Joel Osteen on CNN: I Could Vote for a Muslim or Jewish President
Joel Osteen offers a strong statement of support for the Israeli people in an interview with CNN's Pierce Morgan Tuesday night, in which the Lakewood Church pastor also discusses whether he would vote for a Jewish or Muslim presidential candidate.
In a preview clip of the Osteen's interview with Morgan, the megachurch pastor is also asked to comment on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, to which he says, "It's a difficult situation. We stand with the Israeli people. Our hearts go out to the Palestinian people as well."
As for whether he could vote for a Muslim presidential candidate, Osteen replies, "I think I could [but] 90% of America is Christian so I'm pretty sure I'd find somebody that more shares my beliefs."
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Osteen, joined by his wife, Victoria Osteen, also talk about their recent trip to Israel in the hour-long interview.
"The people are very solid, they're very peaceful," Victoria Osteen said of the Israeli people. "We found it fascinating."
The Osteen's hosted a major concert in Israel called "A Historic Night of Hope" this past February, which was broadcasted by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The couple issued a statement through the network during the promotion of the event:
"As Christians, Victoria and I feel that it is important to stand in support of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. As always, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
Osteen is one of many evangelical leaders who have offered their allegiance to Israel, especially, as it relates to the current move by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to seek United Nations recognition of a Palestinian state based on the historic borders before the 1967 war.
Pat Robinson, chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), recently issued a call to Christians through his network to pray that the U.N. will reject the efforts of the Palestinians.
According to Robertson, "The nation of Israel stands alone in a sea of enemies; they're surrounded on every side and many of them want to destroy Israel. Well, how do they plan on doing it? They plan it with a United Nations resolution in the General Assembly to declare a new nation of Palestine, right on the border of Israel, and they want to make Jerusalem the capitol of that new state."
"If that happens," continued Robertson, "Israel will be in danger constantly, the attacks that we’ve seen from Hamas are nothing compared to what could be done." He ended with a plea for his audience to pray: "That’s why it's important to pray. This resolution must be stopped."
According to a survey of evangelical leaders, published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 48 percent of evangelicals say that the state of Israel is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy about the second coming of Jesus, while 42 percent say it is not.
The survey, published in June, also revealed that 34 percent of evangelicals sympathize with Israel, while 11 percent sympathize with the Palestinians.
Joel and Victoria Osteen's interview on "Piers Morgan Tonight" airs at 9 p.m. EDT/ 10 p.m. PDT.
Watch a preview of the Osteens' interview on CNN:
