Larry King interview with Joel Osteen:
KING: But don’t you think i f people don’t believe as you believe, they’re somehow condemned?
OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I’m for every body. You may not agree with me, but to me it’s not my job to try to straighten every body out. The Gospel [is] called the good news. My message is a message of hope—that God’s for you. You can live a good life no matter what’s happened to you. And so I don’t know. I know there is condemnation but I don’t feel that’s my place.…
KING: Many evangelists feel that the church, the church it self, the religion, has failed. You share that view?
OSTEEN: Well, I think in a sense when you see certain things in society you would think that. But in another sense I see faith in America, faith in the world, at an all-time high today. When I was growing up it was a big deal to have a church of 1,000. Now there’s churches of 10,000. So many of them. So I think in one sense I can agree with that point. But in an other sense I see a real spiritual awakening taking place.…
KING: Is it hard to lead a Christian life?
OSTEEN: I don’t think it’s that hard. To me it’s fun. We have joy and happiness. Our family—I don’t feel like that at all. I’m not trying to follow a set of rules and stuff. I’ m just living my life.
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to Heaven. I don’t know…
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ, they’re wrong, aren’t they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don ’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. You’re the best, and thank you, Joe—Joel—for your positive messages and your book. I’m wondering, though, why you side-stepped Larry’s earlier question about how we get to Heaven? The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father is through him. That’s not really a message of condemnation but of truth.
OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that.
KING: So then a Jew is not going to Heaven?
OSTEEN: No, here’s my thing, Larry, is I can’t judge some body’s heart. You know? Only God can look at some - body’s heart, and so—I don’t know. To me, it’s not my business to say, you know, this one is or this one isn’t. I just say, here’s what the Bible teaches and I’m going to put my faith in Christ. And I just—I think it’s wrong when you go around saying, you’re not going, you’re not going, you’re not going, you’re not going, because it’s not exactly my way. I’m just…
KING: But you believe your way.
OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.
KING: But for some one who doesn’t share it is wrong, isn’t he?
OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don’t know if I look at it like that. I would present my way, but I’m just going to let God be the judge of that. I don’t know. I don’t know.
KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?
OSTEEN: No. But I ...
KING: What about atheists?
OSTEEN: You know what, I’m going to let some one—I’m going to let God be the judge of who goes to Heaven and hell. I just—again, I present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe it’s a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I’m not going to go around telling every body else if they don’t want to believe that, that’s going to be their choice. God’s got to look at your own heart. God’s got to look at your heart, and only God knows that.
WHY would any Bible believing Christian want to read a book by this man???