NFL Player Brendan Ayanbadejo on Homosexuality: Equality Trumps Religion

"People have to realize, even though it's your right to have religion ... you can't use that right of religion to take other people's rights away. Equality trumps all of them," Ayanbadejo said.

Equality is more important than religion, Brendan Ayanbadejo, an NFL linebacker and outspoken advocate of gay rights, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich argued that the push for so-called equality has infringed upon religious freedom.

Ayanbadejo played for the Baltimore Ravens last season and is currently a free agent.

Ayanbadejo added that "we protect and we believe in religion," and implied that religious people just need to be educated in order for them to agree with his view of homosexuality.

"So, we just need to open up people's eyes and educate people a little more," he said.

Ayanbadejo also appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday as both shows were discussing the recent announcement by NBA basketball player Jason Collins that he is gay. Collins is the first active professional basketball player and only the second active player of any of the four major U.S. sports – basketball, football, baseball and hockey – to admit he is gay.

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Gingrich Lies about Gays

On a segment on gay rights on Meet the Press today, Newt Gingrich complained about Catholic adoption agencies being "outlawed" in some states where marriage equality laws take effect. MSNBC contributor Joy-Ann Reid pointed out that it was the Church's decision to withdraw its services.

GINGRICH: "What I'm struck with is the one-sidedness of the desire for rights. There are no rights for Catholics to have adoption services in Massachusetts. They're outlawed. There are no rights in DC for Catholics to have adoption service. They're outlawed. This passing reference to religion, we sort of respect religion, sure, as long as you don't practice it. I mean I think it would be good to have a debate over, you know, beyond this question of, 'Are you able to be gay in America?' what does it mean? Does it mean that you have to actually affirmatively eliminate any institution which does not automatically accept that, and therefore, you're now going to have a secular state say to a wide range of religious groups, Catholics, Protestants, orthodox Jews, Mormons, frankly, Muslims, 'You cannot practice your religion the way you believe it, and we will outlaw your institutions.' ... Let's just start with adoption services. It's impossible for the Catholic Church to have an adoption service in Massachusetts that follows Catholic doctrine.

JOY-ANN REID: But didn't the Catholic Church, particularly Catholic Charities in Boston, they affirmatively decided to withdraw adoption services. No one said they are not allowed to provide adoption services.

GINGRICH: No, they withdrew them because they were told, "You could not follow Catholic doctrine," which is for marriage between a man and a woman.

REID: I think the point is, is that you don't have the state attempting to tell religions what to believe. People, if they oppose the idea of gay marriage within their religion, have the absolute right to do so. The question is whether or not religious institutions can make public policy, whether they can enter the public policy--