San Fransico Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod created quite a stir in the baseball community after he didn’t kneel during the National Anthem for Black Lives Matter. Coonrod cited his strong Christian faith was the reason.

“I meant no ill will by it,” he said. “I don’t think I’m better than anybody. I’m just a Christian. I believe I can’t kneel before anything but God, Jesus Christ. I chose not to kneel. I feel if I did kneel I’d be a hypocrite. I don’t want to be a hypocrite.”

During Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Coonrod became the only player on both teams who did not kneel. He did, however, join them when holding a black ribbon which represented unity.

According to TMZ Sports, Coonrod said, “I just can’t get on board with a couple of things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism … They said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can’t get on board with that.”

Giants manager Gabe Kapler expressed that he supported Coonrod’s choice to stay standing, even though he himself kneeled.

“We were going to let people express themselves,” Kapler explained. “We were going to give them the choice on whether they were going to stand, kneel, or do something else.”

As expected, Coonrod got backlash online for his inaction. Coonrod is taking it in stride, though, and asking for respect.

“People get mad whenever someone disagrees,” Coonrod continued. “I’m not mad at someone who decided to kneel. I just don’t think it’s too much to ask that I just get the same respect.”