"Rupert Murdoch is a born-again Christian and Rick Warren claims to be his pastor," says Chris Rosebrough, head of the Christian Accountability Network. "As a Christian, Murdoch is committing an egregious sin by owning, expanding and profiting from pornographic channels, and Rick Warren, his pastor, has a biblical duty to call Murdoch to repentance and/or put him out of the church."

He is supported in that call by Jim Lupacchino of the Christian Research Network, Pastor Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries, and a growing list of others who have the Internet buzzing with stories about the pastor and the porn purveyor.

Rosebrough said Murdoch's decision to run porn channels represents "a clear case of a Christian openly committing a monstrous and unthinkable sin."

"Sadly, Murdoch's actions have already damaged his credibility as a Christian," added Rosebrough. "If Pastor Warren does not act swiftly and call on Murdoch to dismantle his porn distribution network, then the credibility of the Christian message will be compromised around the globe."

The ties between Warren and Murdoch go beyond the spiritual. Murdoch also owns Zondervan, the company that published Warren's explosive bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life."

"We hope that Warren's business ties to Murdoch's company haven't clouded his judgment and impacted his resolve to carry out his biblical duty as Murdoch's pastor," added Rosebrough.

News of Murdoch's hard-core porn venture broke in the London publication The Business late last year. The story alluded to the seeming contradiction of a "born-again Christian" building a hard-core porn network.

Multiple WND messages left with News Corp. seeking a response were unanswered.

Warren, who did not respond to WND's email requests to address the controversy, has at least twice publicly claimed Murdoch as a member of his church.

In a New Yorker interview published in September 2005, Warren is quoted as saying: "I had dinner with Jack Welch (former chief executive officer of GE) last Sunday night. He came to church, and we had dinner. I've been kind of mentoring him on his spiritual journey. And he said to me, 'Rick, you the biggest thinker I have ever met in my life. The only other person I know who thinks globally like you is Rupert Murdoch.' And I said, 'That's interesting. I'm Rupert's pastor! Rupert published my book!"

In a Nov. 12, 2006, Orange County Register story, Warren was asked about pastoring a man who publishes tabloids featuring topless women. He responded: "I don't have to agree with 100 percent of what another person does in order to work with them on the 20 percent that we do agree on."

The article also points out Murdoch was among the first patrons to support Warren's PEACE plan, contributing $2 million.

Even Warren's critics point out he maintains an otherwise exemplary record in speaking out against pornography and its effects. His church's website, Pastors.com, regularly publishes condemnations of porn and urges Christians to battle it in their communities.

Yet, even before the BSkyB venture into hard-core porn, Murdoch's News Corp. was steeped in the business.

"News Corp. is a major owner of DirecTV, which sells more pornographic films than (Hustler magazine founder and porn film producer Larry) Flynt," says porn fighter Gail Dines, professor of American Studies at Boston's Wheelock College. "In 2000, the New York Times reported that nearly $200 million a year is spent by the 8.7 million subscribers to DirecTV. Among News Corp.'s other media holdings are the Fox Broadcasting and cable TV networks, 20th Century Fox, the New York Post and TV Guide. Welcome to synergy: Murdoch also owns Harper Collins, which published pornography star Jenna Jameson's best-selling book, 'How To Make Love Like a Porn Star.'"

Murdoch built his media empire as an Australian newspaper heir who added topless, alluring Page 3 girls to the mix - a practice some of his papers, including the British holding the Sun, still follow today. Last week he made a bid to buy the Wall Street Journal.

Silva says Warren does not seem to be living up to his own convictions about how pastors are to deal with people in sin. He points to an article by Warren dated May 1 of this year in which he writes: "Sin is to be confessed only as widely as it affects others. Private sin requires only private confession to God. Personal sin that involves others requires interpersonal confession to the people involved. Public sins (those that affect a large group of people in our congregation) regrettably must be dealt with publicly as a warning to others."

"One would certainly have to think that 'owning and expanding a network of pornographic channels in Europe' has to qualify as 'public sins,'" concludes Silva. "Since Rupert Murdoch's flagrant and obvious 'public sins' have now been brought before the church, and because Warren is a pastor-teacher who is very well known to the public himself, then Warren simply must deal with Murdoch publicly 'as a warning to others.'"

Saddleback Church, with 30,000 members, was begun by Rick and Kay Warren in 1979 and now has more than 200 ministries in the Orange County, Calif., area. "The Purpose Driven Church" has now sold about 23 million copies.

END

False Assumptions about Rick Warren & Rupert Murdoch

Mr. Farah,

Your latest World Net Daily posting about Pastor Rick Warren contains some errors in definition, assumption and application that I'd like to address for your readers. First, the story is based on the assertion that Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp., is a member of Saddleback Church, which is not correct. In fact, he doesn't even live in Orange County, CA and has never even attended a service here.

While Dr. Warren is Mr. Murdoch's friend and values the private pastoral opportunities he has with this influential leader, Mr. Murdoch has never been a member of Saddleback Church, and any attempt to exercise biblical authority he doesn't have would be presumptuous and inappropiate. It is similar to a person like myself, who regularly reads World Net Daily for information and understanding of issues and current events.

I could say, "Joe Farah is my editor," but your influence has nothing to do with the quality of my work. Yet, if one of your staff is inappropriate or out of line -- personally or professionally -- you have authority and disciplinary responsibility to the people in your shop.

Your attribution to Dr. Warren saying he is Mr. Murdoch's pastor is in the de facto functional sense, reflecting the numerous spiritual conversations and times of prayer they have had through the years.

Similarly, many people, both believers and unbelievers, have referred to Dr. Warren as their "pastor," because he is the only clergyman they know.

A number of media articles have positioned him as "America's Pastor" -- but that doesn't mean that he is responsible for everything that happens in our nation. Secondly, you confuse the pastoral function that comes with the calling, from the title and responsibility to a specific congregation -- a distinction with a significant difference.

One is a responsiblity from God to speak to personal and societal spiritual needs at every opportunity; the other a biblical mandate to properly discipline members of a local fellowship when necessary or appropriate.

Dr. Warren and Saddleback Church take church discipline very seriously, and have acted swiftly and appropriately with members and staff regarding individual or corporate sin while under their spiritual authority -- according to procedures outlined in Scripture.

During nearly 30 years of mininstry, Dr. Warren has dispensed pastoral advice to many public leaders and celebrities -- including Mr. Murdoch.

But with regard to his 'obligations' to admonish Mr. Murdoch, he has no jurisdiction over him. Even if Mr. Murdoch were a member of Saddleback, any spiritual counsel would be private and personal -- not public --unless he were in a leadership role of the church, and his actions had immediate and direct bearing on the congregation.

Your story implies that Dr. Warren's business ties with Mr. Murdoch have limited his spiritual influence, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Dr. Warren has found that behind the scenes persuasion is always more effective than "in-your-face" public rebuke.

God has honored Dr. Warren's faithfulness to speak truth into the lives of influential individuals He brings into his path, but your story does not even recognize that possibility. However, you correctly report his exemplary record in speaking out on pornography and its devastating effects, and I know first-hand that his private conversations and concerns mirror his public message.

David Chrzan
Chief of Staff Saddleback Church
1 Saddleback Parkway
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 609-8000 office
(949) 609-8002 fax