Rick Warren Disavows Prop. 8 Support

[John81]

April 09, 2009
Rick Warren Disavows Prop. 8 Support
Jim Brown / OneNewsNow:

California mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren says he apologized to his homosexual friends for making comments in support of California's Proposition 8, and now claims he "never once even gave an endorsement" of the marriage amendment. Monday night on CNN's Larry King Live, Pastor Rick Warren apologized for his support of Prop. 8, California's voter-approved marriage protection amendment, saying he has "never been and never will be" an "anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist." However, just two weeks before the November 4 Prop. 8 vote, Pastor Warren issued a clear endorsement of the marriage amendment while speaking to church members. "We support Proposition 8 -- and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8," he said.

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1: 8)

http://www.covenantnews.com/blog/archives/054939.html

[John81]

America's wishy-washy pastors

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Posted: April 08, 2009


America achieved its independence and freedom in the 18th century in large part because colonial pastors stood up for biblical principles, preached them, lived them and refused to back down from them ? even in the face of death.

The American War of Independence has been accurately called a "pulpit revolution" for this reason. It was inspired by great men of God who recognized evil and called it by its right name.

What a difference two centuries, combined with affluence and the corporatization of the 501©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 in California.

"You know, Larry, there was a story within a story that never got told," he said. "In the first place, I am not an anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist. I never have been, never will be. During the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never ? never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop 8 was going. The week before the ? the vote, somebody in my church said, Pastor Rick, what ? what do you think about this? And I sent a note to my own members that said, I actually believe that marriage is ? really should be defined, that that definition should be ? say between a man and a woman.

"And then all of a sudden out of it, they made me, you know, something that I really wasn't," Warren continued. "And I actually ? there were a number of things that were put out. I wrote to all my gay friends ? the leaders that I knew ? and actually apologized to them. That never got out. There were some things said that ? you know, everybody should have 10 percent grace when they say public statements. And I was asked a question that made it sound like I equated gay marriage with pedophilia or incest, which I absolutely do not believe. And I actually announced that. All of the criticism came from people that didn't know me. Not a single criticism came from any gay leader who knows me and knows that for years, we've been working together on AIDS issues and all these other things."

What are we to make of such mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy, namby-pamby hokum?

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.

If there is a subject upon which the Bible is crystal clear ? from beginning to end ? it is homosexuality. Another subject about which no one can misinterpret what the Bible says is marriage. Let's examine the text:

Leviticus 18:22 (KJV): "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."


Romans 1:22-27: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet."

Some suggest Yeshua (Jesus) Himself was silent on these matters. Nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, Yeshua said He did not come to overturn the law but to fulfill it. He taught that He was and is the Word ? its living fulfillment. He explained that He is eternal and created the Heavens, the Earth and man. The Bible also says God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. And Yeshua never contradicted any of the law. He quoted from it. He taught from it. He explained it. He affirmed it. On the road to Emmaus, He gave two disciples a Bible study from the Torah, revealing Himself at the very core of it.

The law, in fact, was the measuring stick by which He was judged perfect and worthy of serving as the atonement for the sins of mankind ? including the sin of abominations like homosexuality.

But Yeshua also spoke very specifically and clearly on the subject about which Rick Warren appears so self-consciously waffling.

In Matthew 19:4-6, it says: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Here Yeshua had a golden opportunity to explain any middle ground in this issue of men and women ? if there were any.

There is no middle ground on this issue.

Either you believe the Bible or you don't.

If you don't, there are consequences. If you do, you are obligated to take a stand for righteousness. Of course, there are worldly consequences for that, too ? for some apparently too great to accept.

Followers of Yeshua have a choice: They can please God or please men. They can accept God's laws, which are not burdensome, and obey them, or they can reject them and try to tickle the ears of men. They can offend God or offend men.

But followers of Jesus cannot find some happy medium where they can please God and please the world. Nobody can.

It's time for America's pastor class to decide where they stand ? with the world or with the God of the universe.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94254

[1Timothy115]

The Bible has a name for him, "menpleasers."

[John81]

This particular flip-flop in order to please the ears of wicked men is exceedingly transparent and pathetic. What he originally stated about this is very clear. His attempts to claim that he never said what he obviously said; and then when confronted to attempt to say his clear statements were somehow taken out of context; and then to double-talk about how he might have said one thing to some but that he said something different to someone else that makes it how he now says it was... :loco

So, either he was lying about his original support and now he's telling the truth of what he thinks; or he's "just" lying now in an attempt to change his position while attempting to make it seem like his new position was actually what he meant all along. :puzzled:

The media will love him for this and liberals will give him behind the scenes support...sadly, millions of professing Christians will ignore this or accept what he says and continue to follow this guy. :sad

[Wilchbla]

Pathetic. This guy wants the limelight so badly and to be "America's Next Pastor" he'll compromise anything to get it. $$$

[tired]

2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

[trc123]

Pathetic. This guy wants the limelight so badly and to be "America's Next Pastor" he'll compromise anything to get it. $$$

If what is said and quoted here is true, it is very sad and pathetic. Even Billy Graham would never have compromised that this level...............

[candlelight]

Rick Warren has lost so much credibility. I saw another news broadcast with 2 men arguing. The one man was a gay pastor. The other stood strong against homosexuality. I really was hoping that he would have pointed out the scriptures in the Bible on the sin of Sodomy. The gay pastor said that man made this up... lol. All the gay pastor talked about was works... like feeding the poor.

I heard that Rick Warren denied that he said anything against the sin of homosexuality. He is really far gone. Very sad.

Genesis 19:24-25... 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. King James Bible

Ezekiel 16:49-50... 49 Behold, this was the iniquity (sin) of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. King James Bible