This is from Annie’s Mailbox, a column in our local paper, The Daily Breeze, July 15, 2007. Dear Annie: What do you do when people try to push their religion on you? I was approached by someone the other day, and she made me very uncomfortable since I don’t agree with a lot of what
Huffington is a former California congressman and U.S. Senate nominee who has just come out as a bi-sexual. He is quoted here from an article in the July 15, 2007, L.A. Times, explaining why he has partially underwritten two films containing “gay-Christian” themes. “I came out because I realized God created all of us in
The movie TRANSFORMERS opened today. This comment is from the film’s star Shia LaBeouf from an interview with the L.A. Times 7/1/07: “Acting is my entirety. This is the most important thing in life to me—above politics, above my family, above my own happiness.” “If I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t want to live, literally.
On Wednesday I like to post comments from people who have great faith—in nothing, or weird things, or onion rings. Mostly, atheists reign on Wednesdays because they believe in transitional forms to prove their evolutionary theories (of which none exist), and Wednesday is kind of a transition day that starts the anticipation of the weekend.
Famous Lost Words: Joel Osteen
Famous lost words don’t always come from atheists; they can also be uttered by nice people, well meaning—but seriously wrong people.
This is an excerpt from a June 20, 2005, interview between talk show host Larry King, and the pastor of the largest church in America, Joel Osteen, from transcripts available at CNN.com (The italics are mine.)
KING: Is it hard to lead a Christian life?OSTEEN: I don’t think it’s that hard. To me it’s fun. We have joy and happiness. Our family — I don’t feel like that at all. I’m not trying to follow a set of rules and stuff. I’m just living my life.
KING: But you have rules, don’t you?
OSTEEN: We do have rules. But the main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To live a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that’s really the essence of the Christian faith.
KING: That we live in deeds?
OSTEEN: I don’t know. What do you mean by that?
KING: Because we’ve had ministers on who said, your record doesn’t count. You either believe in Christ or you don’t. If you believe in Christ, you are, you are going to heaven. And if you don’t no matter what you’ve done in your life, you ain’t.
OSTEEN: Yeah, I don’t know. There’s probably a balance between. I believe you have to know Christ. But I think that if you know Christ, if you’re a believer in God, you’re going to have some good works. I think it’s a cop-out to say I’m a Christian but I don’t ever do anything …
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know …
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
He continues this wishy-washy line of thinking in another part of the interview.
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