Debate: Is This True Christianity?

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 *** immorality because it is defined as braun outside the context the traditional marriage between one man and one woman *** 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