Warren's Church Erases Antigay Language From Website

As the flap over President-elect Barack Obama's choosing Pastor Rick Warren to conduct the invocation at his inauguration continues, it seems that Warren's church has taken steps to cover up its homophobic stance.

Saddleback Church once had language on its website explicitly stating that "unrepentant" gays and lesbians were not welcome. "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," the website said, according to a screen shot acquired by AmericaBlog. "That does not mean they cannot attend church -- we hope they do! God's Word has the power to change our lives."

The language has since been stripped, but AmericaBlog was able to find the old language using Google's cache, which archives older versions of existing Web pages. A spokesperson for Saddleback told Advocate.com on Tuesday that the wording has been repurposed and not completely removed. On a page answering questions about the Bible, an audio recording by Saddleback associate pastor Tom Holladay says that the definition of marriage is made clear in the book of Genesis. The recording also says that people who engage in "sexual sins," such as homosexuality or adultery, cannot be a part of the church, and says that those practices are not taught in the Bible. It does say, however, that anyone can "attend," which is different from being a "member of the church." (Michelle Garcia, Advocate.com)

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Reader Comments

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Name: Paul
Date posted: 12/25/2008 5:57:00 PM
Hometown: Dallas

Comment:
Hey kids, I suggest we let Saddleback have their beliefs and leave them alone. I suspect, this is the first step in a more accepting church...but...if you are looking for a church that REALLY accepts gays (and all other people) check out cathedralofhope . com!
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Name: Granny
Date posted: 12/24/2008 9:23:00 PM
Hometown: Menifee, CA

Comment:
Hey Beckie: Corinthians was supposedly written by Paul, not Jesus. Paul came along later after Jesus had died. Paul did not ever talk to Jesus. Some say Paul was very effiminate and hated women. Maybe he was a closeted homosexual with a hangup on all sex. Did you ever think of that?
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Name: John Adrian
Date posted: 12/24/2008 6:26:00 PM
Hometown: Staten Island, New York

Comment:
What does Saddleback Church saw about eating shellfish and pork? Ditto working on the Sabbath?
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Name: PETE jimenez
Date posted: 12/24/2008 4:53:00 PM
Hometown: HOLLYWOOD,CA

Comment:
JUST FACE IT OBAMA SH8T ALL OVER US ON THIS ONE! I HAVE BEEN CENSORED BY THIS MAG! WITH MY ORIGINAL REMARKS...WHY? SHAME ON YOU ADVOCATE! THE Q.A.L.F.
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Name: Dollylama
Date posted: 12/24/2008 3:39:00 PM
Hometown: Menifee, CA

Comment:
Rick Warren is a liar to be sure. He does hate us, all of us, including Melissa . Be not fooled by the wolf in sheep's clothing. I wish people like Becky would stop quoting the Bible. It was written hundreds of years after the death of Jesus. Stop saying "Jesus said". You don't know what Jesus said, it is all hearsay. The Bible has been edited and wriitten and rewritten by so many people that it would spin your head around. I am a person who reads the Bible but who does not take it literally. It is not to be taken literally. Keep to the 10 commandments and that is the road to peace of mind and soul. In other matters let your conscience be your guide.
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Name: Gerry Daley
Date posted: 12/24/2008 2:40:00 PM
Hometown: Somerville, MA

Comment:
The website has been "repurposed"????? Who invented that tortured word to cover Warren's bigoted fat ass?
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Name: John Embry
Date posted: 12/24/2008 2:11:00 PM
Hometown: Forestville

Comment:
There is something about the constipated conservatives that will choose bits and pieces of Judism in place of Christianity. The old testimate is dated beyond belief and has very little to do with the teachings of Christ. Can you imagine what the Vatican, those mega-churches and cults could accomplish if they actually followed Jesus' one commandment, "Love ye one another." They haven't the faintest idea. This pompous Warren fellow belongs in the Falwell-Swagart-Robertson club.
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Name: RogerMA
Date posted: 12/24/2008 9:32:00 AM
Hometown: NewBedford

Comment:
No removing of anti-gay positions on a church website can hide from God. God knows the hearts of all, and that's what really matters.
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Name: Laurent
Date posted: 12/24/2008 12:24:00 AM
Hometown: Ottawa, Canada

Comment:
I am still looking in the book of Genesis for the reference to marriage. My bible doesn't even use the word. Saddleback's attempt to clean up Reverand Warrens's hate speech still does not absolve the fact that the man preaches hate. I am Canadian but am really getting tired of thsi sanctity of the family nonsence. Sherri Sheppard on the View said that was her biggest concern, this from the lady who is getting divorced and trashing her ex for cheating on her. Wake up girl, from your rules all the saints and the apostles would be cheating on her, what a santimoneous byatch she is. Most of these bible thumping leaders either are divorced and remarried or are cheating of their spouses. So much for sanctity of the family. Even Saint Tom Cruise can't claim sanctity of the family, he did divorce Nicole Kidman for financial reasons and no other reason.
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Name: Beckie
Date posted: 12/24/2008 12:11:00 AM
Hometown: rancho cucamogna

Comment:
cont. While all sin is destructive, Romans 6 warns us of the great dangers of sexual sin when it says, "Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body." (1 Cor 6:18 NLT) This includes not only homosexuality, but all sexual immorality: adultery, sex outside of marriage and pornography. We must not act as if homosexuality is the only serious sexual sin, and we must not act as if homosexuality is not a serious sexual sin. Continued on next post

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