JOEL OSTEEN & Larry King

Thanks! I'll look to see if I can find a transcript.

 

OK - found the Warren interview and I'm reading it now - here's a couple of things (of course, out of context but you can get the idea). Here's the link first off http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/22/lkl.01.html

"There really -- when it comes to purpose, you only got three alternatives. One of them is, you can just make up a purpose and say, this is going to be the purpose of my life. But really, all along, you kind of know, well, is that really what I'm here for?

Another way is to just speculate about it, and one of the popular ways today is to say, look within. And if you look within, then you'll discover your purpose.

Well, there's only one problem with that. It doesn't work. I've talked to a lot of people. I looked within. I didn't find my purpose. Since I didn't create me, I can't tell me what my purpose is. I have got to look to my creator. And of course, the premise behind "The Purpose-Driven Life" is that you're not an accident. That you were formed by God for a unique reason here on Earth, and that gives life meaning and significance."
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King: Rick, why do bad things happen to good people?

WARREN: Well, Larry, it's because we live in a broken world. This is not perfect world. This is not heaven and that's why we're depraved. "Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven." Why? Because in heaven, everything's done perfectly. Things are not done perfectly on this earth.

God gave us a freedom to choose. As a result of choices, we make mistakes, we blow it -- and when ever I make mistakes, when ever I sin, it always causes damage and causes hurt.

The Bible teaches that since sin entered the world, way back with the very first human beings, we have lived in an imperfect, broken planet, and that causes hurricanes and tornadoes, and all kinds of things. This is not a perfect planet. So, we should not be surprised that it's not paradise. And also, life is not fair. In fact, the Bible says life is not fair. It's just not fair.

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CALLER: My question is for Mr. Warren. I love your book, No. 1. And also that, when you do get a chance to see Mr. Nichols, what will you say to him and what questions will you ask him?

WARREN: Well, the first thing I am going to ask him is, have you made your peace with God? Have you developed a relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you asked him for forgiveness for the things that you've done? And have you decided to try to make restitution in any way to those who you hurt, the lives that you took? That is the first and foremost thing, is to make sure, first, you're right with God, and then second, that you're right with other people as best that you can. Now, he obviously can't completely recompense those who lost their loved ones, but he needs to do what he can to do that.

KING: You will not condemn him?

WARREN: Well, Jesus came and said, I didn't come to condemn the world, I came to save it. And I want to be like Jesus. And so if I'm going to condemn anybody, I am going to condemn myself, because I'm just as guilty of doing wrong things and hurting other people -- maybe not murder, but Jesus said, you know, if you've hated people in your heart, that's bad, too.

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CALLER: Hi, my name's Bill. Hi, Rick, and thank for taking my call. I'm calling because basically two and a half years ago, my son passed away of a genetic disorder. And I keep asking Christian people basically, what's the reason for my son being here? And looked for scripture, and it's hard for me to comprehend. I'm kind of like a picture person.

KING: I'm sad to hear that. We only have a minute, Rick. What can you say in a minute? WARREN: Well, I will say this: I don't know. And I wish I did know. Some of the things -- the questions we ask we're not going to find the answer to until we get to heaven. We don't understand all of what goes on. We do know, as I said, it's not a perfect world, but some of those answers aren't going to come until we get to heaven.

KING: And you believe his son is there?

WARREN: Oh, absolutely. The Bible says in Proverbs, "the Lord preserves the simple." That means those who aren't competent enough to understand what it means to make a commitment of your life to Christ or to open their life up to his love, they are safe in the arms of God.
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So, I don't think it was really wishy-washy. He answered the questions well and the idea of "Will an athiest get to heaven?" didn't come up, so he couldn't answer that direct question - but he DID talk about repentance and a relationship with Christ. I think he did pretty good!

Ann

 

I just found some more interviews - I'm going to check the others out.

12/2/05 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/02/lkl.01.html
10/5/05 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0510/05/lkl.01.html
3/26/05 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/26/lkl.01.html
3/22/05 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/22/lkl.01.html
11/22/04 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/22/lkl.01.html

Ann

 

Well, in the Nov. 22, 2004 interview, here's his response to 'the' question:

CALLER: Yes, I would like to ask the reverend if he believes that non-Christians can get into heaven and be with God when they die.

WARREN: My question would be this, who gets to make the rules?

Does god have a right to decide who gets into his place?

And I would say, my opinion really doesn't matter. I would say this, and I would say this humbly. Jesus said this -- he said, I am the way and the truth and the life. And nobody comes to the father except through me. Now, you know what, that's a pretty radical statement when you think about it.

KING: A little pompous too.

WARREN: It is if it's not true. The bottom line is, I'm betting my life on that verse. See this, Larry, is the fundamental issue.

KING: So, what you're saying the jew is not going to heaven?

WARREN: I'm saying nobody's going to heaven, except people who go to heaven God's way. And I don't get to make the rules. I don't go to heaven, you don't go to heaven.

KING: What if John leads a perfect life. He adopts the golden rule all the days of his life. Except he doesn't accept Christ.

WARREN: First, I object to the premise. He can't lead a perfect life.

KING: He leads a 99 percent. Phil, he's a 30 percent life, except he believes in Christ.

WARREN: And I live a 10 percent life.

KING: Phil goes to heaven and John doesn't, under those rules? Bad rule then.

WARREN: The rule is grace. You have to do the almost impossible to go to hell. You have to reject the love of Jesus Christ.

And why would anybody reject that?

KING: Why is it so crowded down there?

WARREN: Why would anybody reject the love of Jesus? He's done everything possible. You saw the Mel Gibson movie. Jesus stretches out his hands out on the cross, I love you this much. It's like, I'm doing everything possible. I'm doing everything possible so that you don't have to go to hell. So that you don't have to depend on your own efforts. Because it is my grace. The message of the evangelical, the message of the bible is not judgment. The message is grace. Is that, I don't deserve it, but I get to go if I trust him.

 

I know - I thought about the hyjack thing - but I think no one is going to stand up for Osteen - he's just wrong.

I went to the CNN site and searched on "Warren" and those were the only ones I could find - maybe they only go back so far....

 

You too, Joe (ya know, Joseph is a family name in my family - every generation has a Joseph - atleast one if not more). LOL!