May

Will the Real Rick Warren Please Stand Up

Rick Warren, dubbed “America’s New People’s Pastor”, has been under much scrutiny regarding his voice on the issue of gay marriage. In this video blog we examine exactly what he says on the issue. Please watch our eye-popping video piece on “Rick Warren’s Forked Tongue” and feel free to share it with other lovers of truth. While we believe Rick Warren’s position on gay marriage while addressing “the church,” prior to California’s vote for Proposition 8, was both historically and biblically accurate, we cannot endorse his subsequent “politically correct” posturing before a national audience on CNN’s Larry King.

Many respected Christian leaders have rightfully spoken out against Warren’s historical revisionism with regard to his account of his activities and statements about gay marriage prior to the passage of Proposition 8. Since God has spoken clearly on the issue of His design for marriage constituting a relationship between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:1-11), and just as clearly forbids sexual relations between two men or two woman (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; Jude 1:7 & Revelation 21:8), it is imperative that those who claim to be ministers of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ speak clearly on this issue as well!

Jesus warned that in the last days, just before His Second Coming in Judgment, the world would become like the days of Lot in Sodom (Luke 17:28). Our hearts break as we see the United States of America becoming more and more like Sodom and Gomorrah and less and less like the country we grew up in. Tragically, pastors and preachers have contributed to this slide as they forsake Jesus’ call to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16) and end up becoming political grease for the skids to destruction (Matthew 7:13-28).

Our main purpose in this video piece is to compare Warren’s explanations he gave on Larry King with that of what he actually stated and/or did prior to Proposition 8, using the evidence of his own words.

Since Rick Warren has been dubbed “America’s Pastor” and influences millions of professing Christians on vital issues of faith and practice, we believe we would have the blood of many on our hands, knowing what we know, if we failed to warn the flock (Acts 20:17-31).

While Warren would like the debate about his former position on gay marriage to hinge on what the definition of the word “activist” is, the main examples we provide in this particular piece have to do with specific contradictions he clearly made while trying to please Larry King’s mostly secular audience.

This video piece documents the following facts:

Fact 1: On October 23, 2008, Warren issued a video statement and endorsement of Proposition 8 via his public website, imploring all viewers to vote Yes on the Proposition. Yet, when asked by Larry King in April 2009 about his involvement with Proposition 8, he told the CNN audience that he never once issued a statement or gave an endorsement of Proposition 8. Warren is quoted saying the following, “…during the whole Proposition 8 thing, …I never once issued a statement, uh, never, never once, uh, even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop 8 was going.”

Fact 2: Warren is quoted saying the following, “I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.” Yet when asked by Larry King what he thought about the Supreme Court’s ruling in Iowa to allow same sex marriage, Warren answered, “I’m totally, uh, oblivious to, to uh what’s, that’s not even my agenda.”

Fact 3: On Larry King Warren stated, “I am not an anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist, never have been, never will be.” Yet in his video statement/endorsement of Proposition 8, which alone is arguably an activist position, Warren also admitted, “I’m going to be sending out a note to pastors on what I believe about this, but everyone knows what I believe about it, and they heard me at the civil forum when I asked both Obama and McCain on their views.”

Fact 4: When asked by Larry King about his interview on BeliefNet, Warren claims, “I was asked a question that made it sound like I equated gay marriage with pedophilia or incest, which I absolutely do not believe.” Yet when one watches the actual BeliefNet video interview, Warren himself clearly equates the two, “…I am apposed to having a brother and sister being together, and call that marriage. I am apposed to an older guy marrying a child, and calling that a marriage.” In case anyone doubts whether or not Warren was claiming they were equivalent, the BeliefNet interviewer asks Warren, “Do you think those are equivalent to gays getting married?” Warren’s response? “OH, I DO.”

With much influence over others comes much responsibility. Rick Warren has become one of the most popular “Pastors” of this generation, having sold millions of his popular book, “A Purpose Driven Life”. Sadly, his biblical worldview has become muddled by the all-inclusive religious worldview of our time. He has allowed many religious views to influence him rather than standing on the firm foundation of God’s word (See the Cup of Joe Blog on Rick Warren’s Ecumenical Idolatry). Someone with as much influence as Rick Warren, we would hope and pray, would stand on the firm foundation of God’s Word, rather than wavering – with his views and answers being tossed to and fro by the political winds and whims of this apostate age.

Related links:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041414.html (April 14, 2009)

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/11/warren-waver-stuns-leaders/ (April 11, 2009)

http://cupofjoe.goodfight.org/?p=88