One reason why Joel Osteen shouldn't be behind the pulpit

This is a short portion of an interview held on December 23 on Fox News Sunday with Christ Wallace. Since Mit Romney and Mormonism is a hot political topic today, Wallace obviously felt it appropriate to ask the pastor of America's largest church and best selling author, Joel Osteen, what he thought about Mit Romney and Mormonism.

WALLACE: And what about Mitt Romney? And I've got to ask you the question,
because it is a question whether it should be or not in this campaign, is a
Mormon a true Christian?

OSTEEN: Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that's what I believe, so, you know, I'm not the one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are. And so, you know, Mitt Romney seems like a man of character and integrity to me, and I don't think he would — anything would stop me from voting for him if that's what I felt like.

WALLACE: So, for instance, when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, and the golden tablets in upstate New York, and God assumes the shape of a man, do you not get hung up in those theological issues?

OSTEEN: I probably don't get hung up in them because I haven't really studied them or thought about them. And you know, I just try to let God be the judge of that. I mean, I don't know. I certainly can't say that I agree with everything that I've heard about it, but from what I've heard from Mitt, when he says that Christ is his savior, to me that's a common bond.

Ok. Either Joel Osteen is completely ignorant of Mormonism (which is very likely), or he is deliberately ignoring the clear distinctions between Mormons and Christians. Look, if you head the largest church in America, wouldn't it behoove you to know just a little about other faiths? And if you didn't, then why don't you say, "I'm not really sure. I haven't studied it thoroughly enough to really give a good response."

But because Osteen was on National Television, he is clearly responsible for everything he says. And to say that he has a "common bond" with Romney in that Christ is his savior is to completely ignore and misrepresent the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Mormonism, Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer (thats right, the devil) and the literally begotten son of God the Father. This is a completely different Jesus! What's even more incredible is that Mormonism has a completely different God. According to LDS theology, God was once a man who lived on another planet and had a God as we do. Again, a completely different God!

Such ignorance is unacceptable by men like Osteen. I'm no expert on Mormonism, but if I were going to make any statements about it on national television, i'd better have my facts straight!

Oh, and here's a little fun to lighten your mood in case you are as livid as I am: