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WATCH: Antigay Navy Chaplain and Westboro Disagree Over How to Hate Gays

WATCH: Antigay Navy Chaplain and Westboro Disagree Over How to Hate Gays

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Antigay former Navy chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt faced off with the Westboro Baptist Church's Jonathan Phelps on Wednesday's episode of The David Pakman Show.

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Two notoriously antigay religious zealots didn't find much common ground in a heated debate on The David Pakman Showyesterday, though they agreed that homosexuals are bound for eternal hellfire.

Former Navy chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, who previously claimed on Pakman's show that he could cure people of their homosexuality through an exorcism with a 50% success rate, squared off with Jonathan Phelps of the antigay Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for its "God Hates Fags" slogan.

Klingenschmitt and Phelps have both previously appeared on Pakman's show, but this seemed to be the first time the two directly interacted, via a Skype debate hosted by Pakman.

"I am shocked that two individuals who are so obsessed with being against homosexuality have almost absolutely no common ground at all on which they agree," Pakman said in the episode.

Taking turns discrediting the other's particular brand of homophobia, Phelps roundly dismissed Klingenschmitt's belief in gay exorcisms.

"Exorcisms are nonsensical," said Phelps. "That special hocus-pocus with the head spinning and green pea soup flying around, there's no Bible authority for that."

Klingenschmitt shot back at Phelps, criticizing Westboro's frequent pickets at funerals for fallen American soldiers, whose deaths they claim are God's punishment for the country's acceptance of same-sex relationships.

"As a matter of taste, I personally find it reprehensible that they would dishonor the memory of our deceased soldiers and sailors who died for Christian faith and religious freedom," said Klingenschmitt.

Watch the entire interview below, in which Pakman continues his record of impressively neutral moderation of hateful commentary -- with only the occasional knowing smile.

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Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.
Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.