Ted Cruz's dad: God loves the death penalty!

Rafael Cruz says to ignore "all those people ... with their violins" who advocate mercy

Published November 8, 2013 3:45PM (EST)

  (AP/David J. Phillip)
(AP/David J. Phillip)

According to Ted Cruz's father, the evangelical pastor Rafael Cruz, you'll find no bigger fan of the death penalty than the big guy upstairs.

“You know, the Bible is so clear," Cruz told a crowd, according to the Huffington Post. "Go to Genesis chapter nine and you will find the death penalty clearly stated in Genesis chapter nine ... God ordains the death penalty!”

Cruz cautioned against listening to "all these people that want to come home with their violins to tell you, ‘Oh, we need to show mercy.'" God, according to Cruz, isn't so into mercy.

More from the Huffington Post:

On the subject of mass shootings on school campuses, Cruz blamed Democrats who have lobbied for gun control in response to the atrocities.

“Look at all the massacres that we’ve had in the last year or two that the left is using to try to tell us that we need to control guns. Every one of those was in a gun-free zone,” Cruz said, amid exclamations of “Amen!” and “Exactly!” from the audience.

“You want to eliminate school massacres? Have the teachers carry [guns]! … How stupid can you be?” Cruz said. An audience member answered, “It’s doggone stupid!”

Cruz also spoke at length against same-sex marriage, arguing, “It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”


By Elias Isquith

Elias Isquith is a former Salon staff writer.

MORE FROM Elias Isquith


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Bible Death Penalty Evangelical Lgbtq Rights Rafael Cruz Religion Same-sex Marriage Ted Cruz