President's spiritual adviser speaks out on gay marriage

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-- just concluded that.

For me personally.

It is important for me to go ahead and affirm.

That.

I think same sex couples should be able to get better.

When I was president -- bombing yesterday becoming the first sitting US president to announce his personal support for same sex marriage.

After he gave that interview to ABC news.

President Obama called one of his spiritual advisors doctor Joel Hunter for guidance.

We are told the pastor hunter had some concerns and he agreed to join us today.

Pastor welcome to you thank you so much for being -- so.

You you know you're driving down the road with your wife he get a phone call from the president the United States who is just an counsel Robin Roberts his personal support for gay marriage.

And what did you tell up.

First of all I want your viewers to know -- pulled over and got out of traffic.

So that I could I can answer safely -- -- But basically.

I listen for a while because he -- -- me to tell he wanted to tell me his reasoning.

And how he arrived at this conclusion.

And had a couple of concerns that -- to.

To talk with him about one was.

I couldn't get there from the scripture that I read.

And he understood that that's one of the reasons he was calling me he knew I'd be in a different place.

The second one was I wanted.

For him to be a weird that this might be perceived as another.

Attack on religious liberties.

-- from the standpoint of conservative Christians.

Not that he ever intended an attack on religious liberties.

And he gave me some assurance that this -- his personal opinion.

However we all know that the personal opinion of the president.

Even though it doesn't is not meant for policy.

Still has.

Some impact.

In that direction and so that was my concern that that the church be protected.

-- saving view that was different from what he said to Robert Roberts in terms of how he got to this decision.

Well -- I'm sure he did I didn't hear that full interview and and of course -- I -- her about them Malia and Sasha and then how they have friends who are being.

Raised by same sex parents and and there's just a presumption that it's all right in and that that moved him as well.

Yeah that the president sometimes thinks -- this heart.

He really has a great compassion for people especially those who are left out.

And so as he -- interpret scripture he interprets it through that filter.

Those of us who are evangelical.

Just try to interpret the plain meaning of the text.

Around -- and try to follow that no matter how uncomfortable it gets and so that's kind of a big a difference in the way we have interpreting scripture and.

I know that you said that you believe that that that the announcement.

Even though it's only of his personal opinion as opposed to a call for a change in policy.

Will you said that quote cause President Obama as much hurt as it will help.

-- Well there are several communities.

Including -- the evangelical community but also.

African American community of the Latin community that have been very strong for traditional marriage.

And this is this has the kind of a destabilize in effect because this is that central.

Cultural component in our society.

And so I was I was I was.

I was alarmed -- a couple of things first of all it looked from the tiny mean.

After the after the Biden announcement.

That he was being pushed into.

A decision that was political.

-- rather than.

Simply value based.

Com and secondly I was concerned.

That.

This couldn't get a full enough picture that will be immediately thrown into the political realm and and frankly my part in his life is not -- -- political it's more personal more pastoral.

And I wanted to for him.

To be able to arrive at this for a personal.

Decision which I think you did any guesses who.

He finally decided then he he could be authentic beauty but but it was I've I -- -- didn't wanna get all mixed up in the political for a.

You mention the scriptures and and I think you know a lot of our viewers are our people of faith.

But some are not and you know some look at this decision and say you can't base.

Your assessment of what is moral and what is right in 2012 America.

Based on.

Documents that are thousands of years old principles that are thousands of years old and that cannot be our standard.

Otherwise we'd still have.

Slavery would still have segregation we'd we'd still have a lot of a lot of things that people consider discriminatory.

Like gay marriage.

Well I and I totally understand that and that's the difference between believers and nonbelievers and and if you understand how to interpret scripture.

You know the and for the eternal moral principles apart from the cultural context of the day.

And that's very important the ten commandments will always be in effect.

Laws of prohibiting us from -- -- -- not so much.

So you've you've you've got to be able to interpret your -- fact that -- actually electricity -- faster I know.

But but but you've got to be able to interpret scripture from your knowledge of scripture.

And not just picking out scriptures and -- what this doesn't fit.

And I realize there's that there's a difference in viewpoints here we have totally realize that.

Do you feel like you know you live close -- -- yesterday and said that he's basically calling for an end to bigotry and that the folks in this country who still oppose gay marriage.

Like yourself are are -- -- are guilty of discrimination in the year in the dark ages you are.

You're the same as folks who do believe in segregated schools who believe there was a difference between the races if you believe that there's a difference between.

Heterosexual marriage and homosexual marriage.

Yeah I I I understand I've been called that before I don't believe that people.

Who have a moral.

Compelling -- understanding of scripture.

If they love.

Homosexual people if they prize them as being made in the image of god if they respect them.

Are bigots just because they disagree.

On who ought to be able to get -- -- response of that as it sounds like a separate pretty well things like that you know.

All the blacks find a flat the finds want to go to their own school you know the days of trying to find as long as they love and awaited doesn't have the same label is what I -- Well some things are separate but equal I mean they -- if there are laws about who can get married in this country and who cannot.

And so there are there are.

Realms of relationships.

That the church -- -- countenance.

Legal legal.

Venues can't countenance and that's -- as a pastor.

I'm not trying to be you -- trying to work I think politically here.

I'm not trying to govern other people's lives I'm just -- and this is my opinion.

About what is a valid message or a valid marriage as it comes out of scripture.

And that's I'm just one pastor sure that's that's so I'm I'm -- trying to run the country.

We take all perspectives here sir thank you so much for coming on pastor Joel Hunter we appreciate it.

You're welcome thanks for sharing -- your thoughts about your conversation with the president.

We're taking your thoughts on as well follow me on Twitter at Megyn Kelly.

Well John.

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President's spiritual adviser speaks out on gay marriage

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