Posted on 09/27/2012 2:54:55 PM PDT by NYer
September 27, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) Texas Megachurch Pastor Joel Osteen squirmed under a barrage of question about his beliefs on homosexuality during a discussion on CNNs Talking points with Soledad OBrien last Thursday.
The conversation began as a discussion between Osteen and New Age self-help guru Deepak Chopra about the importance of positive thinking, but then abruptly turned to homosexuality.
Almost every time we have a pastor on, its a conversation we have, CNN host OBrien explained to Osteen.
I always wonder when you say homosexuality is a sin and there’s a bunch of people who clearly are gay who are in your church, she continued. You’re calling them sinners. I mean, that is the opposite of uplifting, I would think.
Well, Soledad, I don’t necessarily focus on that. I only talk about that in the interviews, Osteen replied.
When asked if he thought he had an important voice to lend to the public debate about homosexuality, Osteen answered, I think part of my, if you want to call it success, Ive stayed in my lane and my lane is lifting peoples spirits and there are issues that good, Bible-believing people see on both sides of the fence.
However, when OBrien suggested point blank that Osteen would say Scripture condemns homosexuality as a sin, Osteen responded, exactly.
When I read the scripture, that’s what I believe, that the scripture condemns it or says it’s a sin, Osteen said. It also says, you know, lying it and being prideful is.
Osteen was then asked by panelist and gay rights activist Richard Socarides whether he had chosen to be heterosexual. Osteen replied that he had not, adding, I don’t understand all those issues and so, you know, I try to stick on the issues that I do understand. I know this. I’m for everybody. I’m not for pushing people down.
Osteens performance earned him the ire of Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote that while OBrien had established the perfect platform for Osteen to respond with the gospel of Jesus Christ, Osteen did not.
Viewers of CNN saw a display of confusion, evasion, and equivocation coming from one presented as a Christian pastor, charged Mohler. What they were really seeing is the total theological bankruptcy of the word of faith movement and the gospel of positive thinking.
Osteen cannot, or at least will not, speak even the simplest word of biblical conviction. He states his intention to stay in his lane of glib affirmation.
Joel Osteen says homosexuality is not God’s best for man
theres a bunch of people who clearly are gay who are in your church, she continued. Youre calling them sinners
He could easily have told her he had a whole church full of sinners, saved by grace, saved by the blood of Christ, and that when she was ready she would be likewise welcome to join them at the altar.
Umpteenth. Not the First Church of Pass-the Plate either, but he's really stellar at it.
Well, he does seem to be a good motivational speaker, or at least a successful one. But he is supposed to be a pastor, ammirite?
Revelation 22:13-15
(13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.
(14) Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.
(15) But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.
In other words, anyone who practices sexual immorality, as God defines it, fails to qualify for eternal life. That is what Jesus, the Author of life, dictated to John to record here.
Olsteen had an epiphany and realized homosexuals contribute to his church too.
Thank you.
Osteen was then asked by panelist and gay rights activist Richard Socarides whether he had chosen to be heterosexual.
The answer is: No. Neither does the person with a cancer choose choose it. Both are disorders; neither by itself is a sin.
To clarify: Both cancer and homosexuality are disorders; neither by itself is a sin.
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Jesus did not have to die on the Cross to make one thing Osteen says on stage true. In fact, had Jesus proclaimed Osteens message he would have died of old age. < /sarc>
Not one Christian has been martyred for holding to anything Osteen holds too.
Sinners in a church? Really? When was that allowed? What a concept....
Like when he denied the exclusivity of Christ on Larry King?
he is wise not to give answers which only aid his enemies.
I thought pastors are called to preach the word in season and out. In all of Scripture where is anyone commended for not speaking God's word?
Wait! I know! Daniel. Noooo. He was thrown in a furnace and a Lion's Den.
Oh! Stephan. No. He was stoned.
Ummm, Paul? Nope.
The time is coming where we will face serious persecution. Osteens message of self-worship will then be exposed for what it is, False Christianity.
Scripture very plainly says that the beginning of wisdom is NOT to fear the enemies of God, for He did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and a sound mind. To fear the LORD is wisdom.
As usual, Osteen got it wrong.
I can’t think of a time that Osteen has gotten it right. I have listened to him dozens of times and I have never heard him speak of faith in Christ. He just wretches snippets of scripture out of context to fit his point.
As far as I’m concerned he isn’t even a particularly good motivational speaker.
and he looks like Martin Short.
“Wait! I know! Daniel. Noooo. He was thrown in a furnace and a Lion’s Den.” UHH NO, Danial was the one thrown into the Lion’s Den-His 3 friends were thrown into the Fiery Furnace(7x hotter than before).
Other than that, hes dumber than a bucket of rocks.
I would not say he is dumber than a bucket of rocks. He is business savy and at least believes Homosexuality is an abomination. He is just not one of those screamer types. He uses the word to uplift and get people to understand God and believe in Jesus Christ. Although I am Catholic, he seems like a good person (although he should be Catholic!)
"Gets people to understand God and believe in Jesus Christ"? How exactly is he doing that? Osteen's theology runs about a millimeter deep.
Related thread:
Joel Olsteen Joins With Catholics To Convert Confused Protestants
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