Former US President Jimmy Carter has responded to a question about gay rights to say he did not know of any discrimination by Jesus.

Speaking at Grand Rapids Community College’s Ford Fieldhouse on Monday, he said: “I never knew of any word or action of Jesus Christ that discriminated against anyone.”

“The sexual orientation of a person is just like the colour of their skin or whether they are good or evil, or poor or rich, or whether they live in a foreign country or our country,” he continued.

“So I think discrimination against anyone and to deprive them of equal rights in the United states is in violation of the Constitution.”