The headlines below reflect the twists and turns you performed on the subject of homosexuality this Easter week. The world recognizes a lack of integrity when a celebrity figure in popular culture is engaged in verbal gymnastics. The world knows when religion is used as a vehicle for power and influence.
Many Christians recognize this maneuvering for a different reason. These gymnastics are very similar to those employed in the Purpose Driven system. The twisting of Scripture that results in the loss of doctrinal integrity. The turning of a church into a business. The Purpose Driven system is used as a vehicle for a desired outcome: growing a bigger church.
The world may not appreciate the impact of the Purposed Driven system that leaves a trail of dismembered church families. However, the world is seeing how you have manipulated the gay agenda at the expense of the LGBT community. And now, the media is crying foul.
You have earned the title of "America's pastor". All eyes were on you as you prayed at the Presidential Inauguration. Please return to the Biblical role of a pastor, and surrender the role of a politician.
For the sake of the Christian witness during this Easter Week, please apologize to those who have been offended by your actions.
Please sit down.
USA TODAY: Did Warren mean what he said -- or say what he meant -- on marriage?
In an interview with Beliefnet, he equates gay marriage with pedophilia and incest. Then he denies it. Then he complains that he's getting criticized by people for his remarks because the media just likes to create conflict, except, of course...
AOL NEWS: Rick Warren Abandons Fight Against Gay Marriage?
Well, let's consider the recent turnabout by evangelist Rick Warren, who on the Larry King show this week declared "I am not an anti-gay marriage activist."
As others have pointed out, Warren broke one of the ten commandments in front of King's audience, because he did "issue a statement" and made an "endorsement" in California's Prop. 8 battle. In fact, here it is...
The Atlantic: The Lies Of Rick Warren
Here is his televised statement of support for Prop 8. Who are you going to believe: Rick Warren on Larry King or your lying eyes?
PANDAGON: Rick Warren lies about his homobigotry on Larry King Live
Saddleback Church mega-church pastor and the man who delivered the invocation at the President’s inaugural, Rick Warren, went on Larry King last night and insisted, despite all the video footage out there of him on his anti-gay efforts, that he isn’t against gays or same sex marriage. (!). Right. What was that about bearing false witness?
ONE NEW NOW: Warren's 'backsliding' on marriage damages church
A Washington, DC, pastor and outspoken opponent of same-sex "marriage" says California mega-church pastor Rick Warren has done "tremendous damage" by apologizing for his support last fall of California's marriage protection amendment.
Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., with the High Impact Leadership Coalition says he was very disappointed with Warren's statements on CNN.
"This man who's been called the next Billy Graham, who I really respect with all my heart and love what he's doing in Africa, is falling into a trap that is emblematic of the problem that the entire church is facing in this generation," Jackson states. "And that is that we love the applause of men more than we love the work of God and the gospel. Jesus...told us that we are to honor God first, and that we are not to fear men but we're to fear God"
CBN NEWS.com Rick Warren Backpedals on Prop 8 Support
Well-known pastor and author Rick Warren denied this week ever endorsing California's Proposition 8 that put a halt to gay marriage last November.
On Tuesday April 7, Warren told CNN's Larry King that he "never once" gave an endorsement for the state amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one women.
UPDATE:
WASHINGTON TIMES: Warren waver on Prop 8 stuns leader, stance about-face at issue
Evangelical leaders say they are bewildered and stunned by the Rev. Rick Warren's apparent turnaround on gay marriage after the famous California pastor said earlier this week that he was not a proponent of California's Proposition 8.
CBN NEWS: Pastor Rick Warren Cancels ABC Interview April 13, 2009
CBNNews.com - Pastor Rick Warren cancelled an appearance on ABC's This Week, just days after making contradictory statements regarding his stance on California's gay marriage ballot.
Warren cited sickness and exhaustion for not appearing on the show Easter Sunday. Host George Stephanopoulos told viewers that the California pastor backed out of the interview "moments before" he was scheduled to air.
Stephanopoulos was expected to ask about Warren's April 7 appearance on CNN, where he retracted an apparent endorsement of Proposition 8, the ballot measure that ended gay marriage in California last November.
TOWN HALL.COM: Politically Correct or Biblically Courageous by Harry R. Jackson, Jr.
The day after the Larry King interview I sat in the DC City Council chambers observing an unintended consequence of Pastor Warren’s statements – emboldened gay marriage advocates. Perceiving that evangelicals are weakening and that their side is turning around, gay activists are putting forth their best efforts to attempt to win their war for marriage this year. Although Warren’s statements are only one of several factors that have moved gay activists, I maintain that they are still a factor in this battle.
...The lesson that all nationally influential preachers must remember is that our words have weight and that there is a responsibility that comes with our leadership. We must choose to be biblically courageous instead of taking the easy road of political correctness.
CHRISTIAN TODAY, Australia: Is it Ever Right to Rebuke? The Cases of Rick Warren and Notre Dame
Living the Christian life is often a balancing act. It is easy to get into unhelpful extremes, and seeking to find the biblical balance is often a difficult job. Take for example the issue of public censure. On the one hand, Christians are to strive for unity and edification. On the other hand, we are instructed to at times publically rebuke wayward brothers.
...Nonetheless, he stated that his note to his congregation telling them to support Prop 8 was blown out of proportion. ‘I sent a note to my own members, and then all of a sudden out of it they made me something that I really wasn’t.’ He added: ‘I wrote to all my gay friends, the leaders that I knew and apologized to them.’”
Not only is this backtracking on homosexuality of real concern, but it seems he has been bending the truth a little as well. It was not just a note he wrote on proposition 8. He had “in fact videotaped a message of over 2 minutes length in support of Prop 8. That video was featured on the Prop 8 website and is still available on Warren’s own Saddleback Church website.”
WORLD NET DAILY: America's wishy-washy pastor by Joeseph Farah.
What a difference two centuries, combined with affluence and the corporatization of the 501(c)3 church culture has made.
A good example of this was on display on CNN's "Larry King Live" this week, as "America's Pastor" Rick Warren did a soft shoe act on his role in the same-sex marriage battle over Proposition 8...
It's a great illustration of America's most prominent church leader equivocating and backtracking and saying almost nothing coherent so that he will offend no one.
Let me lay it on the line: This is not the way Yeshua talked or behaved. It is not the example of the one whom Rick Warren claims to emulate and worship. There is nothing prophetic or biblical or courageous or principled about this kind of Christian witness...
See related articles:
Rick Warren: Playing Both Sides of the Gay Agenda
Christian Leader Pays For Speaking Out Against Rick Warren
Saddleback Set To Entertain Gay Activists
Saddleback & SoulForce: Rick Warren's Half Lie?
Rick Warren Washes His Hands of SoulForce But Saddleback Sets The Table
Protestant Pope's Self Promotion & Presidential Politics
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OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SADDLEBACK CHURCH..........
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I’m providing this to you in an effort to clarify statements made by Pastor Rick Warren during his April 6th appearance on CNN "Larry King Live."
Several comments he made during that interview have caused confusion which I would like to clarify on his behalf as media representative for Saddleback Church.
Throughout his pastoral ministry spanning nearly 30 years, Dr. Warren has remained committed to the biblical definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, for life -- a position held by most fellow Evangelical pastors. He has further stressed that for 5,000 years, EVERY culture and EVERY religion has maintained this worldview.
When Dr. Warren told Larry King that he never campaigned for California's Proposition 8, he was referring to not participating in the official two-year organized advocacy effort specific to the ballot initiative in that state, based on his focus and leadership on other compassion issues. Because he's a pastor, not an activist, in response to inquiries from church members, he issued an email and video message to his congregation days before the election confirming where he and Saddleback Church stood on this issue.
During the King interview, Dr. Warren also referenced a letter of apology that he sent to gay leaders whom he knew personally. However, that mea culpa was not with respect to his statements or position on Proposition 8 nor the biblical worldview on marriage. Rather, he apologized for his comments in an earlier Beliefnet interview expressing his concern about expanding or redefining the definition of marriage beyond a husband-wife relationship, during which he unintentionally and regrettably gave the impression that consensual adult same sex relationships were equivalent to incest or pedophilia.
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Kristin U. Cole
larry ross communications
my spirit tells me he is in league with satan
ReplyDeleteRick Warren makes me ill and I'm hoping he runs out of "purposes" soon...
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