Pastor Gordon Manche, who heads an Evangelical community, insisted today that the Malta Gay Rights Movement exaggerated in its reaction when it became known that his community was celebrating testimony by three men who said that God had converted them and they were now straight after having been gay.

"I was treated unfairly and the reaction was massively out of proportion," Mr Manche' said.

"These three men did not attack anyone. They had a right to say that Jesus converted them, they did not say that others need to change," he said on the Radio Malta programme Ghandi xi nghid.

Referring to the Malta Gay Rights Movement he said: "They did not need to protest because we did not attack anybody."

The MGRM held a peaceful protest on Wednesday outside the hall where the pastor's community meets.

Mr Manche' said he knew of another four men, in another community, who had said that God converted them, and they were now married. Some, he said, were now feeling bullied as a result.

He insisted that he never said that being gay meant that one was sick, although in his view, this was an issue of choice influenced in some cases by circumstances.

During the interview Mr Manche' spoke on how he had been a professional ballet dancer in the US before he "saw God" and God spoke to him in a spiritual vision, although he did not see his face.

He said he was 'consumed by God' and determined to preach.

Mr Manche' also said that the Earth was approaching the 'end of times' as evidenced by the increase in earthquakes, revolutions, immorality and atheism, all pointers mentioned in the Bible.

He insisted that rather than a Church based on traditions, one should have a Church which showed the presence of Jesus every day.

"He is a living Jesus who walks with us," he said.

On divorce, he said that what Jesus had united, man could not tear apart, but there were marriages which, he said, were not united by God such as in arranged marriages and marriages, even in Church, by atheists.