In his December 2008 interview with Steve Waldman of Beliefnet [video below], Warren equated the marriages of gay and lesbian couples with marriages involving incest, pedophilia and polygamy.
RICK WARREN: The issue to me, I’m not opposed to that as much as I’m opposed to redefinition of a 5,000 year definition of marriage. I’m opposed to having a brother and sister be together and calling that marriage. I’m opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I’m opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage.
BELIEFNET: Do you think those are equivalent to gays getting married?
RICK WARREN: Oh , I do. For 5,000 years, marriage has been defined by every single culture and every single religion – this is not a Christian issue. Buddhist, Muslims, Jews – historically, marriage is a man and a woman.
In his Dec. 19 Dateline interview with NBC’s Ann Curry [video below], Warren suggested that gay couples’ relationships are indicative of an absence of maturity and character.
ANN CURRY: If science finds that this is biological, indisputably, not something that can be explained in any other way except that people are born to be gay, would you change your position?
RICK WARREN: No, and the reason why is…
ANN CURRY: Why?
RICK WARREN: I’m glad – I’d be happy to tell you why. The reason why is because it doesn’t matter to me. If [being gay]’s biological, we’ll be glad to know. We’re [sic] all have biological predispositions. As some people struggle with anger, and other people say, I don’t struggle with anger, I sure struggle with fear. Some people say, well I don’t struggle with this, I struggle with being shy.
ANN CURRY: You’re saying that if it’s part of your biology, it’s your job to struggle against it if in fact it’s the wrong thing.
RICK WARREN: Well, here’s what I’m saying: I’ve had many gay friends tell me, well Rick, why shouldn’t I have multiple sexual partners; it’s the natural thing to do. Well, just because it seems natural doesn’t mean it’s best for you or society. I’m naturally inclined to have sex with every beautiful woman I see. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. And why should I rein in my natural impulses, and you say, well, because I have natural impulses toward the same sex, I shouldn’t have to rein them in. Well, I disagree. I think that’s part of maturity. I think it’s part of delayed gratification. I think it’s part of character.
The Web site of Saddleback Church, where Warren is pastor, also stated a policy that banned gay people from membership in the church. [See screengrab of Web site below; Once the statement was brought to public attention, the passage was scrubbed from the church's Web site.]
It reads:
Because membership in a church is an outgrowth of accepting the Lordship and leadership of Jesus in one’s life, someone unwilling to repent of their homosexual lifestyle would not be accepted as a member at Saddleback Church. That does not mean they cannot attend Church – we hope they do! God’s Word has the power to change our lives.
