Fact check: What did Charlie Kirk say about gay people being stoned

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that Charlie Kirk did reference a Bible verse that mentions stoning gay people to death, but he did so to criticize cherry-picking of Biblical passages, not to advocate for the act itself ^[1]. This is further supported by another analysis, which states that Alastair Campbell falsely claimed Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gay people to death, but later retracted the statement, acknowledging Kirk was highlighting the problem of selectively quoting scripture, not calling for violence ^[2]. However, other analyses do not mention Charlie Kirk's views on gay people being stoned, instead focusing on his polarizing stance on gay and transgender rights ^[3], his anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric ^[4], and his controversial views on LGBTQ+ rights and gender identity ^[5]. Some analyses also discuss Charlie Kirk's history of disparaging LGBTQ+ people, including calling transgender people a 'throbbing middle finger to God' and describing being gay as a harm to children, but do not mention him saying anything about gay people being stoned ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key piece of missing context is the specific Bible verse that Charlie Kirk referenced, and the context in which he referenced it ^[1]. Another missing context is the potential harm caused by Charlie Kirk's anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, which is not explicitly mentioned in all analyses ^[4]. Alternative viewpoints include the idea that Charlie Kirk's views on LGBTQ+ rights are not necessarily representative of all conservative or Christian perspectives ^[3], and that his controversial views may have been shaped by his involvement in the "manosphere" ^[5]. Additionally, some analyses highlight the backlash against teachers who made comments about Charlie Kirk's assassination, which may be relevant to understanding the broader social and cultural context of the issue ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading or biased, as it implies that Charlie Kirk advocated for stoning gay people to death, when in fact he was criticizing the cherry-picking of Biblical passages ^[1]. This framing may benefit those who seek to portray Charlie Kirk as extremist or hateful, such as Alastair Campbell, who later retracted his statement ^[2]. On the other hand, the original statement may also be seen as a legitimate critique of Charlie Kirk's views on LGBTQ+ rights, which have been widely criticized as harmful and discriminatory ^[4]. Ultimately, the potential misinformation or bias in the original statement highlights the importance of carefully considering the context and sources of information when evaluating complex social and political issues ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}.