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Bryan Fischer: Sarah Palin’s joke about waterboarding people was “clever and funny”
Salon ^ | April 30, 2014 | Elias Isquith, assistant editor

Posted on 04/30/2014 2:56:56 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

The influential Christian fundamentalist says Palin's joke worked so well because "waterboarding is not torture"

Speaking on his radio show on Tuesday, the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer came to the defense of Sarah Palin, arguing that her recent controversial joke about waterboarding-as-terrorist-baptism was not barbaric and offensive but rather “clever and funny” and good.

“I just love her spunk and lover her spirit,” Fischer said in Palin’s defense. Besides, Fischer said, “waterboarding is not torture.”

“I mean, it may not be pleasant, it may not be fun, but it’s not torture,” Fischer continued. “The guy’s not going to die, the guy’s not going to drown, and you know it, otherwise you wouldn’t do it.”

Fischer went on to explain what “real torture” was. “If it was real torture, where you get pliers and pull a guy’s fingernails out, or you take … battery chargers and a battery and stick them on exposed flesh — that’s torture,” Fischer said, “that’s genuine torture; waterboarding is not.”

“Now, I think she’s just being cute, there,” Fischer explained. “And she’s been accused of being, I don’t know, a heretic or flippant or whatever; I think she’s being clever and funny, myself, and people ought to just kind of lighten up, just a little bit.”

You can watch über-Christian Bryan Fischer live according to the tenets of his faith (as he understands them) below, via Right Wing Watch:

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bryanfischer; christians; evangelicals; palin; waterboarding
Bryan Fischer is the Director of Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy at the American Family Association, where he provides expertise on a range of public policy topics. Described by the New York Times as a "talk-radio natural," he hosts the "Focal Point" radio program on AFR Talk,which airs live on weekdays from 1-3 p.m. Central on American Family Radio's nationwide talk network of 125 stations.

A graduate of Stanford University and Dallas Theological Seminary, Bryan pastored in Idaho for 25 years, during which time he served for one session as the chaplain of the Idaho state senate. He founded the Idaho Values Alliance in 2005, and is a co-author of Idaho's marriage amendment. He has been with AFA since 2009.

In his role as a spokesman for AFA, he has been featured on media outlets such as Fox News, CBS News, NBC, CNN, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, Russia Today television and the Associated Press, has been a frequent guest on talk radio to discuss cultural and religious issues. He has been profiled in publications such as the New York Times, Newsweek, The New Yorker, and BuzzFeed. He has been married to his bride, Debbie, since 1976, and they have two grown children.

1 posted on 04/30/2014 2:56:56 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

But the Establishment Republicans are wringing their hands, like they did when Reagan called the Soviet Union an Evil Empire.

You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting some pissed off Muslim. Might as well go for broke to get the people all fired up before the elections.


2 posted on 04/30/2014 3:00:48 PM PDT by cotton1706 (ThisRepublic.net)
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To: cotton1706

Poor terrorists! They only kill, maim, and rape our people!
Water boarding is to good for the Ba$&@#$s!


3 posted on 04/30/2014 3:09:27 PM PDT by DocJhn
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
If I were interviewed my comment would be "The cult of Islam must be eradicated from the planet".
Palin was being nice.
4 posted on 04/30/2014 3:12:56 PM PDT by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I don't think Palin's comment was funny or offensive. It was just kind of a groaner.

However, Levin is absolutely right. No need to be firing away at people who are at least trying to get the right types elected. At least not before the primaries start.

5 posted on 04/30/2014 3:22:10 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: GunRunner

Do you believe that waterboarding is torture?


6 posted on 04/30/2014 3:25:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Cruz and/or Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

John the Baptist said the one who was coming would Baptize with water and fire. We will all be “baptized” with one or the other. Palin just had a little different play on the “fire” part, but well within the framework of the Baptist’s proclamation.


7 posted on 04/30/2014 3:31:05 PM PDT by impactplayer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes.


8 posted on 04/30/2014 3:36:41 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: GunRunner

Meh. I don’t have the energy to argue with another one of you.


9 posted on 04/30/2014 3:40:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Cruz and/or Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting some pissed off Muslim”

Let me fix that.....

You can’t swing a dead pig without hitting some pissed off Muslim


10 posted on 04/30/2014 3:42:35 PM PDT by faucetman ( Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
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To: impactplayer

WWJW?


11 posted on 04/30/2014 3:58:37 PM PDT by Domalais
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I don’t have the energy to argue...

A wise choice.

12 posted on 04/30/2014 4:10:44 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

Napalm is good for VC acne ping. Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.


13 posted on 04/30/2014 4:14:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

Napalm is good for VC acne ping. Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.


14 posted on 04/30/2014 4:16:10 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Joke...?


15 posted on 04/30/2014 5:40:59 PM PDT by skimbell
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