No, a Pastor Didn’t Call for Executing Gays, Then Introduce Ted Cruz

By The Stream Published on March 14, 2016

There’s a story careening around the interwebs that Ted Cruz has a pastor friend who wants to enforce capital punishment on gay people.

The report is based on an edited video from a 2015 conference where Cruz spoke. He was introduced by Kevin Swanson, a radio-show pastor with fire-and-brimstone flare who spoke before Cruz. The headlines and articles show Swanson citing Bible passages, but deliberately remove some crucial context.

Swanson quotes Leviticus and Romans in his argument that the Bible seems to call for the death of homosexuals. That’s the part that’s getting some understandable attention.

But what he said next matters: Swanson specifically says that he opposes the death penalty for homosexuals because he wants them to repent and be saved. He also notes that homosexuality is just one of many sexual sins that call for repentance.

In fact, although he negotiates it awkwardly, his point seems to be that we are all sinners who deserve death, but that God restrains His judgment to give us all time to repent.

 

 

From the video:

Do you advocate for our civil leaders to do this today? And my answer is: No.

But why?

Here’s why. Because that’s not such a big deal. We are not to fear those who can kill the body. Yea, Jesus says, fear rather those — the One who can cast body and soul in hell forever.

The discussion concerning the capital punishment of homosexuals is nothing, is not all that important when contrasted with hellfire forever.

You say why wouldn’t you call for it?

I say it’s because we need some time for homosexuals to repent. That’s why. We need time for adulterers — and friends, please understand, there is not much difference between adultery and homosexuality as conveyed by the Word of God. There is not much difference between adultery and divorceés who themselves have committed adultery by illegitimate divorce or remarriage. There is hardly any difference. They need time to repent! Do you understand? America needs time to repent!

You say why don’t you call for it? America needs time to repent! Of their homosexuality, their adultery, and their porn issues. And I’m speaking to 80% of young men, who according to Barna Research last year, have confessed to a porn addiction to at least weekly or monthly involvement in pornography, an addiction, that, my friends, constitutes such a pornae that, as I see it, they are not qualified to even marry.

Americans steeped in a destructive form of sexuality, and friends, they’re bound for hell! Do you understand? It’s not so much an issue of the death penalty; it’s an issue of God’s judgment that’s hanging upon this nation today.

While the story is getting new traction today, Cruz’s campaign has already disavowed Swanson’s comments as “reprehensible” back in December. Cruz’s then-campaign spokesman Rick Tyler said that Cruz’s attendance at the event was “a mistake.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Like the article? Share it with your friends! And use our social media pages to join or start the conversation! Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MeWe and Gab.

Inspiration
The Scarcity Mindset
Robert Morris
More from The Stream
Connect with Us