Osteen: Romney is a Christian
(CNN) - Famed pastor Joel Osteen reiterated his position that Mitt Romney is a Christian on Tuesday, saying as long as the likely GOP presidential nominee believes that Jesus is the Son of God then he subscribes to the Christian faith.
"When I hear Mitt Romney say that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God–that he's the Christ, raised from the dead, that he's his Savior–that's good enough for me," Osteen said in an interview to air on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
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While Osteen described the Mormon faith as "not traditional Christianity," he said he believes Mormons fall under the Christian tent.
"Mormonism is a little different, but I still see them as brothers in Christ," the pastor argued.
Romney's faith has largely remained an outlier in this presidential cycle, though some have expressed skepticism at the likely Republican nominee's religious views.
A leading Baptist pastor in Dallas, for example, made headlines in October when he urged Republicans to vote against Romney, saying voters should elect what he called a Christian, not a Mormon. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints identify themselves as Christians.
More recently, some students at the evangelical Liberty University have taken issue with Romney being tapped to deliver the school's commencement address in May.
Recent polls, however, show a majority of Americans are open to having a Mormon as president.
Romney is not the only one who has taken heat over his faith. Polls have shown a small minority of Americans have questioned whether President Barack Obama is a Christian.
Countering the speculation, Osteen said Tuesday he has spent time with the president and has no doubt about his faith.
"I believe with all my heart that he's a Christian, as he says he is," Osteen said.
Watch the full interview HERE
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"Pastor" Osteen is a very nice supersalesman making tons of money selling pretty stories about things that do not
exist. Thousands of not overly educated people keep pouring more money into his enterprise.
Kind of sad. Very sad.
It says it all in the name of the church. Of course he is Christian!
I don't know if Romney is a Christian, but I do know that Joel Osteen is a republican!
Obama is a Christian who happened to listed to the racist rants of Jeremiah Wright for 20 years.
In this country, it shouldn't matter what faith the man is. It is not a litmus test for how effective a president will be, nor is it an effective tool to determine how good or bad a person is. The fact that it does matter shows how far we still have to go.
The panderer-in-chief convinced pastor Olsteen that he is a regular christian like him. great.
Who cares which superstition romney believes in. He is a loser no matter what.
Mormons ultimate goal in life is to become a god themselves. Their actions are purely for the selfish aspiration to become a god of a planet and rule others. I don't want a president who acts purely for his own selfish needs. I want a president that will work for the people and do what is right no matter what it takes. Mormons ARE NOT Christians. They are a sect of religion that is close minded and only do things that benefit them.
On top of all that, i found a note, under a rock, telling me not to vote for romney, it wasnt signed!
A few simple questions: How do you know your particular theology is the correct one? Which sect interprets the bible with absolute truth? If god doesn't care about everyone interpreting the bible differently, then why is most of the New Testament about apostles going around correcting other Christians on how they are in error? Most people who consider themselves Christians are off shoots from the reformation period. So you are agreeing that the Catholic Church had strayed from god’s word. You are agreeing that the gospel was corrupted. The pattern throughout the bible is when god’s people go astray he sends prophets. People he had personally called, not someone who decide to go to a theological college like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Christ himself said, "you do not put new wine in old bottles.”Christ knew he had to bring dramatic change in order to "clean house". If no more prophets were called after Jesus like some claim, then what do you call the vision of Saul of Tarsus. I wonder how many people who call themselves Christians today would have left local Pharisee or Sadducee Preacher to follow Christ. Like today, preachers who lose a member of their congregation to the Mormons lose money. Like the Pharisees and Sadducees they claim they are right and they know the truth. The Mormon faith gives you a simple challenge. Don't believe me, I am just a man. If you have a true desire in your heart study and pray, then ask god if these things are not true. Don't take my word for it. Go to the source of truth. My belief in Christ is not based off what someone else told me. I believe in Christ because I sought him in prayer and he changed my life, my heart, and touched my soul.
Religious sales people believe that they can sell their version of Christianity to weak-minded Christians. Mr. Osteen is attempting to use his standing among Christians to influence the election. Thus, he has revealed his hand and should have no credibility with true followers of Christ. Mormonism does not adhere to the teachings of Christ and therefore it is not Christianity. Many will preach in His name, but beware of them. Christians are followers of Christ and know the he is GOD. Moreover, they are advocates for the poor and homeless.
My mother taught me not to trust people who talk and smile at the same time, especially when they are trying to persuade you to buy something or believe in what they are saying. Osteen has mastered that skill. So have a number of conservative politcians and pundits. The first pundit that comes to mind is conservative hawk Billy Kristol.
Anyone taken in by people like Joel Osteen get what they deserve. Just look at all that snake oil in his hair.
The argument over religiousity of the poeple elected to office ina democracy indicates we have not fully evolved yet.
Religion was not supposed to be the yardstick of who is trustworthy; the content of the character should have been. No one seem to remember these words anymor.
Who says Osteen is a Christian? Seems like he has a special affinity for the almighty dollar.
Osteen is just another greedy, self serving, republican. Are we sure he's not a mormon?
Methinks Joel Osteen should stay out of the fray.
Osteen is a leader of one of the biggest cults in America and hes makng millions at it!
Do any of you actually believe a word that comes out of preacher's mouth at this point?
this guy is a bigger liar than the politicians – why would any one think his view on romney's religion matters?
Christian is just the european version of being jewish
Morman is just the american version of being christian
religion is just a version of faith – that allows murder, genocide and slavery as tools to control a group
I believe in Johnny Christ across the street. I think he's the son of God, no big deal that it's a different Christ than the Christ of the trinity, am I still a Christian?
...and I only saw one set of footprints, Joel Osteen had been carrying me.
No really who cares what this dude thinks?
I don't care about the religion of the President as long as he and his administration and congress don't try to shove it down my throat.
I care more about integrity, ethics, character all of which the flip floppef lacks.
His goal in live is to be president because it's his legacy according to his church. Hs reminds me of Robert Redford in the movie The Candidate. After ending the election and turning his back on everything he stood for, including cheating on his wife, he had no idea what to do after sinning the election, I see the $250M man as the same except that Redford's was a movie. This guy is for real. A robot but nevertheless for real.
If Osteen said it then it must be true. There's a ton of sarcasm in my comment.
Multi-Millionaire "Christian" endorses Multi=Millionaire "Christian" Hmmmm My question is simple.... What would Jesus think? Maybe they should both go talk to Tenzin Gyatso...