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As the gay marriage movement begins to gain momentum, Pastor Rick Warren, best known for his best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, is apologizing to the gay community for making comments supporting California’s Proposition 8.
During a Monday on Larry King Live, the mega-church pastor claims he “never once even gave an endorsement” of the marriage amendment only to later state that he regretted supporting it. Proposition 8 protects the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, thereby eliminating same-sex couple’s right to marry.
Although Warren publicly spoke out in support of Proposition 8 just weeks before the election, he backpedaled during his interview on CNN. “During the whole Proposition 8 thing,” Warren insisted, “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’s Flip-Flopping Statements
Warren’s statements on Larry King Live fly in the face of his past talks to church members. Warren clearly endorsed Prop. 8 in a public speech. Here is an excerpt from his speech just weeks before the Prop. 8 vote:
"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."
The Gay Marriage Movement
Warren’s public statements are documented. Yet Warren told King “has never been and never will be” an “anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist” and expressed regret for supporting Prop. 8 and said he did not want to comment on the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision last week to legalize same-sex marriage.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last week that the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman violates the Iowa Constitution. In the case of Varnum v. Brien, the Court unanimously agreed to permit same-sex marriage. It is now left to the people to vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn that ruling.
The gay marriage movement is gaining momentum and Warren’s public apology may only serve to generate additional support among the populous. Beyond the Iowa decision for gay marriage, the Vermont Legislature on Tuesday voted to override Governor Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill that permits same-sex couples to marry in there.
Vermont was the first state to adopt same-sex civil unions in 2000. It now joins Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa as the fourth state to change the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman to include same-sex couples. Vermont is the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through the legislature. The other state approvals involved activist judges.
“It is a sad day in America when elected officials are clueless about the definition of marriage. If they cannot understand this basic human relationship between a man and a woman, then they are not competent to for public office,” says Mathew Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law.
“Marriage laws regulate a social institution upon which society has been built and the future of society rests. By redefining marriage, the Vermont legislature removed the cornerstone of society and the foundation of government. The consequences will rest on their shoulders and upon those passive objectors who know what to do but lack the courage to stand against this form of tyranny.”
Jennifer LeClaire is the editor of The Voice magazine and author of "Doubtless: Faith that Overcomes the World." You can also visit her online at www.jenniferleclaire.org.
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