Sen. Paul: I didn't think Obama's 'views on marriage could get any gayer'
(CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul on Friday brushed off Barack Obama's recent reversal on same-sex marriage by saying he didn't think the president's views "could get any gayer."
The remarks from the Republican senator from Kentucky scored laughs among those attending an event held by Iowa's Faith and Freedom Coalition, a video uploaded on Saturday to the conservative website "The Iowa Republican" shows.
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"The president, you know, recently weighed in on marriage. And, you know, he said his views were evolving on marriage," the first-term senator said Friday evening. "Call me cynical, but I wasn't sure that his views on marriage could get any gayer."
Paul, who is the son of GOP presidential longshot and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, made the comments two days after Obama announced that he supported same-sex marriage, which he had previously opposed, while adding he thought the issue should be left up to the states to decide.
Rand Paul had been advertised as the coalition's "special guest" for its 12th annual spring event. The organization's website also promoted the presence of Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ralph Reed, who is the chairman of the national Faith and Freedom Coalition.
In the remarks captured on video, Paul spoke against abortion as well as same-sex marriage.
"I think we're in a spiritual crisis as a country," Paul said, "and I think you're going to need leaders beyond your political leaders."
The senator criticized Obama's explanation that the Golden Rule - to treat others how one wants to be treated - and his faith led to his evolved understanding of marriage. The Golden Rule has its roots in biblical verses.
"It did bother me though that he used the justification for it in a biblical reference," Paul said. "He said the biblical Golden Rule caused him to be for gay marriage. And I'm like, what version of the Bible is he reading?
"It's not the King James version, it's not the New American Standard, it's not the New Revised version," he added.
But Paul said his beliefs and those of other social conservatives and Christians do not "mean we have to be harsh and mean and hate people."
"We understand sin and if we believe it's a sin, we still are (sinners) and people sin," he said. "We're not out there preaching some sort of hateful dogma against people. But that doesn't mean that we have to go ahead and give up our traditions."
"Six thousand years of tradition" combined with "anthropological" evidence shows "there's stability in the family unit," he said.
Calls placed Saturday to the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, as well as to Paul's offices and spokeswoman, were not immediately returned.
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Yeah – moderate my comments.
Are you afraid of the truth??
CNN – your bias on everything is getting old.
This silent majority is not quiet any longer.
Your noisy sick minority should know that we are not buying what you and they are selling.
I thought Rand Paul was a Libertarian??
A nasty, nasty man.
it takes an athesis to quote scripture to a fundimentalist. The golden rule can be found in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:3 Although the golden rule or law of reciprocity can be found in the Code of Hammurabi as well as ancient writings of Egypt, China and Greece....Long before the christians.
And you Rand Paul, and those who laughed with you, couldn't be any more insensitive, intolerant, and lacking
in compassion. "Faith and Freedom" is laughable. You have faith that only those who believe the same as
you are allowed freedoms. That is not what America is about. It is a government of the people, by the
people and for the people. It is not a judge of people. Tony Perkins had a very hard time defending
his views when he was asked "what would you do if one of your children said they were gay"? HIs
answer was "it won't happen because we are raising our children the 'right' way." When asked if he
thought the Cheneys did not "raise their daughers the 'right' way', he fell flat and couldn't answer the
question. What would your answer be Mr. Paul?
what is happening to the republican party? they're proud of staking out this position?
the whole party smells of desperation. because equal rights is a bad thing in the united states, right?
get a clue republicans before your whole party self-destructs : (
Not a surprising comment, coming from a Republican, "libertarian" right-wing religious zealot teabagger.
I think YOU'RE GAY, Randy Rand. Would you like to stomp some more heads at your teabagger rally?
"Libertarians" and Tea Party zealots are just as eager to impose Sharia-like "christian" law on the US as the rest of the Republicans are. They're competing with one another to see who is the most ayatollah like.
personal views on gay marriage shouldnt give you the right to deny anybody's God given right to persue happiness. love comes in all shapes and forms and if gays wish to strive for the ultimate commitment with each other, who are we to deny them. children can be raised just as effectively in gay households as in straight ones. there is a reason that our fore fathers advocated the separation of church and state. i personally feel that my political leaders should also be my spiritual leader.
The King James version?!?!? that misogynistic misguided chauvinistic interpretation? thank god he isn't following that or the equally bigoted new american version.
That's it GOP.....keep on mocking people, you are sure to run up the voters by doing that....what a bunch of morons..what's next for you guys, who is next to pick on? You have no chance at all to win in November just wait and see.
Ughhh. Rand Paul is really gross.
Jesus never said anything against gay people. He did have some pretty clear things to say about the rich and about those that make a public display of their "faith" and about those who profit from religion and about those who divorce their wives and a lot of other things that these supposed "Christians" find it convenient to ignore.
Who in their right mind wants to be gay?
Yup,Rand sticking his finger licking republican foot in his mouth,another rightwing bible totin idiot,this of the highest caliber being presidencial candidate Ron Pauls son,even a bigger laugh amongst intelligent viewers.I hope he was a better dentist than a senator,because if info serves me right,which most times it does,he sucks as a freshman senator,the basic do nothin type.After he gives his "old man" the news,that the Romney train has left the station,he'll run old man Paul on down to his Kentucky nursinghome to get his rest,the meds are all there,he just needs to take em,that's all..Rand is really in denile over his fathers bushwacking at the hands of Romney,he never saw it coming,poor guy,that's politics...Rand should stay out of the picture being a freshman senator in McConnell territory ,he doesn't want to be Mitchs pall barer at his political funeral soon after November.He also should stay out of Pres.Obamas way,he could become collateral damage if the republicans in the senate go down in November too.But like I said another hypocrital bible totin idiot that only pretends to have any political knowledge,because of his old man,he's got one strike against him,his father from Texas and the stigma at birth of being a republican,that's a heck of a heavy burden to bare goin thru life,isn't it!!!
"could get any gayer..."
And Sen. Paul says this like it's a bad thing. While the senator appears to have been unkind and to have intended it as an insult, it's really no different than saying a person is 6 feet tall or likes rock-and-roll. It is what it is.
Some day, after the hysteria has passed, we'll have a president who is gay, and it will be no big deal.
He's nuttier than his dad. Who the heck was stupid enough to vote for him? Kentucky? Ohhhhhhhhh.
Wow, color me impressed! I'm not a big fan of his daddy, but Rand appears to approach/understand the Bible as God's actual word, and the concept of fallen mankind needing the salvation of the Jesus who spoke those words that the [false]'BaMessiah loves to use so sinfully out of context.
It will take a very long time for some people to get out of the last century and come to terms with the truth concerning Human Nature and not degrade others that also want the same basic Human rights that everyone deserves.
The World, it seems, has had enough of the self-righteous, pious, and Religious -us and them- mentality that prevents all people from understanding common rights that everyone has and want to achieve.
We need to honor separation of Church and State and get off this Religious bigotry controlling politics. That is what the people of Iran are fighting for..
It is obvious Paul is using the word "gay" as a pejorative here. I expect better from our leadership.
He believes being gay is a sin, but greed is also a sin. When was the last time he criticized that?
He should know. Better be quiet before Obama B-slaps him!
Somehow I don't think if Rand Paul was told "your love for your wife is sinful" he'd think that was NOT hateful dogma... it is.
BTW, the golden rule is not Christianity's, although it was repeated in their writings.
Thought he was supposed to be a "libertarian" when if comes to the government telling people what they can and cannot do? Why is it that the right wants the government out of everyone's business except for:
– Gay marriage
– Abortion
– Woman's reproductive health
And the one thing they trust the government to do right every time is to impose the death penalty.