“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,” according to OneNewsNow.
Well, I am glad that Warren has finally seen the light, but check out what he had to say about Prop. 8 just before the election:
“The election’s coming just in a couple of weeks, and I hope you’re praying about your vote. One of the propositions, of course, that I want to mention is Proposition 8, which is the proposition that had to be instituted because the courts threw out the will of the people. And a court of four guys actually voted to change a definition of marriage that has been going for 5,000 years.
“Now let me say this really clearly: we support Proposition 8 — and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.”
It sure sounds like Warren is now eating crow, but at least he has finally come to his senses! Hopefully more folks will come to realize what an awful thing they did by voting for Prop. 8.
What? Sounds more like he’s lying than eating crow. I wish he would give a reason for his apparent change of heart.
A little late for that heh?
duplojohn,
I totally missed this one when it broke on the 8th! But what an interesting development…
Art,
My comment was directed at the constant about face we see in public faces.
If the dude came out and said “I was wrong. I changed my view and here’s why” you could respect that.
But, too often we see wrongheadedness building up steam behind a cause and or a group because it might be politically correct.
A good example of this are religious fundelmentalists who are hypocrites. It reminds me of the guy that begs god for forgiveness….”please God. Please God if you just get me out of this I promise…….” and then it’s back to the bar, or whatever.
For thousands of years Marriage has been a sacred
vow between a man and a woman, from that union, families are created. A natural process which has nothing whatsoever to do with fundamentalist religion. Homosexuals have every civil right in
their partnerships. Unfortunately overly-zealous extremists with a social-engineering agenda have
promoted homosexuality throughout the media and propagandized education. Shallow-thinkers and kool-aid drinkers, more emotional than analytical don’t recognize this fad as another form of eugenics. As for Rick Warren, he knows how to play
to the crowd.
jasmine,
i might agree except for the fact the “fudalmentalists” are the ones opposing marriage as a right.
Brown v. The board of education cleary demonstrated that seperate is not equal.
To pastor Rick Warren.
While I take no pleasure in posting the following, I cannot sweep your Prop 8 comments to Larry King, that was broadcast around the globe, under a rug of silence. Let me begin by saying that as a practicing Christian I did support Prop 8 and have stated so on this blog. While you tell Larry King that you only sent a letter to your church family, that family is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000 members. Each of those members have friends, co-workers, family and neighbors with whom they may discuss political issues. I know at least one Saddleback Church member who sends out a voter guide just as I do. My sense is that your flock trust your advise. Based on your internal letter, where you did indicate support for the YES on Prop 8, you cannot deny your influence in that controversial vote. There comes a time when you must hold firm to your biblical knowledge and not fear being accepted by becoming politically correct.
The following text is from another source containing your internal letter which you failed to elaborate on in your CNN interview.
If you disagree with the quoted text please have someone from staff respond and I will immediately issue a correction and an apology.
Wishing you and your family a Blessed Easter.
“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.”
“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,” Warren told the CNN audience on Monday. “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.”
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.
The following is a complete transcript of Warren’s comments just weeks before the Prop. 8 election:
“The election’s coming just in a couple of weeks, and I hope you’re praying about your vote. One of the propositions, of course, that I want to mention is Proposition 8, which is the proposition that had to be instituted because the courts threw out the will of the people. And a court of four guys actually voted to change a definition of marriage that has been going for 5,000 years.
“Now let me say this really clearly: we support Proposition 8 — and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.
“This is one thing, friends, that all politicians tend to agree on. Both Barack Obama and John McCain, I flat-out asked both of them: what is your definition of marriage? And they both said the same thing — it is the traditional, historic, universal definition of marriage: one man and one woman, for life. And every culture for 5,000 years, and every religion for 5,000 years, has said the definition of marriage is between one man and a woman.
“Now here’s an interesting thing. There are about two percent of Americans [who] are homosexual or gay/lesbian people. We should not let two percent of the population determine to change a definition of marriage that has been supported by every single culture and every single religion for 5,000 years.
“This is not even just a Christian issue — it’s a humanitarian and human issue that God created marriage for the purpose of family, love, and procreation.
“So I urge you to support Proposition 8, and pass that word on. I’m going to be sending out a note to pastors on what I believe about this. But everybody knows what I believe about it. They heard me at the Civil Forum when I asked both Obama and McCain on their views.”
During his CNN interview on Monday, Warren expressed regret for backing Prop. 8. “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,” he admitted.
Additionally, Pastor Warren said he did not want to comment on or criticize the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision last week to legalize same-sex “marriage” because it was “not his agenda.”
Hold on!! When does Pastor Warren say he was wrong about prop 8? He still claims to stay true to his beliefs about a marriage being between a man and woman. He does state that he apologized to some gay friends and leaders. He did not say that he apologized for his beliefs! I think he simply apologized for the controversy it created and for some of the misconstrued perceptions that came out of it.
More than a couple of times in the interview he affirmed his belief in the sanctity of marriage….between a man and a woman.
Curious. Sorry but go back and watch the interview where he says he never issued a statement while confirming his sending a “note” to his members. That, my friend, is a statement with legs that could be, and was, sent to non-members with all of the clout he posseses.
Pastor Warren’s claims that he is “not an anti gay activist,” yet sending his note out (to around 20,000) is in conflict with that current “spin” remark.
The arguement supporting proposition 8 basically has 3 components which were constructed on mis truths. Here is a very quick video which debunks the narrow points against gay marriage. Each one is a result of discrimination, and not gay marriage. Personally, I think that we need a much more sharply enforced separation of church and state. As a taxpayer, I resent religious organizations tampering with legal safeguards and basically playing both hands- enjoying tax-free status, but pushing political agendas at the same time. There ARE churches that do not practice discrimination.
Rick Warren seems to be speaking out of both sides of his mouth right now. Maybe he already got the IRS audit notification. One can only hope.
Does anyone have RW’s email address? I’d like to send him this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0dKMhYSX20
Here is the address and I already sent a note to him: info@purposedriven.org
Red. You are shifting the debate from what Pastor Warren said to his flock versus his interview with Larry King where the facts don’t appear to match up. This post has nothing to do with the separation of powers. I would opine that no Pastor, Priest, Minister or Rabbi suggests which party candidates to support. If they did you would have a valid point but you are engaging me in the same sidebar.
This issue can be wrapped up by a simple response from Pastor Rick or his designated representative.
Larry,
The link I posted for RW does not work, fyi.
I don’t think I am shifting the debate – I basically called the guy a CYA guy – speaking out of both sides of his mouth, b/c he’s gotten caught being very political even though he’s denying it now. If you will remember, this is the same guy that thought we should attack Iran. No talk of diplomacy or other non-violent means of dealing with that country – he talked about violent confrontation and, again, preemptive war maneuvers.
He’s hardly “christ-like” imo. He’s dizzy with his own personna and his ambitions of power to influence others. He comes off as a self-proclaimed know-it-all of religion.
I hope his church gets to pay taxes. As a taxpayer I find it offensive that he certainly has tried to influence our goverment into expensive, unnecessary war and advocates discrimination against taxpaying citizens.
Red.
Have you ever attended a church service conducted by Pastor Warren? If not, and unless you have video to confirm your argument, I would simply pick another fight.
I have attended a few funerals for OCSD deputies held at Saddleback Church but have not attended any of their many worship services. I therefore cannot agree with or dispute your allegations of abuse that would warrant loss of their existing tax status.