I'm joined today by former navy chaplain Gordon clinging Schmidt check out his
website pray in Jesus name dot
org also joined by reverend marks and landmark is a Presbyterian minister
co founder of the Christian left also blogs for the Huffington Post and a
number of other publications
gentleman it's really great to have both the view here today
you know you may not know this but my audience certainly does I am NOT an
expert
in Christianity I was the born into a Jewish family in raised
real relatively secular but it's impossible to ignore
that Christianity is very involved
in the politics have the United States so it's a topic that we often discuss
so I wanna go first to the chaplain chaplain you know you and I have talked
about
variety of issues we've talked about gays in gay marriage
abortion the teaching of evolution I'm
Obamacare single-payer healthcare poverty
what do you think right now should be the most
important and and Paramount issues to American Christians in the political
system
well thank you David for having me on your show once again and God bless you
and God bless your listeners
in Jesus name night as a former navy chaplain
I believe in the Constitution of the United States Army Air Force Academy
graduate I defended
the first amendment nod among all the other
constitutional amendments in religious freedom is a critical issue that the
church
and my constituents are very concerned about so
now sadly under the Obama administration I feel like in many of my friends
feel like christian values are under attack in being legislated
other existence by liberals in the Obama administration who want to
for example redefined traditional marriage instead it is Jesus defined as
between one man and one woman
they want to pass the defendant you know
struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in X the ended up bill
Employment non-discrimination Act not and we've seen this trend going on for
many years this is not new to anyone in your audience
but you asked me what are some of the critical issues will not i mean i think
thats that's good in the interest of getting
Reverend mark in because that right there was chocolate stuff that I'm sure
he wants to address
so Reverend Martin for just even on the basis
do you agree with that with with chaplin clinger's for its assessment that Jesus
made it clear
what a marriage should be you or do you do you disagree there
yeah um how have to obviously big
disagree with that anyone about this on the christian Laettner is that
we believe the billet leaders actually all kinds representations
%uh what a blast relationships look like you got
opportunity when when that have language is used to
are can't deny rights to those who were who are
in same-sex relationships so i think is pretty clear that uses my question in
love and bringing people together and are
in relations people trust each other and care for each other and promote greater
good through
so you don't believe that the do you think let's let's to address
the chaplains other assertion there do you think there has been
a significant change in terms of religious freedom
under President Obama I religious freedom out the actually has been opened
up
we see more and more acceptance are a greater variety
arm religion by iPod Touch ask for a cop
is defending the rights of other religions are on the naval ships to
practice their religion
and I think that's what we'll be doing in the US rather than trying to
legislate our particular beliefs we need to be trying to
with a higher moral grounds and open up a platform so that more and more
religions
are respected and accepted in are having other people's perspectives
or so chaplain feel predicted to jump in well thank you
on as a conservative traditional Christian
the you know some people may say that I'm in the Christian Right
up my partner here
record mark is on the Christian laughter so he describes himself
night I want to suggest that the definition of Christian we need to be
very careful about this should be
somebody who follows Jesus Christ somebody who agrees with Jesus
and somebody who believes the bible I think a lot of people out there
on the so-called left are trying to call themselves Christian but at the same
time
they don't believe in Jesus Christ they don't let him to rule their heart and
mind and they don't believe the buyer
Jesus Christ define marriage between one man and one woman
and people who disagree with that should not call themselves Christians are
colors ag's
and and a million jobs I think this is what this type of conversation always
been so
unfortunately unraveling to those who gets to call themselves Christian who
who doesn't and who owns the right number tation what Jesus said what Jesus
did say and I think 30 and you get a very important
herman who move in in going to the value Jesus was using the Old Testament is
jewish
I holy scripture to understand things because I think we have to look at all
of it
and so i i it a little dogmatic limiting when will you
we p one verse we quote you and say that it represents a full understanding
who are supposed to be one Jesus talk of jesus grew up
with all these other structures is well he frequently referred to them in the
form to you are so
I don't particularly into having a baby whose Christian
who's not I i think thats a little presumptive to propose an hour another
topic
do that through which we can kind of explore the differences in our views
here
the chaplain brought up the issue of marriage equality i wanna talk a little
bit about health care
there has been a significant conservative Christian movement
against the Affordable Care Act recounted colloquially known as
Obamacare
and further there's also been sentiment that
single-payer health care or health care for all would somehow not be in line
with Christianity for some reason
I'll go first now to Reverend mark the Bernard is your sense that
the the Jesus view would be
everyone should be provided with some basic level above healthcare
or is that not the a proper interpretation
a few things I noticed about it as any time anyone ask for help here
Jesus gated so just from practice I would say that something was important
she's not argument is used to
you know what Jesus did for state government to do
well what Jesus was really doing is making sure that those in need had it
so I would say we're capable of making sure the folks who need health care had
it without the government's intervention and that's great
the reality is we haven't chaplain you've been very outspoken against
Obamacare how how do you what do you think
%uh reverend Mark's comment well I agree with
his sentiment that God should be the healer we should look to God for yelling
and not to the government
and take sadly the Socialists left
has now been trying to replace private juries in Christian hospitals or
or regulate them into obscurity word
even to take over with government
however some other things the Christians have been doing for a thousand years I
believe in free-market enterprise at leaving private charity
sadly since president Obama has been elected 4.9 million
working-class Americans have lost their health care insurance
between ages 25 and 64 in that hurts
everybody's ability to have health care so socialism is not
a way to give more hoelter is socialism actually takes culture away from people
in its
anti-christian when I prove for the sector the way I was in India
last year I preach 34 times in 35
days into were cities we prayed for the sick
in by the power of God people were healed and we saw
American so I think God should be the healer and we should not look to
government as it is a God
mark I think there's probably a lot you would wanna say to that but because the
because we have limited time
and chaplain has kinda opened the door to to discussing something else
the Kaplan has talked about faith healing and we've had cases where
people parents have actually now had to face charges for providing only
faith healing and no traditional medical treatments to their kids
the chaplain on my program has also talked about exercises UMS and that he
personally
with about a 50 percent success rate has been able to exercise
the homosexuality out of people
is that in line with your understanding of Christian teachings
or does that sound like something that is outside
of Christianity arm the student in question is going on there one
is healing in 10 exercise in I'll and I'll also try to front I've certainly
never been privileged to be in the presence
you that actually happen in a way that is verified that was
what occurred so from a purely spiritual up one hit you up
is difficult for me to completely understand all we have Google text love
feelings course I've never seen it and understand it really verified
up for those who who who would like to replace the ok here
with up biblical healing or or or praying for so many other
I would challenge them to drop their own health care not go to a hospital
and just pray by I suspect long run minutes I'm not to do that
and the market yet this is because like I said the chaplain says he has this
fifty percent success rate than a lesbian ones wept and then was no longer
interested in other women and he has a lot of these
story for which to some people seem hard to believe
yeah I think comes down to a basic understanding of why a person has
attracted the same
someone of the same sex no are you do you believe that it is a a possession up
the double
or do you believe that science is slowly beginning to show some signs up there is
also
parts that has to do with how we're wired in our DNA our structure in who we
are
and so and some about our environment and the people that we find ourselves
trapped into it so
a chaplain feel free to address that I know this is the hla an important topic
here
I don't wanna miss kirk tries my position a I think
Rivermark suggested that I am against health care because the
lead got as the killer that's not what I said at all I'm in favor of health care
a member of the Knights hot hospital ers which is
the the organization that i supported that founded the first hospital
bulls which they just understand jerusalem over a thousand years ago with
regard to
exercise isn't yours here's what Jesus taught her injury
discuss schools Matthew Mark Luke and John especially in Matthew 10
where Jesus commanded His disciples and I try to be one of his disciples
to heal the sick cleanse the lepers cast out demons
raise the dead and that doesn't mean we have the power to do that but we should
try
back and we should certainly pray that God will give us that power
to he'll people who who are ruled by team it's not everybody's real lady
members not a demon behind every bush
but there is perhaps the evil influence but what behind every few minutes in
in recant the finances and although there is no such thing as Sen
then of course you don't believe in the devil but if you believe the Bible he
believed would Jesus is there is right and wrong
the devil is influencing people to sit in
in and the Spirit God is influencing people to choose holiness
than ever in every human moral said as you have an opportunity
to agree with God were to disagree with got to agree with the devil
or disagree with the double and those are just natural choices that people
make Inc on six acumen reality
every day that's why sexual immorality
because it is defined as braun outside the context the traditional marriage
between one man and one woman
sexual morality is a temptation it's a sin
and therefore we consent to allow the devil to rule that her life
and we could renounced that we can walk away from that it's not heard your DNA
in David we talked about punnett squares in Mendelian genetics and how
homosexuality can not be he inherited because when a man meets with another
man
they don't have kids and so the only way they have
the is to recruit the children heterosexual couples
into that movement in there her it's not genetic it's not biological
it is a moral choice and therefore it can be repented and
it beacon and bike got to rule that part of your Reverend mark is this discussion
love love a homosexuality
as as a chosen sin and everything else that the chapel is talking about
is to you is is this a productive area for Christianity to focus
own not alone actually with Mr nomination have this discussion is that
frankly even your hi you think that the English interpretation of the Bible
his literally a correct a
translation in in the places that addresses
a homosexual relationship which is only seven
in general the Bible is dis interested in this subject
and we quote probably more than fifty percent of our time it would see
into dealing with this issue %uh I think it's a distraction from what we should
be doing
with years are seeking justice and equality
trying to encourage people to work towards peace and getting along with the
neighbors no matter what they look like
alright well gentlemen I think we've said it all we've been speaking to you
former navy chaplain Gordon clone clinging Schmidt check out his website
pray in Jesus name dot ordered also
reverend marks and one who's a Presbyterian minister
is the cofounder of the Christian left and blogs on Huffington Post
and elsewhere on the Internet thanks to both of you for joining me today
they could even thank you Mark complicities you do Jess
busy