Critics are once again fuming over "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson's speaking out against homosexuality, with some accusing the reality show star of "unleashing another homophobic rant" during a sermon delivered over Easter weekend.
However, Robertson's son, Alan Robertson, defended his father's unflinching beliefs Thursday night, telling an audience of pastors at the Family Research Council's "Watchmen of the Wall 2014″ event that his dad "has the heart and mindset of a prophet."
"My dad has the heart and mindset of a prophet and is most compared to John the Baptist ... for speaking the truth in a culture that isn't prepared to hear truth," Alan told the crowd. "That doesn't change my dad's view at all. Prophets tend not to care about their public image. They tend to talk about their judgment as if it's real and they speak what God gives them to speak ... so he is, in that sense, a 21st century prophet."
The younger Robertson spoke at the event led by Family Research Council president Tony Perkins which seeks to encourage Christian leaders to speak boldly about controversial issues like homosexuality and abortion.
Alan also addressed his father's controversy late last year when he spoke against homosexuality to GQ magazine during an interview. In the interview, Phil shared his belief that homosexuality is a sin, causing outrage among the gay community and receiving temporary suspension from his family's show.
However, Alan says his family stood by their beliefs as a united front amidst surrounding controversy.
"Our local newspaper guy came up to me and said, 'Al, we got a problem. If this gets out, you guys are in trouble. This is going to cause you guys a lot of grief because this message is not politically correct,'" Alan said. "Well, in December it did hit the fan and it hasn't changed us one bit about who we are and what we believe."
Alan called his father a "culture-changer" due to his fearlessness, comparing his boldness to other prophets in the Bible, like Elijah and Jonah.
Alan, along with co-speaker Franklin Graham, encouraged Christian leaders to share the truth of the Gospel as well as grace from the pulpit regardless of the backlash they may receive.
"This message is for us to learn from these prophets. I want to encourage you guys to tell the truth. As a family, we're going to do that," Alan said.
He continued, "Our message for people is God is God. Therefore, I am not. I have no reason to put myself in His judgment seat, but I can learn that God has a job for me ... the country is going terribly, what can we do to change it? But you know what, 'I have 7,000 reserved that have not bowed their knees to Baal,'" he said, referencing 1 Kings 19:18.
