistent for 15 years as a Christian. I'm a Bible-believing Christian. What I would have thought was more newsworthy is if I had said something that contradicted the word of God, if I had contradicted my faith."

So, given his comments, does Cameron, who had also come on the show to discuss his new documentary "Monumental," actually hate gay people?

"Absolutely not," he said. "I love all people, I hate no one. ... When you take a subject and reduce it to something like a four-second soundbite and a check mark on a ballot, I think that that's inappropriate and insensitive. ... To edit it down to that, it certainly didn't reflect my full heart on the matter."

Cameron feels that his opinions shouldn't be interpreted as a trigger for bullying or violence against homosexuals.

"Nobody should mistreat anybody," he said. "We all have our convictions formed by different things and mine are informed by my faith. They're formed by the word of God, and I found that to be an anchor for me, a compass and a guide for me. When people start bullying one another and calling each other names for those different convictions, then I think you get into problems."

Cameron returned later in the day Tuesday to chat with Hoda Kotb and she asked him if he could "unring the bell and do it again, would he do it the exact same way?" Cameron says he would have liked to have "reframed the question" from Piers Morgan. Check out the video: 

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