Republican Bryan Fischer has claimed exorcism can be used as a "spiritual weapon" to cure homosexuality.
Republican Bryan Fischer has claimed exorcism can be used as a “spiritual weapon” to cure homosexuality.
He made the crazed comments in an interview with The David Packman Show, in which he also compared homosexuality to drug use – calling it an addiction people can escape – and has previously claimed “lesbians have tons of abortions” and “gay people have a 20-year shorter lifespan”.
Watch his bizarre “exorcism” claims:
Here are the quotes in full:
DP: “Former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmidt has indicated that a way to rid people of homosexuality and what he considers homosexual demons is through exorcism. Is that something you subscribe to?”
BF: “Well I think there’s no question that there are spiritual factors at work in this.”
DP: “Are they demons?”
BF: “That using spiritual weapons of our warfare according to the New Testament can be effective. We know that people can get delivered from homosexual behaviour. The former president of the American Psychological Association, Nathan Cummings, he’s seen that happen in his own private clinical practice, he has seen people get free of homosexual behaviour and change their sexual orientation so it certainly is possible.
“There may be spritual factors at work. If there are, then the power of the Gospel, the name of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, can be of enormous help.”
DP: “And an exorcism might be a way to do that?”
BF: “Well, we believe in the reality of spiritual forces, just like Jesus did – you got a problem with, you got a problem with demons, David, your problems not with me but with Jesus Christ cos he believed in them.”
Recently, Fischer has become a supporter of the AIDS denial movement. His guest on the January 3, 2012, edition of Focal Point was prominent AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg. On that show, Fischer strongly supported Duesberg’s contention that AIDS is not caused by HIV, but by recreational drug use. Fischer expanded on this further in a post on Rightly Concerned, saying that it isn’t possible for a virus to remain dormant for a long period of time…
On April 20, Fischer attacked (Republican Party presidential candidate) Mitt Romney’s national security spokesman Richard Grenell for being openly gay. Other conservatives joined Fischer in calling for Grenell’s ouster, and by May 1 Grenell resigned from the Romney campaign, in what Fischer described as a “huge win” for conservatives…
[Journalist Jane] Mayer also quotes Fischer as saying that President Barack Obama “despises the constitution, … nurtures a hatred for the white man”, and aims to “destroy capitalism”. Fischer strongly believes that sexual orientation is “always, always, always a matter of choice”, and strongly opposes what he calls the “morally and intellectually bankrupt theory of evolution”.
On the issue of religion and tax policy, Fischer believes that the progressive income taxes and estate taxes violate the Eighth and Tenth Commandments, because (he feels) by taxing the income and estates of the well off, the government ‘steals’ and ‘covets’ their wealth.
In 2012, as jury selection was to begin in a trial on charges of kidnapping of a lesbian couple’s daughter, Fischer wrote on Twitter in support of kidnapping of children from same-sex households and smuggling them to what he calls “normal” homes. Fischer also reiterated his views on his radio show, and on video.
A man who makes Mitt Romney look progressive…
Hat tip: Think Progress.
See also:
• Review: “2016: Obama’s America” – ever more conspiracy theories dressed up as documentary – September 9th 2012
2 Responses to “Watch: Republican claims “spiritual weapons of our warfare” – exorcism – can cure homosexuality”
Spartacus
This guy’s only connection to the Republican party is that he was the first to shout about the appointment of Richard Grenell, which is completely unsurprising looking at the rest of his actions and quotes. He is not a politician, nor active within or as an agent of the republican party. So why is he “Republican Bryan Fischer” in the very first words of this article? Someone could easily misread that as he was an official or a congressmen/ senator/ governor etc.
He’s a nutter only. You should call him a nutter (“controversial radio show host” etc.). I fear though that this then wouldn’t seem like a ‘story’ (‘News Flash: Some Americans are crazy’, c.f. ‘bears shit in woods’).
With an introduction as inappropriate as that, you’ll soon be accused of bias.
Baz
@Spartacus: Perhaps it’s because the Republican party actually listened to him and pressured Richard Grenell to leave? Or that his bizarre rantings aren’t really that far from what a large section of the ring wing believe, even if perhaps he’s more vocal about it? Or the fact that few to none from the right seem willing to stand up to crazies like this and that being the case you can’t really complain if you’re seen to support them when you refuse to disagree with them. Just some thoughts there.