Largest Animal Sacrifice Est. 250,000 Animals Slaughtered to honor Hindu Goddess Convenes

Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins

Cheers and protests as thousands of buffalo are decapitated at start of festival in Nepal honouring Hindu goddess Gadhimai

Author: Olivia Lang in Bariyapur
* guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 November 2009 13.11 GMT
* Article history

Nepalese Hindus lead buffalos that are intended for sacrifice to Gadhimai temple in Bariyapur

Nepalese Hindus lead buffalo to the slaughter in Bariyapur. Photograph: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP

The world's biggest animal sacrifice began in Nepal today with the killing of the first of more than 250,000 animals as part of a Hindu festival in the village of Bariyapur, near the border with India.

The event, which happens every five years, began with the decapitation of thousands of buffalo, killed in honour of Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power.

With up to a million worshippers on the roads near the festival grounds, this year's fair seems more popular than ever, despite vocal protests from animals rights groups who have called for it to be banned. "It is the traditional way, " explained 45-year old Manoj Shah, a Nepali driver who has been attending the event since he was six, "If we want anything, and we come here with an offering to the goddess, within five years all our dreams will be fulfilled." .

Crowds thronged the roads and camped out in the open, wrapped in blankets against the cool mist. The festivities included a ferris wheel, fortune-telling robots and stalls broadcasting music and offering tea and sugary snacks.

As dawn broke, the fair officially opened with the sacrifice of two rats, two pigeons, a pig, a lamb and a rooster in the main temple, to cheers of "Long live Gadhimai" from spectators pushing against each other for a better view.

In the main event, 250 appointed residents with traditional kukri knives began their task of decapitating more than 10,000 buffalo in a dusty enclosure guarded by high walls and armed police.

Frightened calves galloped around in vain as the men, wearing red bandanas and armbands, pursued them and chopped off their heads. Banned from entering the animal pen, hundreds of visitors scrambled up the three-metre walls to catch a glimpse of the carnage.

The dead beasts will be sold to companies who will profit from the sale of the meat, bones and hide. Organisers will funnel the proceeds into development of the area, including the temple upkeep.

On the eve of the event, protesters made a final plea to organisers by cracking open coconuts in a nearby temple as a symbolic sacrifice. "It is cruel and inhumane. We've always been a superstitious country, but I don't think sacrifice has to be part of the Hindu religion," said the protest organiser, Pramada Shah.

The campaign has the support of the French actor Brigitte Bardot, who has petitioned the Nepalese prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, about the issue. But the government, which donated £36,500 to the event, has shown no sign of discontinuing the centuries-old tradition. An attempt by the previous government to cut the budget for animal sacrifice provoked street protests.

Chandan Dev Chaudhary, a Hindu priest, said he was pleased with the festival's high turnout and insisted tradition had to be kept. "The goddess needs blood," he said. "Then that person can make his wishes come true."

Joel Olsteen Inverview by Larry King June 20, 2005

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Interview With Joel Osteen

Aired June 20, 2005 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, Joel Osteen, evangelism's hottest rising star, pastor for the biggest congregation in the United States. He literally filled the shoes of his late father who founded the church, and wait until you hear what he had to overcome to do it. Pastor Joel Osteen is here for the hour. We'll take your calls. It's next on LARRY KING LIVE.
Joel Osteen is the author of the number one "New York Times" best-seller, "Your Best Life Now." There you see its cover. "Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential." There is now a compendium been published called "Your Best Life Now Journal," a guide to reaching that full potential. Joel Osteen is pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His father before him. He has been called the smiling preacher. We met.

JOEL OSTEEN, EVANGELIST: Yes.

KING: Long ago with your father.

OSTEEN: We did. We met at a charity event for the Heart Association down there with Dr. DeBakey, I believe, or Dr. Cooley (ph).

KING: Dr. Cooley -- about seven, eight years ago.

OSTEEN: You were my dad's favorite. And you were sitting up at the table and I said, I didn't know any better then. I said, daddy, let's go, I'll introduce you to him. Like I knew you or something. And I did. It just made his day. We didn't meet for 10 seconds, but he loved you.

KING: Why are you a preacher?

OSTEEN: You know, I never was for 17 years. I worked with my dad there at the church. He tried to get me to minister. I didn't have it in me. I worked behind the scenes. I loved doing production and things. But when my father died, I just knew -- I don't know how to explain it, it sounds kind of odd, but I just knew down to here I was supposed to step up to the plate and pastor the church. And it was odd because I had never preached before. But I just knew I was supposed to do it.

KING: Did it come easily?

OSTEEN: It did. It came -- it came somewhat easily. I had to study. I was nervous. Still get nervous. But it did. I believe God gives you the grace to do what you need to do. And the great thing about it is the people were so loyal to my father. They wanted one of his sons to take over. And daddy had never really necessarily raised anybody up under him.

KING: What do the other sons do?

OSTEEN: Well, my brother Paul is a surgeon and he works with us there at the church. He gave up his practice to work with us and I have other sisters and brothers that work, as well.

KING: Is -- have you always believed?

OSTEEN: I have always believed. I grew up, you know, my parents were a good Christian people. They showed us love in the home. My parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that's where a lot of preachers' kids get off base sometimes. Because they don't see the same things at both places. But I've always believed. I saw it through my parents. And I just grew up believing.

KING: But you're not fire and brimstone, right? You're not pound the decks and hell and dam nation?

OSTEEN: No. That's not me. It's never been me. I've always been an encourager at heart. And when I took over from my father he came from the Southern Baptist background and back 40, 50 years ago there was a lot more of that. But, you know, I just -- I don't believe in that. I don't believe -- maybe it was for a time. But I don't have it in my heart to condemn people. I'm there to encourage them. I see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience the life God has for us.

KING: But don't you think if 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 everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it's not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that's 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: You've been criticized for that, haven't you?

OSTEEN: I have. I have. Because I don't know.

KING: Good news guy, right?

OSTEEN: Yeah. But you know what? It's just in me. I search my heart and I think, God, is this what I'm supposed to do? I made a decision when my father died, you know what? I'm going to be who I feel like I'm supposed to be. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Not the end of the world if I'm not the pastor ...

KING: Where were you ordained? OSTEEN: I was ordained from the church there, Lakewood, under my dad's ministry.

KING: So you didn't go to seminary?

OSTEEN: No, sir, I didn't.

KING: They can just make you a minister?

OSTEEN: You can, you can.

KING: That's kind of an easy way in.

OSTEEN: Yeah, but I think it happens more than you think. But I didn't go to seminary. I have a lot of great friends that did. But I didn't. But I did study 17 years under my dad. You know ...

KING: Are you a pastor? A reverend? Legally what are you?

OSTEEN: I'm a reverend and a pastor. A pastor of the church. I go by usually pastor.

KING: You can marry people?

OSTEEN: Yes, sir.

KING: So the church in a sense ordained you?

OSTEEN: Right. And then you're ordained through the State of Texas.

KING: How'd it grow so much?

OSTEEN: I don't know, Larry. I don't know if there was one thing. I think part of it was my dad had such a great foundation. Then all of a sudden here comes somebody 40 years younger, just new energy. New life. You know. I think one thing is my dad had a television ministry to start with. So all of a sudden here I was 36 years old and I was on television. Well, most young men that age, they're building a congregation and it costs a lot of money to be on television and all that. So all of a sudden there was a young minister across America. So I don't know if it's part of that. I think part of it is the message of hope and that I'm for people.

KING: You're nondenominational?

OSTEEN: We are, we are.

KING: Your father, though, was ...

OSTEEN: He was Southern Baptist. But he left that way back in the early '60s. And then he just started Lakewood Church. And we've always been independent and just for everybody.

KING: Many evangelists feel that the church, the church itself, 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 another sense I see a real spiritual awakening taking place.

KING: How many people come to your church?

OSTEEN: We have about 30,000 each weekend.

KING: How do you hold them?

OSTEEN: We have multiple services. It holds 8,000. But we're about to move into a new facility. But we just do a lot of services.

KING: You work all day Sunday?

OSTEEN: We do. And Saturday. We do one Saturday night and then four -- three Sunday and one Spanish. So it's a lot of work.

KING: You write all your own?

OSTEEN: I do. I do all my own research and do all my own service.

KING: And when are you on television?

OSTEEN: We're on different times. We're in the top 25 markets on one of the network stations.

KING: Sundays usually?

OSTEEN: Yes, sir. Usually Sundays.

KING: Are you asking for money?

OSTEEN: We never have. Never have. Since my dad started. I started a television ministry for my father back in '83. That was one decision we made. We just don't ask for money. We never have, we never will. You know, it's -- I don't criticize people that do. Some of them have to. But I just, I don't want anything to pull away from the message.

KING: How do you get the money to get the time on television?

OSTEEN: The church supports it.

KING: How does the church get the money?

OSTEEN: Well, they just give. There are just a lot of them, they're faithful, they're loyal people, they believe in giving. And the other thing too, what's interesting, Larry, we don't ask for money on television. But people see your heart. People send in money like you wouldn't imagine to underwrite it. KING: Really? Without your ever saying order this medal?

OSTEEN: Exactly. It's a testament to, you know, I think if people can see your heart is right. I'm certainly not the only one. But I don't get on there and beg for money. People send it in. You'd be amazed.

KING: Do you think there's too much of that, send in this, my new book is out?

OSTEEN: I think in general there probably is. Because people are so skeptical anyway. Why are you on there? You just want my money. We just try to stay away from it. I don't know if there is or not. To me sometimes I think, you know. I would -- I think people get on and they have to make the television audience underwrite it. And then they spend their time doing that.

KING: So it's self-fulfilling. Billy Graham was here last Thursday.

OSTEEN: I saw.

KING: Might have been his last interview. Is he a hero to the evangelists?

OSTEEN: He is a hero to us all. His life of integrity. Somebody that can stick with for that long and just stick with his message. What I love about Dr. Graham is he stayed on course. He didn't get sidetracked. That's what happens to so many people today. It's a good lesson for me, a good example for me to say, you know what, Joel, you may have a lot now but I want to be here 40 years from now sitting with you.

KING: Do you share Billy's beliefs of life after death in a sense of going somewhere?

OSTEEN: I do. I do. We probably agree on 99 percent. I do. I believe there's a heaven you know. Afterwards, there's, you know, a place called hell. And I believe it's when we have a relationship with God and his son Jesus and that's what the Bible teaches us. I believe it.

KING: Our guest is Joel Osteen. The senior pastor for Lakewood Church in Houston, the author of "Your Best Life Now," amazing bestseller. We'll be right back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: See people are watching you. Especially your children. They're taking in every single thing you do. They are like video cameras with legs. And they are always in the record mode. They learn more from what you do than from what you say. Like that old saying, I'd rather see a sermon than hear one anyday.

And when you are tempted to compromise and just take the easy way out, I challenge you to think generationally. Know that every right choice you make you are making it a little bit easier on those that come after you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Our guest, Joel Osteen. Why do you think "Your Best Life Now" did as well as it did?

OSTEEN: It surprised me.

KING: There's a lot of books about improving yourself.

OSTEEN: Yeah. I don't know. I think coming from the Christian base, and I think the fact that I don't know, it's a book of encouragement and inspiration. And to me it seems like there's so much pulling us down in our society today. There's so much negative. Most of my book is about how you can live a good life today in spite of all that. So I think that had a big part of it.

KING: But it doesn't quote a lot of biblical passages until the back of the book, right?

OSTEEN: It doesn't do a whole lot of it. My message, I wanted to reach the mainstream. We've reached the church audience. So I just try to, what I do is just try to teach practical principles. I may not bring the scripture in until the end of my sermon and i might feel bad about that. Here's the thought. I talked yesterday about living to give. That's what a life should be about. I brought in at the end about some of the scriptures that talk about that. But same principal in the book.

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: But you have rules, don't you?

OSTEEN: We do have rules. But the main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To life a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that's really the essence of the Christian faith.

KING: That we live in deeds?

OSTEEN: I don't know. What do you mean by that?

KING: Because we've had ministers on who said, your record don't count. You either believe in Christ or you don't. If you believe in Christ, you are, you are going to heaven. And if you don't no matter what you've done in your life, you ain't.

OSTEEN: Yeah, I don't know. There's probably a balance between. I believe you have to know Christ. But I think that if you know Christ, if you're a believer in God, you're going to have some good works. I think it's a cop-out to say I'm a Christian but I don't ever do anything ...

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 with 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.

KING: The Senate apologized last week for slavery. You think the Southern Baptists and a lot of the churches in the South owe some apology, too?

OSTEEN: I've never thought about it. Because I just didn't -- wasn't raised in it.

KING: But you know its history.

OSTEEN: Oh, absolutely. I think that it would never hurt; anything we could do to make amends, the better it can be. That's what I love about our church. It's made up of all different races. That's what life should all be about. That's what God wants it to be.

KING: Doesn't it hurt you that people 50 years ago talking about God and Christ also didn't -- Martin Luther King call 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning the most segregated hour in America? Does it bother you to know that predecessors of yours ...

OSTEEN: Yeah, absolutely bothers me. It's not right. It's a shame, and I don't know how they could do it with a pure heart to God but, you know what? It happened.

KING: I want to get to the seven steps. But when the people call you cotton candy theology. Someone said you're very good but there's no spiritual nourishment. I don't know what that means ...

OSTEEN: I think, I hear it meaning a lot of different things. One I think a lot of it is that I'm not condemning people. And I don't know, but Larry I talk, I mean every week in our church we're dealing with people that are fighting cancer, that have their lost loved ones. That are going through a divorce. I mean, I talk about those issues, and to me I don't see how it can get any more, you know, real than that. So I don't know what the criticism is.

KING: What is the prosperity gospel?

OSTEEN: I think the prosperity gospel in general is -- well I don't know. I hear it too. I don't know. I think what sometimes you see is it's just all about money. That's not what I believe. It's the attitude of your heart, and so you know, we believe -- but I do believe this, that God wants us to be blessed. He wants us to be able to send our kids to college, excel in our careers. But prosperity to me, Larry, is not just money, it's having health. What good is money if you don't have health?

KING: Also many in the Christian belief are wary of too much material, aren't they?

OSTEEN: Yeah, I think some of them are. But to me, you know, I hope people get blessed if they can handle it right. Because it takes money to do good. You know to do things for people. To spread the good news. So I think it's all a matter of your heart.

KING: You think other preachers are envious of you?

OSTEEN: If they are, I don't feel it. I've got so many good friends. And the ones I know are encouraging me. I don't hear anything but good things from them. I hope they're not. Because we're all in it together.

KING: You want to do this the rest of your life?

OSTEEN: I do. I do. I know it's what I'm called to do. I feel like this is why I was born. Even though I never dreamed I'd be doing it. But I know now I never dreamed I'd be able to get to help people like this. I never dreamed it was in me. I didn't know I could get up to speak in front of people and impact people's lives. I didn't know I could do that. I was shy.

KING: We'll get to those seven steps in a minute. We'll be taking your calls, as well. Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: And our attitude should be, I refuse to dwell on the negative things that have happened to me. I'm not going to go around thinking about all that I've lost. I'm not going to focus on what could have been or should have done. No, I'm going to draw the line in the sand. This is a new day and I'm going to start moving forward knowing that God has a bright future in store for me. If you do that, God will give you a new beginning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Joel Osteen. The book "Your Best Life Now" a major bestseller. "Seven steps to living at your full potential." The new one "Your Best Life Now, A Journal." It's a guide for the earlier book, right? You used it as a compendium, in a sense. OSTEEN: That's exactly right. It's just something to put your notes in. Kind of help you get along there.

KING: Don't you ever doubt?

OSTEEN: No. I don't -- I wouldn't say that I do. I guess I do and I don't think about it too much.

KING: Well, 9/11.

OSTEEN: Well, yeah.

KING: Didn't you say what? Why?

OSTEEN: You do. You definitely do.

KING: And how do you answer?

OSTEEN: To me it comes back and God's given us all our own free will. And it's a shame but people choose ...

KING: The people in the building didn't have free will.

OSTEEN: But the thing is, people can choose to do evil with that will. And that's what's unfortunate. But you know, of course you always doubt. I mean, you have to override it. But we see in the church every week, somebody's coming up and my baby was not born properly and you know, all these other things. You just ...

KING: But don't you want to know, why would an omnipotent -- assuming he is omnipotent -- God permit that?

OSTEEN: I don't know, Larry. I don't know it all.

KING: A deformed baby had nothing to do with free will.

OSTEEN: Exactly. I don't claim to know it all. I just think that trusting God means we're going to have unanswered questions and God is so much bigger than us we're never going to understand them all. And I tell people that have lost a child or that have gone through some kind of tragedy, you've got to have a file in your mind called and I don't understand it file. And you've got to put it in there and not try to figure it out and not let it ruin the rest of your life and not get bitter. And that's what we see so many people do.

KING: But you're not asking for blind faith. Don't you want people to question?

OSTEEN: Oh, I do. I think you do at a certain point. But I don't think you can let something ruin -- I've seen too many people angry at God and they live the rest of their life that way. You've got to say God, I don't understand why this happened to me but I'm going to move on. The worst thing we can do is wallow around in self- pity. I talk in the book, too, about letting go of the past. I know it's hard. I'm making it sound easy, it's not. But sometimes you've got to say I don't understand it. We were all praying for my dad. He was 77 when he died. You'd think we've got a church full of people praying but I don't know. It was probably his time to go, obviously. But I don't understand until (ph) some of the others.

KING: Do you ever involve politics in the sermons?

OSTEEN: Never do. My father never ...

KING: Never mention President Bush?

OSTEEN: Well, only to pray. Only to pray. We prayed for President Bush, Clinton, all of them. But I've never been political. My father hasn't. I just, I have no ...

KING: How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion? Same-sex marriages?

OSTEEN: Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don't go there. I just ...

KING: You have thoughts, though.

OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I'm not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.

KING: You don't call them sinners?

OSTEEN: I don't.

KING: Is that a word you don't use?

OSTEEN: I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning.

KING: You believe in the Bible literally?

OSTEEN: I do, I do.

KING: Noah had an ark and Adam and Eve?

OSTEEN: I do. I do. I believe that. I believe it all.

KING: Isn't it hard to accept that one day appeared two people and they ate an apple and ...

OSTEEN: It is. But it's also hard, too, to look at our bodies and say, my brother's a surgeon, how could our bodies be made like this? We couldn't have just come from something. It's just hard, when my child was born I thought seeing him in the little sonogram I thought look at that. He's got eyes. How is that developing? It's just, I don't know. I look at it like that.

KING: The book describes seven steps to living at full potential. I want to ask you about -- Choose to be happy. Now, how the heck do you do that?

OSTEEN: Well, I think, Larry. It's just an attitude we've got to get up and make a decision every single day. I mean, what so many people today do, they focus on what they don't have instead of what they do have. They focus on what's wrong instead of what's right. And I believe that all of us, if we want to, can be happy right where we are. We may not be laughing our heads off but we can get up and say, you know what, I'm in a tough situation, but this is where God has me and I'm going to make the most of it. And I think that that's where so many of us miss it today. We're waiting to be happy one day.

KING: How about the Eastern philosophy that says you're not entitled to today. Today is a gift. So -- it doesn't matter if it's raining. It's a beautiful gift today.

OSTEEN: I've not heard it. But I'd degree with it.

KING: You aren't entitled to today.

OSTEEN: Well, that's right. It's a gift God gave us. What if we weren't here? To me, I say it all the time, every day we live negative and discouraged and unhappy, that's a day we've wasted. And I'm not going to waste you know, just because I don't get my way or something happens.

KING: Another seven steps -- one of the seven steps is live to give, charity is, in the Talmud, the greatest thing of all.

OSTEEN: Yeah. I believe it is. I believe that's the whole spirit of Christianity is, you know, having a lifestyle of giving. Not giving at Christmas, not giving every once in awhile but having an attitude to give. I've always said this, if you'll get up and make it your business to make somebody else's day, God will make your own day.

KING: I love to give.

OSTEEN: I know.

KING: Giving is selfish. You get a great reward.

OSTEEN: I know, you really do. That's what life is all about. We were not made to be ingrown. I believe, maybe I'm off. But that's probably 95 percent of unhappiness is selfishness. I'm only focused on my problems or thinking about how I get ahead in my career. And certainly we want to do some of that. But we need to get up and focus on others.

KING: Find strength through adversity. Bad is good.

OSTEEN: Well, I think the way I believe that god won't let something come into your life unless he's going to use it for your good. Now you've got to keep the right attitude for that to happen. But that helps us in our struggles to, say you know what? God's going to get something good out of this. This is a tough time but I'm just going to believe, I'm going to trust. I may not see it for a year or five years but I believe it's going to turn around. And a great example is in my dad's death. My dad and I were best friends. Worked with him for 17 years. I told before my wife I don't know what I'm going to do when my dad dies. I loved him. We were good friends. But when my father died the darkest hour of my life is when I felt that stinging here, that I was supposed to step up and preach.

So I see how in my darkest hour something new was born. I believe that God always opens up a new door.

KING: Do you know you're getting through to people? Billy Graham used to know it because they came down and gave themselves to Christ. How do you know?

OSTEEN: I feel the same way. I can see it there in the church when I see my book do what it did. And when we go to arenas across the country and every one of them's been sold out. Its just, you know, we get thousands of letters and stuff. And you know, I feel like we are, you know. I feel like we're making a difference.

KING: We'll be right back. We'll include your phone calls for Joel Osteen, senior pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston. Reportedly the largest, fastest growing congregation in the United States and the author of "Your Best Life Now" and now "Your Best Life Now Journal." Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: And there's nothing the enemy would love any more than for you to go around thinking about your faults and weaknesses, all the mistakes you made last week and all the times you messed up last month.

No, don't even go down that road. Quit dwelling on what you've done wrong and start dwelling on what you've done right. You may not be all you're supposed to be, but at least you can thank God you're not what you used to be. And we all make mistakes. But you know what? You need to learn to just be quick to repent. Say God, I'm sorry, forgive me. Help me to do better next time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Joel Osteen, the pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston. The author of "The New York Times" best-seller "Your Best Life Now." He's been called the smiling preacher. You like that?

OSTEEN: It doesn't bother me. I like it.

KING: You do smile a lot.

Fontana, California. Hello. CALLER: Yes -- Joel?

OSTEEN: Yes.

CALLER: I have a question for you. We're a small congregational church here and we'd like to come and see you next month, but you charge to get in and we're a very poor congregation. Why do you charge to get in to your appearances?

OSTEEN: Yes. The only reason we charge -- I hated to charge. The only we charge...

KING: You charge at the church?

OSTEEN: No, no, never. Never.

KING: When you travel?

OSTEEN: Yes.

The only reason we did is because when we went New York to Madison Square Garden they wouldn't let us do an event without doing a ticketed event because of the crowds. We sold it out two nights and we turned so many people away in Anaheim and Atlanta, it was just a shame to do that.

Hey, you know, you need to write the church, because we'll make a way that anybody can get in to those events. I don't like charging.

KING: What do you charge?

OSTEEN: $10.

KING: To Milford, Delaware. Hello.

CALLER: Hi, Joel?

OSTEEN: Yes.

CALLER: I have a question for you.

OSTEEN: OK. Go ahead.

CALLER: OK. I heard years ago that your mother was healed of cancer. Do you know why it's not God's will that everyone is healed of cancer?

OSTEEN: You know, I can't answer that. I think it's a good question...

KING: Do you wonder, though?

OSTEEN: Sure, sure we all do. I don't know what it is and I just know that I'd rather believe and just stay in faith and just hope and you know, that's the best thing to do. That's better in case...

KING: So, you've never had an answer to why he lives and he dies.

OSTEEN: No. We don't. I don't think we do. I think that's in God's hands and I don't understand it. I don't claim to understand it all. I just thank God that my mother was healed and we pray for others and ask for that same mercy on their lives and we've seen it happen. And you know there are others that don't.

KING: How do you balance the personal appearances with the church?

You need to pastor.

OSTEEN: Well, I'm just very careful in that I put my first priority there at the church and I'll take a -- I'll preach the -- a lot of times the same message there at the church on Sunday that a preach on a Friday night event. So, I don't let them take away from the church, but we just wanted to get out and be with the people. So...

KING: Are you out every week?

OSTEEN: No. We went -- we're out 20 weeks this -- or 20 dates this year, but like 15 weeks.

KING: Like concert tours dates?

OSTEEN: Exactly. Just like that.

KING: You're in big arenas?

OSTEEN: Big arenas. Big arenas.

Yes. It's something, Larry, we never dreamed of. I wanted to do some last year and we -- when we went to -- we picked a couple cities and I told some guys on the team, "I don't know if we should get an auditorium of a thousand, or 5,000 or 10,000 and finally I said, "Let's get a basketball arena and we'll turn off the top, you know, the top lights if nobody shows up. We did it in Atlanta and the building was filled up, you know, an hour before and hey had to shut it down. So, you know, God's blessed us.

KING: Do you get a lot of young people?

OSTEEN: Yes, lots of young people. It's good. A lot of young people.

KING: Studio City, California. Hello.

CALLER: Hi, how are you?

KING: Hi.

CALLER: Hi, my name is Tricia (ph), Joel. How are you?

OSTEEN: Good, thank you. CALLER: Good, thank you. I was just interested in finding out: You're such a busy man, how do you juggle family and your personal life and what do you like to do for fun?

OSTEEN: What I like to do for fun is to play basketball, play with my kids, hang out with my family. They're my main friends, my family and I think it's just what you said, we just -- you just have to balance your life. I don't -- it's a big church but I have a good staff. I don't -- unfortunately I don't do the weddings and the funerals and a lot of things that a pastor of a smaller church does.

So, I just -- you know, I made a decision that I don't want my kids to grow up and not know me just because I'm so busy and on Dr. Graham talks about that -- I just I stay at home.

KING: How have you handled fame?

OSTEEN: You know, I never think about it. I never think about it. I don't feel like I changed at all. I haven't changed my routine. I haven't, you know, I don't -- I guess the main thing: I feel a bigger responsibility. I spend plenty of quiet time in the morning searching my heart, staying on the right course and just staying humble before God.

KING: Not let it get to you?

OSTEEN: Not let it get to your head.

Because I've seen too many.

They've been where I am and way past and they've come falling down.

KING: Many people have been calling here telling me -- asking about your schedule. Is it printed anywhere? You know, when you're appearing?

OSTEEN: Yes. It can be on -- it's on the Web site.

KING: And what's that?

OSTEEN: That is JoelOsteen.com. I guess just my name dot-com, I think.

KING: OK. You just go to JoelOsteen.com.

OSTEEN: Yes. They can get it.

KING: And you get the schedule.

OSTEEN: Exactly. We're going to be in Anaheim and back to Madison Square Garden. We have quite a few more dates this year. Love to have people come out.

KING: Do you ever use a show business term: Bomb? In other words, do you ever not connect? Are you ever speaking and like a third of the way in saying, "I don't have 'em?"

OSTEEN: I think so. I think so.

KING: Can't be perfect all the time.

OSTEEN: Even at my own church, sometimes I feel like: You know what, I don't know if they're receiving this and sometimes it's me because I'm tired. Sometimes when I feel I've done the worst, people come up to me and say, "Man, that was great today."

And sometimes, you know, you're looking for a little bit of feedback and if you don't get -- but I just try to stay focused, say, "you know what, I believe this is what I'm supposed to be doing." I'm not perfect.

KING: What do you wonder about the most? Now, I mean, you accept things as they are: He gets cancer, she doesn't. What do you -- what though, boggles your mind about this world?

OSTEEN: What do I wonder about? You know what, Larry?

I don't know. I don't know. Nothing comes to the forefront of my mind. I just...

KING: There's no great searching?

OSTEEN: There's no great thing

KING: Or on going problem?

No, no. I just...

KING: Let's take depression, it affects over 20 million people.

OSTEEN: Sure. Yes, I just think that, you know, I speak a lot about that, and you know, I don't -- I just think, you know, that's just one way that we all have to deal with -- sometimes it's clinically. A lot of times, it's an attitude and it's that we've gotten so focused on, like I said, ourselves and things like that. So, I don't know, Larry. I don't have any great wonderment.

KING: "Let Go of the past," is another one of your seven steps.

That's not easy to do, since the only thing we have right to this minute is our past.

OSTEEN: It is and I should have said let go of the negative things of the past and really my thing is this: You can't receive the new things God wants to do if you won't let go of the old. And bye that I mean, we talk with so many people -- they've been through a bitter divorce and they want to live their life angry. Maybe it wasn't their fault, somebody hurt them and I just think that, you know, dragging yesterday into today, the negative things, is only going to ruin today. So --

KING: You think we choose to be angry? OSTEEN: I think we do. I think we do and over time it becomes a habit and all of a sudden, you know, we think that's just who I am.

No. That's who we've developed into being, because I don't think we have to be like that.

KING: Back with more of Joel Osteen.

More of your phone calls right after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: Archie and Jack argued for years whether Jesus was white or black. Archie was certain that Jesus was white and Jack was just as sure that Jesus was black. As fate would have it, they both died on the same day and they rushed to the pearly gates and they said, "St. Peter please tell us: Is Jesus white or black? we've been arguing our whole lifetime."

About that time Jesus walked up and said, "Buenos dias."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: Some of you ladies have been wearing the same flannel bathrobe to bed every night that your grandmother gave you 30 years ago. It's got holes in it. It's as ugly as it can be, and you know it doesn't do anything for you, and it certainly doesn't do anything for your husband. One of the best things that you can do for your marriage is to throw that thing away, and go down to Victoria's Secret and get something good that you can wear. You wonder why Victoria and I have a great relationship? It's called Victoria's Secret.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Good line. Houston, Texas, hello.

CALLER: Yes, hi.

KING: Hi, go ahead.

CALLER: I was just wondering what Joel -- hi, Joel. I just finished your book on Saturday. Actually it was audio that my sister sent me two weeks ago and I think it's the best thing I've ever listened to in my life, and I just wanted to thank you. But my question was, I was wondering how old you were?

OSTEEN: I'm 42 years old.

KING: You look 14.

OSTEEN: Thank you.

KING: Bellbrook, Ohio, hello.

CALLER: Yes, my name is Matt Maynard, and Pastor Joel, I'm calling to tell you, my grandma Bebby (ph) and I, we watch you every day and we love you so much and your mom and Victoria, Lisa and Paul, and we know you came from behind the scenes to being the pastor of the church, and I would like to know, what gives you strength to get up in front of all those people every single day? Is it knowing that you touched so many people? And do you get nervous?

OSTEEN: You know, I still get nervous, and I think what gives you strength is, god gives you the grace to do it. You know, just -- now I've done it for six years, so I've got a little more confidence, but yes, it's...

KING: It's only been six years, though?

OSTEEN: That's right.

KING: Grand Forks, North Dakota, hello.

CALLER: Hey, I was calling -- I'm Jerry Lundabee (ph). I attend Bible Baptist Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and one of my -- I have a few questions here. I wonder if you might entertain all of them. My first question was -- is, do you believe that the bible is god's inspired word? I haven't heard you answer that question yet.

KING: And your second question is what?

CALLER: My second question would be -- I don't know -- I heard him talking a little bit ago about how he sees faith getting stronger in America and across the world, and I believe that it's the opposite, that -- we're seeing higher rates of divorce, higher rates of drug and alcohol use among young people, and old, and with abductions, and things like that getting worse and worse.

KING: What do you think, Joel? First, inspired word.

OSTEEN: Yes, I believe the bible is god's inspired word. As far as the other we kind of talked about, I can see his point, but I think there's another point. How can we be moving our church into our basketball arena that seats 16,000 people? I mean, people are hungry for hope and encouragement.

KING: But there's never been more division than now in the United States, politically, certainly.

OSTEEN: That is true. That is true. So, I don't know. You can look at it. We could debate it...

KING: You're a glass-half-full, right?

OSTEEN: I am. I see, like I said, you look back 10 years ago, there was, you know, not that many churches that had over 1,000 or 5,000 people. It's a different day today.

KING: We'll be back with more, and later, in a little while, we'll met Mrs. Osteen. Don't go away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSTEEN: There's been eagles spotted as high as 20,000 feet, up there where the jets fly. The point is if you want to get rid of your past, you've got to come up higher. Don't ever sink down to their level. Don't ever sink down to their level. Don't try to argue. Don't try to pay somebody back. Don't give them the cold shoulder. Be the bigger person. Overlook their faults. Walk in love. Learn to even bless your enemies. Somebody's talking about you. Somebody's doing you wrong. Just bless them and move on anyway. Let me tell you, in the long run, crows can't hang with eagles. You do that and you'll rise above all that junk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Hillsboro, Wisconsin with Joel Osteen. Hello.

CALLER: Good evening. Joel, I had the privilege a year ago February of attending Lakewood and got a chance to meet you, and it was really a wonderful experience. My question is, I was just in a conversation with a friend recently, and he said he believed that Lucifer was going to be the last one to enter heaven after the rapture because he believed that god is a forgiving god, and even Lucifer will be forgiven. And that just blew me away. And I wondered what your thought would be on that.

OSTEEN: That sounds odd to me. I've never heard that. And it sounds very off-the-wall to me. So...

KING: I asked Reverend Graham if god loves the devil. Didn't -- couldn't -- he'd never been asked it before.

OSTEEN: I never thought of it either. I don't know.

KING: He loves everything. Does he love...

OSTEEN: I don't know. I'll leave that for Dr. Graham.

KING: Phoenix, Arizona. Hello.

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 light 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 somebody's heart. You know? Only god can look at somebody'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 saying 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 someone 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 someone -- 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 everybody 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.

KING: You believe there's a place called heaven?

OSTEEN: I believe there is. Yes. You know, you've had a lot of the near-death experiences and things like that. Some of that is very, to me, not that you need that as proof, but it shows you these little kids seeing the angels and things like that.

KING: We'll take a break, and when we come back, the better half, Victoria, will join us. Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICTORIA OSTEEN, EVANGELIST/WIFE OF PASTOR JOEL OSTEEN: You see, if you have someone in your life today, and you don't like the way they're treating you, I want to encourage you to take a look at how you're treating them. If you will begin to treat them differently, then you will get a different response. In other words, say your spouse isn't giving you enough love. They're ignoring you. They're not being kind and considerate to you.

Well, see, human nature is to give them a taste of their own medicine, to treat them the same way. But when we do that, we're just going to continue to reap what we're sowing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: Joining us now in our remaining moments -- the screen obviously improves -- Victoria Osteen, Joel's wife. How'd you two meet?

V. OSTEEN: In my family's jewelry store. He came in to buy a watch battery. And I sold him a watch. And he says, I've been taking his money ever since.

KING: When did you get into the preaching business? We saw that clip of you?

V. OSTEEN: Well, when Joel went through the transition after his father died, I just -- he wanted me to take part in every service. So I do. I take part in every service. I do just a little encouraging piece. And then, this is my fourth Mother's Day message to bring. So that was on Mother's Day.

KING: Why do you want her in?

OSTEEN: Well, one, she's fantastic. And you know, she just has so much to give. And two, I think it increases our whole reach, to be a team, to do it together. I mean, here's some young people that are excited about God, and you know, there's not a lot of women in the, you know, ministry.

KING: Were you always a believer?

V. OSTEEN: Yes, I was raised as a believer, yes.

KING: What happens when you -- do you two disagree?

V. OSTEEN: Sure. We agree to disagree sometimes, you know.

KING: You ever disagree on biblical philosophy?

V. OSTEEN: No, no. We're very -- we're very much in agreement with the way we believe. And you know, Joel, what's so interesting about Joel's message is that we've been married 18 years. So...

KING: Eighteen years?

V. OSTEEN: We've been married 18 years.

KING: He looks 15 and you look 22.

V. OSTEEN: Oh, OK. Golly, you're younger than me. I'm going to have to do something about that. What I was going to say was, what he speaks every week is exactly the way he lives. It's the way he's always lived.

KING: There's no phony here?

V. OSTEEN: No. And you know, that nonjudgmental, when he sits there and says, you know, I just don't judge that. Do you know that's always the way he's been? He does not judge people. He does not...

KING: I'll bet you do sometimes.

V. OSTEEN: Well, you know what? I've gotten better. I've gotten better living with him. You can't do a whole lot of judging around our house. You'll get in trouble.

KING: (INAUDIBLE) drive you crazy? He's nice. I like him. He wasn't so bad. Don't hang up. He's nice.

V. OSTEEN: He's nice. He's real nice. And he always is nice, but I'm getting nicer. And I like myself better.

KING: What did you think about the Victoria's Secret sermon?

V. OSTEEN: I thought it was probably we all needed to hear that. We can all do better.

KING: Did you think twice before saying go to Victoria's Secret, to prop up the marriage?

OSTEEN: I thought about it, because I write my sermons, and I knew I'd get some letters. But I thought it kind of made the point. And I liked it. And I don't know if it was worth all the heat, but it was fun.

KING: Was there a hush in the crowd?

OSTEEN: No, they laughed. They were dying with me, so.

KING: The natural scheme of life is temptation. It's in front of you every day.

OSTEEN: Sure.

KING: Have you ever been tempted?

OSTEEN: Absolutely. I think we all are, you know. But you have to resist, and you have to keep your mind and your thoughts pure. But I think we all are. And the Bible talks about, you've got to pray to not enter into temptation. It doesn't say to pray that you won't be tempted. We all are.

KING: Had a near slip?

OSTEEN: I never have.

KING: Victoria?

V. OSTEEN: No.

KING: You get tempted to?

V. OSTEEN: Yeah. I eat that pie when I know I shouldn't.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: I'm not talking about that kind of temptation. V. OSTEEN: No, no. Sexual temptation?

KING: Yeah.

V. OSTEEN: No, no. I don't. I don't put things in me which, you know, like a lot of times you can watch a lot of things and you can put things in your mind as a seed, and they can give birth to that kind of thing. But we really try to guard what we watch. We guard what we -- what we allow to come in. And you know, I think that's a lot of it. You have to guard your mind.

KING: Do you think your children have pressure on them to growing up with a famous pastor?

OSTEEN: I don't think so. I mean, maybe they do.

KING: Do you want them to be in the church?

OSTEEN: Oh, I would love them to do something. But I don't know what. Maybe they'll sing. Maybe they'll make movies. Maybe they'll do something -- maybe they'll be a minister. I don't know. But my father never pressured me, and we don't pressure ours. But I do like to expose them to it. Because to me, it's such an opportunity, and we just have such a heritage.

KING: Would you like to do some sermons, just you?

V. OSTEEN: Yes.

KING: Take a rest one week and why don't you do it?

V. OSTEEN: Yeah, well -- I -- well...

OSTEEN: As often as she could. She is more than welcome. And she's great at it. And she does those (INAUDIBLE).

V. OSTEEN: He's so good, though, you know. I like to sit and watch him.

KING: All right, what makes a good evangelist?

OSTEEN: Well, I don't know that I really know, but I think that you have a sincere heart, that you're pure before God and that you've got a relevant, practical message. And I think that's one reason the church has grown is because we've changed with the times. I mean, the music is upbeat. My message is what's going to help you during the week and things like that.

KING: What makes a good evangelist's wife?

V. OSTEEN: Helping him keep his focus. Complimenting him.

KING: Criticizing?

V. OSTEEN: I don't criticize, but I make suggestions.

KING: Does he read you his sermon each week before...

V. OSTEEN: No.

KING: No, you don't know what he's going to say?

V. OSTEEN: No. I don't. I could go up to his office and read it if I wanted to. But since I'm going to hear it so many times...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You ever get tired of repeating it?

OSTEEN: It gets -- it's -- yeah. It's tiring physically.

KING: You do it five times?

OSTEEN: Yeah, it's physically tiring. But you know what, you just see the people out there, and it's like you said earlier, I realize this is the first time they've come this week. I've got to give it all I've got.

KING: What do you worry about the most?

V. OSTEEN: Probably my children. My children. I don't -- I'm concerned, you know. Because I'm a mother. And I want the best for them.

KING: It's not easy growing up.

V. OSTEEN: It's not. But you know, you have to trust. But I fight that. I fight, you know, not being so fearful, and I just -- but yeah, that's -- my kids.

KING: Do you have a doubt?

V. OSTEEN: I fight doubt, I do, sure. But I resist it. I try to change my thinking. Because it's kind of like this, Larry, you know, Joel says we can choose this. Well, it just makes you aware that there is another way. It makes you aware that there is a possibility. You know, if you've had a tragedy in your life, and you have someone like Joel telling you, you know, you can get over this, and this is how you can do it, you know, it just opens you up to see another way. And unless someone gives you another way to think, you'll never know. So I think that's where it comes, the choosing comes. It's to say, there is another option out there.

KING: You're going to win the award as the happiest people ever to be on this program.

OSTEEN: Thank you.

KING: Thank you, Joel.

OSTEEN: God bless you, Larry. My pleasure.

V. OSTEEN: Thank you. KING: Joel Osteen and Victoria Osteen. Joel is senior pastor of the largest and fastest growing congregation in the United States, the Lakewood Church in Houston. He's called the Smiling Preacher. And you can see why. And his number one "New York Times" best-seller "Your Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential." The companion now published, "Your Best Life Now Journal," and Victoria Osteen, as well.

Tomorrow night, we'll look at the latest doing of the royals, and Wednesday night, Priscilla Presley will be here.

Right now, the man of the hour this week. I like that. It's Aaron Brown.

AARON BROWN, HOST, "NEWSNIGHT": What do you mean this week?

KING: Or the man of the week this hour. One or the other, whatever it means. The host of "NEWSNIGHT," the jocular, father of -- hey, it was our day yesterday, baby.

BROWN: Yes, it was. Yes, it was.

KING: Did you have a good one?

BROWN: She spoke to me briefly, so it was, you know, that's what you get with a teenager.

KING: I saw the new "Herbie the Car." Four stars.

BROWN: That's perfect.

KING: Go see it. You'll love it.

BROWN: Thank you, sir. Talk to you tomorrow.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

Top 10 Religion News Stories - Release by Religion Newswriters Association

Top 10 religion stories
These are the year's top 25 religion events, in order based on voting:
1. Controversial sermons delivered in recent years by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright
surface, resulting in pressure on Barack Obama, who eventually withdraws his
membership in his church, Trinity UCC, Chicago. Meanwhile, John McCain rejects the
endorsements of evangelists John Hagee, a critic of Catholicism, and Rod Parsley.
2. Democrats, especially Barack Obama, make a conscious effort to woo faith-based
voters. Obama participates in a faith-based debate with John McCain moderated by
California mega-church pastor Rick Warren. Unusual attention is paid to evangelicals
at the Democratic National Convention.
3. Sarah Palin's nomination as Republican vice president leads many evangelicals,
who had planned to sit out the election, to support the GOP ticket. The choice causes
a dilemma for some religious conservatives who oppose women in leadership roles.
4. The California Supreme Court rules gay marriage is legal, but voters in November
approve a constitutional amendment overturning the decision. gay marriage also fails
at the polls in Arizona and Florida.
5. In his first U.S. visit, Pope Benedict XVI brings a message of hope during stops in
Washington and New York. During the trip, he meets with victims of clergy
misconduct.
6. U.S. conservatives alienated from the Episcopal Church say they will ask Anglican
Communion leaders for permission to create the Anglican Church in North America,
allowing dioceses unhappy in the Episcopal Church to operate under the authority of
a North American bishop instead of Anglican bishops in Africa and Latin America, as
is now done. The move is considered the most significant threat to the Episcopal
Church's unity since a gay clergyman was ordained bishop five years ago.
7. Terrorism believed motivated at least in part by religious fervor results in the
deaths of almost 200 people in a three-day siege in Mumbai, India; one of the major
targets is a Jewish center, where an American rabbi and his wife are killed.
Meanwhile, attacks on Christians in the eastern India state of Orissa and its
neighbors, which began in late 2007, continue during 2008.
8. China cracks down on Buddhists seeking Tibetan independence in a prelude to
producing a peaceful Olympics games; demonstrations mar some of the torch
passages.
9. The crumbling economy and subsequent drop in contributions force many faithbased
organizations to cut back on expenses, at the same time as the need for social
services increases.
10. Violence continues in Iraq as Sunnis and Shiites attack each other and Christians
are also targeted; Chaledean Archbishop Paulos Rahho is kidnapped and murdered in
Mosul. However, some progress toward peace is apparently made.
Editor's note: Due to an editing error, a story was omitted for consideration in the
voting. RNA wishes to recognize it here:
• More than 400 children are removed by Texas authorities because of alleged abuse
from the ranch of the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a
polygamous sect, but are then ordered back by a federal court, raising questions
about church-state balance.
The other events that did not rank in the top 10:
The decennial Lambeth Conference of world Anglican bishops features reflections
rather than resolutions. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams calls for a
"covenantal commitment" among the constituent bodies and U.S. Bishop Katharine
Jefferts Schori recognizes the "deep need to maintain relationships," but tension
continues on ordaining of gays and interference in breakaway dioceses. More than
200 bishops boycott it.
A Pew Forum poll stirs comment with its finding that a majority of evangelicals
believe many religions can lead to eternal life. Some question the wording of the
question. An earlier poll found most Americans have changed denominations at some
time and that the fastest growing "faith group" is the non-affiliated.
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops unanimously warns the new administration
against aggressive pro-choice policies after a debate on how strident to be, following
the failure of voter referendums restricting abortions in Colorado and South Dakota.
Religious groups step up calls for environmental care, with an independent group of
Southern Baptists challenging the national body to do more for the environment.
United Methodists again reject the ordination of homosexuals and gay marriage;
Third World delegates help provide the margin. Meanwhile, the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. again votes to stop requiring clergy to live either in
fidelity within traditional marriage or in chastity in singleness; however, a majority of
Presbyteries have twice before thwarted the change.
Religious groups of many types continue to press for an end to the Darfur tragedy,
and support relief efforts in many other Third World areas ravaged by war and
natural disasters, despite difficulties in doing so, especially in Myanmar.
Two worshippers are killed and six injured in shootings at a service of Tennessee
Valley Unitarian-Universalist Church in Knoxville by an unemployed truck driver who
said he was upset with liberals and gays. Area churches and U-U congregations
nationwide offer support to the congregation. Many churches had looked at security
measures after two church shootings in Colorado last December.
The issue of immigration reform continues to involve people of faith on both sides of
the issue, but Congressional action is basically tabled during the election year.
Major U.S. Baptist bodies—except the Southern Baptists—forge the New Baptist
Covenant to promote cooperation on social ministries, at a meeting in Atlanta largely
inspired by Jimmy Carter. Speakers include Bill Clinton, Al Gore and John Grisham.
Investigation into finances of six televangelists by Sen. Charles Grassley's committee
proceeds slowly, with two of the six resisting requests for information.
The controversial Florida Outpouring Pentecostal revival concludes after drawing
many thousands a week for four months to Lakeland, Fla., and producing many
claims of healing. The leader, Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley, later announces he
would refrain from public ministry for a time due to what he termed an unhealthy
relationship with a female staffer.
The movie "Fireproof," produced by pastors at a Georgia Baptist church, enjoys sales
of more than $30 million, and the book related to the movie, "The Love Dare,"
moves to the top of the best-seller list in its category. Kirk Cameron starred with
amateurs in the story of a fireman whose marriage was in peril; many viewers testify
their marriage was saved.
Support by evangelical and Jewish voters helps Conservative Stephen Harper win reelection
as Canadian prime minister; his party picks up 16 seats in Parliament,
though it does not reach a majority.
The Roman Catholic Church begins a Pauline year in honor of the reputed 2000th
anniversary of the apostle's birth. Orthodox and Anglican leaders attend the opening
ceremony in Rome.
Newsmaker of the Year
Barack Obama, who consciously sought the support of the faith community on his
way to winning election as president.
Obama received more than 60 percent of the votes, surpassing votes for Jeremiah
Wright, Pope Benedict XVI, Rick Warren, Rowan Williams, Robert Duncan, and
Stephen and Alex Kendrick.
Religion Newswriters was founded in 1949 and is the world's only association
dedicated to helping journalists improve coverage of religion. Members began
selecting the Top 10 religion stories nearly 30 years ago.

Ezekiel 8-10, Hebrews 13(New International Version) Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8

Idolatry in the Temple

1 In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign LORD came upon me there. 2 I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. [a] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal. 3 He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood. 4 And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.

5 Then he said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.

6 And he said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable."

7 Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. 8 He said to me, "Son of man, now dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

9 And he said to me, "Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here." 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and detestable animals and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 In front of them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising.

12 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.' " 13 Again, he said, "You will see them doing things that are even more detestable."

14 Then he brought me to the entrance to the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, mourning for Tammuz. 15 He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this."

16 He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east.

17 He said to me, "Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the house of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually provoke me to anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them."

Ezekiel 9

Idolaters Killed

1 Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, "Bring the guards of the city here, each with a weapon in his hand." 2 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it."

5 As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. 6 Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.

7 Then he said to them, "Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!" So they went out and began killing throughout the city. 8 While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown, crying out, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?"

9 He answered me, "The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.' 10 So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done."

11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, "I have done as you commanded."

Ezekiel 10

The Glory Departs From the Temple

1 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of sapphire [b] above the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim. 2 The LORD said to the man clothed in linen, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city." And as I watched, he went in.

3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty [c] when he speaks.

6 When the LORD commanded the man in linen, "Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim," the man went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. 8 (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like the hands of a man.)

9 I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like chrysolite. 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about [d] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels. 13 I heard the wheels being called "the whirling wheels." 14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the LORD's house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like the hands of a man. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River. Each one went straight ahead.

Hebrews 13

Concluding Exhortations

1Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."[a] 6So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"[b]

7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. 10We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

18Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

20May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

22Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.

23I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

24Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.

25Grace be with you all

What about the 248 Christian Churces that Fight Agaisnt Each Other>

Paul writes from prison, the first church in Europe
Philipians 1:15

15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[c] 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Ezekiel 1-2, Hebrews 11:1-19(New International Version)

Ezekiel 1

The Living Creatures and the Glory of the Lord

1 In the [a] thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin- 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, [b] by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. [c] There the hand of the LORD was upon him.

4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about [d] as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. 23 Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, [e] like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, [f] and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel 2

Ezekiel's Call

1 He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

3 He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

Hebrews 11

By Faith

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned."[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Interesting Whitepaper on Paul's Mission to the Poor and Why Christians Don't Need to Live in Poverty

http://www.crbaptist.com/sermon/sermon/Pentecostal%20Believers%20-%201%20Cor%2016%20%201.pdf?CFID=19494174&CFTOKEN=46024025

Lamenations and Hebrews - Acrostic Poetry

Lamentations 3-5, Hebrews 10:19-39(New International Version)
Lamentations 3

1 [a] I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath.

2 He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;

3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.

6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.

8 Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.

9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,

11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.

12 He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

13 He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.

14 I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.

15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.

17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.

18 So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD."

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.

29 Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.

30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.

31 For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.

33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.

34 To crush underfoot
all prisoners in the land,

35 to deny a man his rights
before the Most High,

36 to deprive a man of justice—
would not the Lord see such things?

37 Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it?

38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?

39 Why should any living man complain
when punished for his sins?

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.

41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven, and say:

42 "We have sinned and rebelled
and you have not forgiven.

43 "You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;
you have slain without pity.

44 You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can get through.

45 You have made us scum and refuse
among the nations.

46 "All our enemies have opened their mouths
wide against us.

47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls,
ruin and destruction."

48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes
because my people are destroyed.

49 My eyes will flow unceasingly,
without relief,

50 until the LORD looks down
from heaven and sees.

51 What I see brings grief to my soul
because of all the women of my city.

52 Those who were my enemies without cause
hunted me like a bird.

53 They tried to end my life in a pit
and threw stones at me;

54 the waters closed over my head,
and I thought I was about to be cut off.

55 I called on your name, O LORD,
from the depths of the pit.

56 You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief."

57 You came near when I called you,
and you said, "Do not fear."

58 O Lord, you took up my case;
you redeemed my life.

59 You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me.
Uphold my cause!

60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
all their plots against me.

61 O LORD, you have heard their insults,
all their plots against me-

62 what my enemies whisper and mutter
against me all day long.

63 Look at them! Sitting or standing,
they mock me in their songs.

64 Pay them back what they deserve, O LORD,
for what their hands have done.

65 Put a veil over their hearts,
and may your curse be on them!

66 Pursue them in anger and destroy them
from under the heavens of the LORD.
Lamentations 4

1[b] How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at the head of every street.

2 How the precious sons of Zion,
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter's hands!

3 Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.

4 Because of thirst the infant's tongue
sticks to the roof of its mouth;
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.

5 Those who once ate delicacies
are destitute in the streets.
Those nurtured in purple
now lie on ash heaps.

6 The punishment of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.

7 Their princes were brighter than snow
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like sapphires. [c]

8 But now they are blacker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as a stick.

9 Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of famine;
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.

10 With their own hands compassionate women
have cooked their own children,
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.

11 The LORD has given full vent to his wrath;
he has poured out his fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed her foundations.

12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the world's people,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.

13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her
the blood of the righteous.

14 Now they grope through the streets
like men who are blind.
They are so defiled with blood
that no one dares to touch their garments.

15 "Go away! You are unclean!" men cry to them.
"Away! Away! Don't touch us!"
When they flee and wander about,
people among the nations say,
"They can stay here no longer."

16 The LORD himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders no favor.

17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain for help;
from our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.

18 Men stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they chased us over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.

20 The LORD's anointed, our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.
We thought that under his shadow
we would live among the nations.

21 Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.
But to you also the cup will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.

22 O Daughter of Zion, your punishment will end;
he will not prolong your exile.
But, O Daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin
and expose your wickedness.
Lamentations 5

1 Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us;
look, and see our disgrace.

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens,
our homes to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans and fatherless,
our mothers like widows.

4 We must buy the water we drink;
our wood can be had only at a price.

5 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
we are weary and find no rest.

6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria
to get enough bread.

7 Our fathers sinned and are no more,
and we bear their punishment.

8 Slaves rule over us,
and there is none to free us from their hands.

9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the desert.

10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
feverish from hunger.

11 Women have been ravished in Zion,
and virgins in the towns of Judah.

12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.

13 Young men toil at the millstones;
boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
the young men have stopped their music.

15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 Because of this our hearts are faint,
because of these things our eyes grow dim

18 for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
with jackals prowling over it.

19 You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.

20 Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long?

21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return;
renew our days as of old

22 unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure.
Hebrews 10
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[a] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[b] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38But my righteous one[c] will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him."[d] 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.