Joel Olsteen: “I Didn’t Choose to be Straight”
Joel Olsteen, a conservative who makes his money by appealing to people of faith, was asked about homosexuality recently on CNN. During the interview, Olsteen admitted that he didn’t choose to be straight. But while he made this admission, he did continue on to say that being gay is a sin.
Olsteen maintains that the scripture is clear that being gay is a sin and that “two hundred years from now, the Scripture is still going to say that.”
Here is a partial transcript of the interview, which consisted of Olsteen, Soledad O’Brien and former Clinton advisor Richard Socarides.
O’Brien: But for people who are gay, you’re saying so then you shouldn’t be gay?
Osteen: Well, I think that’s the big debate. The scripture says you’ve got to work out your own salvation.
Socarides: Do you think you can choose to be gay or not gay? You think you choose to be straight?
Osteen: I know I have not chosen to be straight, I just feel like that’s who I am.
Socarides: So how can I choose to be gay?
After being backed into a corner, Olsteen then asked the host to stick to issues he understands. It appears that this is not comfortable territory for the megapastor. In the past, Olsteen has compared homosexuality to breaking an addiction.
“I believe that it’s a process. But I believe that God can give us grace to change. We’ve seen people break addictions, and do other other things as well,” Osteen said to Piers Morgan last year.
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That is something that todays man has twisted. Gods word Never Changes. If man wants to do something enough, distorting Gods word to make it seem like he is ok with anything.
What so many blindly call God’s Word is mythology and stories written in allegorical format that catered to the low level of comprehension and understanding of its time. If Olsteen wants the news reporter to only stick to the issues he understands, then he should not SPEAK ON MATTERS THAT CLEARLY SHOW HE IS MISINFORMED ABOUT- like homosexuality. The entire debate over homosexuality has little to do with god and more to do with Misinformed Christians seeking to JUSTIFY THEIR PREJUDICES and IRRATIONAL FEARS through out dated biblical literature. Homosexuality will never die or go away as it has always existed, but misinformed Christians will. Now that is the ultimate truth. And in the End what did JESUS say on homosexuality? There is no need to focus on Paul’s words, nor the hebrews, Iraeliites or any of these other cultural groups. Their truths and culture are relative and speak to their values formed from their own personal and collective prejudices, and biases of their time. These people nor their writers knew nothing of social sciences. They even believed the world was flat, as they stoned women, and perpetuated their sexism, prejudices, murder and mayhem that are considered barbaric and unacceptable in modern times. Christians need to stop picking convient scriptures with distorted understanding and expecting the world to accept such nonsense that neglects and demeans anothers humanity. It only displays how mentally tormented religion can be upon the minds of people seek to live such skewed tenets based upon antiquated interpretations.
pastor Joel needs to take a bold stand for what he believe. It’s all or nothing, for christ I live and for christ I die, it’s that simple.The word is absolute, preach the gospel, live the gospel and let it do what it do.Fear God not man,they hated Jesus, they are going to hate you.
Bold Stands for Christians like Olsteen is nothing more than BOLD ARROGANCE, IGNORANCE, GREED, EGOTISM and FEAR. Christianity for many followers who hold these views are still in the Wilderness of Prejudice. They are stuck like Chuck. Spiritual retarded, having the intellectual aptitudes and moral courage of gold fishes in a small religious tank. Olsteen pretty much revealed himself to be misinformed coward unable to articulate his views with sound logic and validated knowledge that liberates and informs people in a reverent and harmonious manner. CHRISTIANS ARE JUST A F%$# mess.
Much respect to Joel Olsteen, however in the black communities, we have been ‘force fed’ homosexuality. Much like a captive having unwanted food forced down their throats. Most black homos are victims of abuse and trauma ( usually as children). This was not ther choice but they struggle withthis everyday. Separation and Reparations Now!!
I believe the Bible and that is the bottom line. People will use all or any justification for thier habits, sins, etc. We cannot negotiate with God. When people know they are in addictions all they have to to is havae a lil talk with Jesus and over time all or any addiction can be broken. God sees all that goes on under roof tops. When he sees parents abuse thier children He is God all merciful if they have it within thier heart to not want to be what His word states that is an abomination. I myself use to live in sin because I knew within the one I was living with was not right for a marriage made in heaven. Yes I hate living alone but I rather have it right with God, be lonely than to live a long miserable life. He took the desire from me to play house with those He didn’t have in His plan for my life in the first place. When and if He wants me to be in holy matrimony He will send the right one. Until then, I shall continue my studies in Communication towards earning my degree at the age of 53 and then I will take it from there. Me and Jesus are just fine. He gives me what NO MAN can give me – PEACE! Amen.
People are quick to relay what they believe. However, no belief has any credence of truth unless it can be validated with sound logic and measured for its application in progressing human interactions and well being. How strange that GOD that Christian claim to follow and BELIEVE to have created the universe with all of the lavish species on the planet of which is called GOOD, fail to recognize and RECONCILE their religious beliefs in acknowledging that homosexuality in over 900 species (dolphins, monkeys, Chimpanzees (dna relatives to humans). Are they sinful as well? What did Jesus Say about Homosexuality? Also, while homosexuality is an abomination, so is eating shrimp, touching pig skins, wearing linens on certain days as well. Yet how many do that. Most biblical scholars agree that Sodom and Gommorrah is more so a tale of HOSPITALITY rather than homosexuality as being the root of its destruction. Yet, how many christians reconcile themselves with engaging in Critical thinking and reconciling these few facts to resolve their own negative biases and stigmas? Very Few. SHAME SHAME SHAME
Unfortunately many people are not content with being individuals but rather “follow the crowd”. Political correctness, acceptance, lack of courage and morality appears to the dominate trait thats prevalent in our society today. Christians should not be “intimidated” into submission not to discuss the ‘truth’ about homosexuality and the consequence of such a lifestyle. It is about “how” you discuss this character flaw without judging the person who has “choosen” this course. Yes, it is ultimately a “choice” after all is said and done. I give partial credit to Mr. Olsteen, but a Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit will have a “holy boldness” to confess with confidence (not arrogance) the truth of God’s Word and its position about this particular sin. We should be equally ready to admonish and rebuke any other sin as well (adultry, divorce, lying, stealing, fornication, gluttony, covetedness, bearing false witness, etc.). It takes constant prayer daily and the help of the Holy Spirit for us not to “prioritize” which sin is greater than the other, I believe that many Christians (including pastors, preachers, etc.) have “choosen” which sin to emphasize over the other whereby the Word of God states plainly that “all sin” is equal in the eyes of the Lord.
JOEL OSTEEN IS RIGHT IN HIS DICISION. I BELEIVE GOD MADE ALL OF US STRAIGHT. MAN CHOSE TO BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES. I MAINTAIN I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRAIGHT AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO HAVE IT ANOTHER WAY. BUT IF GOD WANTS TO MAKE A CROOKED MAN STRAIGHT HE CAN DO SO.
Joel Olsteen is a homophobia, C- minus, mayberry, polyanish, dim whitted, cowardly, uneducated, minister who has many followers who are just like him. He may do some good, but he is a product of Religion and religion makes you dumb and spiritually retarded. Now that is the truth.
I think Olsteen gave the correct answer. It is up to each person to work out his/her own salvation and not anyone’s place to judge, that is God’s job and He doesn’t need help from us.
Joel Osteen should simply present himself as a motivational speaker and not a pastor since he has little knowledge of the Bible. Here he takes Philippians 2:12 out of context. Jesus saved us by his work on the cross-we could not save ourselves nor can we add to what He has done. “work out your own salvation” is an exhortation to the Christian to live a life of obedience to the revealed will of God based upon what Paul has said in the previous verses. This is only one exhortation to Godly living-most can think of others found throughout the scriptures.
All sin is volitional. Homosexuality is a sin (Romans 1:24-26) and therefore is also volitional. The reference verse is James 1:13-15
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
I think Joel Olsteen, needs to explain himself better than that, being a pastor, of believers.
I was pleasantly surprised and quit happy to read all the mature and biblical based responses. Just to add my tidbit, God’s Word trumps man’s opinion! This is my coin phrase, whenever a fellow believer trys to substitute or be passive about God’s Word to condone man’s wrong doings!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOG7-PYqNvU
Read the book Snakes In The Pulpit and see what y’all think of tis pimp in the pulpit!!!
He’s like the rest of these mega screachas! He has a mansion, lear jet, expensive cars, suits, the only difference is that he’s a caucasoid and his counterparts are negroids, who are dealing in dirt and stealing in the name of the lawd!
Y’all know that got caucasoid pimps out here getting that xtian doe!!!
Stealing in the name of God! America GREED. Hate the sin, NOT THE SINNER. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Why is he even on this show. Stay in your pulpit chase the $$$. Often these mega preachers tell stories about life, usually theirs. Bible based, it is NOT! “All have sinned…” where us your sin, preacher Joel? I like him too, but don’t preach to the least among us while sitting in your ivory tower! T. D. Jake; thieving, cheating, stealing, lying, in West Virginia, then showing up in Texas, new wife, car stolen from small church in WV where he milked troubled church members out of their Social Security, mortgage, rent monies, etc. with a new wife, etc. then writing “Women Thou Art Loose.” I wonder how he’d know that?
You have to know and love the truth in order to live by it. It takes the spirit of truth to understand and be inspired by it. If you want truth you have to ask God for it and then decide weather or not you are willing to obey it and the author of it. Once it is given you have a choice to make. God gives His Spirit , His mind and power,
to those who obey Him. Remember that no one knows the things of a man but by the spirit of a man. No one knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God. God said that He does not change. He gave the ten commandments as the dynamic blueprint for developing His character within ourselves with and by the life of Christ in us through the Spirit of God. If you want to enter into life [immortality] keep the commandments. Jesus Christ,the God of the old testament, said this. The old testament is still in play.
@Sam: “He gave the ten commandments as the dynamic blueprint for developing His character within ourselves with and by the life of Christ in us through the Spirit of God. If you want to enter into life [immortality] keep the commandments.”
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You should know by now, that the bible was written by caucasoids, who REVISED and TRANSLATED it for their advantage!
Did you know that the 10 commandments were written by a Black Afrikan man by the name of Musa; y’all erroneously call him Moses! He wrote the BOOK OF LAWS, which is where the bible STOLE these laws and called them the ‘bible’.
How could ‘god’ write the bible when he/she was suppose to be up in ‘heaven’? DO YOU PEOPLE, THINK? This bible has over 100 contraDICKshuns, and you xtians are getting DICKed with these false teachings!!!
There were over 20 Books/Scriptures in the bible that were written by BLACK AFRIKANS, which were LEFT OUT! The scriptures y’all read today, are re-written from Afrikan Pharohs and Scholars! The very word re-ligion, is a word that means “TO DO OVER AGAIN”, and the Romans and Greeks RE-WROTE; OVER AGAIN, and the bible was written for their evil wicked deeds.
If xtians [negroids and caucasoids] are so ‘christ-like’, how come they are so full of h**l, wickedness and evil? Cracker xtians HATE Black people, but Black xtians LOVE caucasoid peopled, but HATE THEIR OWN CULTure! I get sick and tired of this ‘old testament’ and ‘new testament’ bullshit…the bible is the bible; regardless!!! THIS IS WHY I DON’T BElieVE in that re-ligous bullshyt because it’s fvcked up!
You can always find scriptures, that compliment a lie!
Queen James DID NOT translate the bible because he was a King in England; not a writer! He was a freak, pedophile, i****t breeder, animal LOVER [he had s*x with his horse], a drunkard, and he HATED Black people. This b*****d had slaves, and you negroids praise this cracker’s re-ligion and bible?
The last person, who had the final editing of the bible was a white boy name Richard Bancroft! Go look this Truth up for yourself. He was the yankee that took out the Black Books of the bible!
God is Truth, and Truth is God; there’s no higher Truth than God.
I just told you the Truth…go figure!
GOD IS LOVE and there is no Higher TRUTH THAN LOVE. While love is a word or presence that humans can only formulate and express with limits, it is still nevertheless, an expression of reverence, appreciation, inclusion, understanding, peace, harmony, courage, fearlessness, compassion, and FREEDOM. There are two forces that is behind all of our human interactions, choices and actions.. LOVE OR FEAR. Homophobia is fear based. If God is Love, then what are chrisitans fearing, especially if love heals all people, especially their own prejudices that they express against anothers god given s****l orientation.
It was meant for Olsteen to make those comments to show how misinformed and ignorant he and many other christians are with regard to not only biblical scripture but sexuality, social science and exhibiting sound critical thinking skills. Being a mega minister doesn’t automatically translate into meg intelligence that reprsents authority for god. These religious people are just stunted if not retarded in their awareness. If olsteen wants to be interviewed for what he understanda, then he should not be speaking on homosexuality and it being a sin. The bible nor jesus says its a sin. The bible records the cultural prejudice of a group of people the viewed it as an abomination because the felt it would hinder the continuation of their race and culture just as white america ruled against interracial marriages. People have to evolve or the end up in the desert of religious ignorance.
Once again a southern preacher preaches discrimmination
I wouldnt be suprised if one day we will find out joel olsteen is gay himself
Olsteen is called to stand firm on Yah’s world instead of trying to be friends with the world. His flock will suffer for his lack of conviction on the word of Yah.
it’s a given that homosexuals will attack the faith of believers because the writers of Yah is clear: Homosexuality found in animals have absolutely nothing to do with love and procreation, but everything you do with dominance of a weaker breed within the species of animals. Humans are not ruled by animistic desires, the rules of animal kingdom, but governed by the rules and laws created by man.
Those of you using ”xtian”, it’s redundant since ”x” is Greek for Christian in the Greek alphabet.
Those of you assuming that somehow Blacks in America are under somd spell from slavery know little about Messianics in Africa PREDATING Christianity. It is awe-inspiring of how uniformed most prepped are in the era of education and access to history.
Lol @ the smear campaign against a King James. Funny how that smear of his alleged homosexuality came our AFTER his death, and when the Catholic Church tried to stop the translation of the Hebrew and Holy Bibles.