Con-man and gay face Joel Osteen (a Oprah discovery)of the Houston TX megachurch Lakewood, appeared on The Lead with Jake Tapper to pitch his mew book I Declare and talked about his right-wing christian-fest biblical show “The Bible” and let it be known that he doesn’t believe in or support same-sex marriage because has he doesn’t see “same-sex in the scripture.”

“It’s a fine line,” Osteen answered.  “We’re for everybody, but, of course, as a Christian pastor my base is off what I believe the Scripture says.  Marriage is between a male and a female.  But again, we’re for everybody.  But that’s where I draw the line.”

Tapper followed up by asking Osteen whether he believes that gay couples should have access to some basic rights.

“I think so.  You know, I think we have to be compassionate about it all.  We’re not against everybody.  And there are certainly people who love each other and I believe they should have those rights.  I just … you know, when I come back to the Scripture, as much as I’m for everybody, I don’t see same-sex in the Scripture.”

Well Osteen is right about one thing.  Same-sex marriage isn’t in the scriptures but also no where in the Bible does it specifically say that same-sex marriage is not allowed or the fact that it is only between one man and one woman although it does mention marriage between one man and many women.  After all, the nation of Israel comes from the offspring of the four “wives” (2 wives, 2 concubines) of Jacob.  Polygamy and sexual slavery anyone? Its in the scripture so it must be okay!

The whole interview was a thinly veiled attempt by Osteen to hide his bigotry.  And not a very good one at that and as much as I like Jake Tapper he should have called Osteen out on his woeful rhetoric.

And as for Miss Oprah.  I’ve been waiting for years for an apology from her for her “discovery”of this anti-gay bigot and using him on her daytime talk show and legitimizing him as a “Man of God”