Exclusive IntervIew: Ron Paul on Abortion, Jesus,Israel and American Exceptionalism

10-22-2011
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In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, GOP presidential candidate Ron Ron Paul calls abortion an “act of violence” against the unborn but explains why fighting to ban the procedure is better done at the state level rather than with a federal constitutional amendment.

In our interview, Paul also talks about his view on American exceptionalism, his faith in Jesus Christ, and why he believes it’s not necessary to support financially the state of Israel (or any other nations for that matter).

Dr. Paul will be featured on this week’s Brody File TV show airing next week. He’ll also be the subject of an upcoming "The 700 Club" story. The interview with Ron Paul was done this past week at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Watch the four video clips below along with PARTIAL transcriptions.

Ron Paul on Abortion:

David Brody: There are some evangelical Christians who would probably think about voting for you even more so if you would be for some federal constitutional marriage amendment or a pro-life constitutional amendment. And they make the case that just like slavery, that the life issue and marriage trump the Tenth amendment states rights issue, and they say you’re siding on that side rather than the moral side of the equation.

Ron Paul, GOP Presidential Candidate: I just don’t like to see big government. Pretty soon what if they made that same argument, just think how much good you could do if you could have a law under the United Nations and I don’t want to go in that direction.

I see the attack on the unborn as an act of violence and it should be dealt with at the local level.

Ron Paul on American Exceptionalism:

Brody: Do you believe America is the greatest country on this Earth? Because you have been attacked by people that think you don’t believe in American exceptionalism.

Paul: I believe in my definition of American exceptionalism, but I don’t believe in those who believe America is so exceptional that they have this moral duty to use force and violence and wars to promote what we think is good.

I obviously am very, very grateful that I was born and raised in this country.”

Brody: Is it just hard to say we are the greatest country in the world, or is it more complicated than that is what your saying?

Paul: Oh, much more complicated than that. I think we had been the freest society and the most prosperous and now we are less prosperous and less free, and we should admit the truth. And if we want to remain the exceptional nation and being the most freest and prosperous, we’re not going to do it by continuing to do what we’re doing now.

Ron Paul on Funding for Israel:

Brody: To get more evangelical votes they’re not convinced that you’re a friend of Israel because of cutting funding. Take me through the process here. Explain why a Ron Paul administration would be a friend to Israel or at least not antagonistic.

Paul: If Israel accepts funding from us, becomes dependent on us, we make them a weaker nation economically because we encourage more of a welfare society. At the same time we undermine their sovereignty because sometimes Israel would like to do things like deal with their neighbors differently than we want.

They might even want to have a treaty with somebody. ‘Oh no, you can’t talk to them. You’ve got to do it our way.’ At the same time, they might feel like we have to deal with these bad guys on these borders and then we’ll say to them ‘don’t do that. That might stir up more trouble.’ So they give up too much.

And besides I’m against all foreign aid on principle, so it’s not against foreign aid for Israel. But if you take a look at the foreign aid, we give seven times as much foreign aid to their enemies so actually Israel benefits if we stop all foreign aid.

Ron Paul on his Faith in Jesus Christ:

Brody: Talk to me a little bit about your relationship with the Lord.

Paul: It wasn't like I can tell you there was one explicit second. I was raised in the Lutheran church where it was a little different approach, but I remember the most important event for me and my religious life was when we made a decision to go through catechism and be confirmed into the church.

It was a big event for the family and that was very clear. In the early years in high school, I went to several of the rallies with Billy Graham and that had an effect on me, too. In fact, I was listening to one of his sermons the other day and it brought back memories of having listened to him.

And he brought up the subject of being ‘born-again’ and I thought, well, I must have been listening to him back them because he acknowledged it’s different for different people. Sometimes its an instantaneous event and sometimes it’s different and he described his understanding.

But he was very open to an understanding of different people, and I thought you know maybe I listened to him as a teenager making it so we don’t have to all say exactly how we arrived at this point to accept Jesus as our savior.

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