PURPOSE DRIVEN PORNOGRAPHY: WHY RICK WARREN MUST PUBLICLY DISCIPLINE RUPERT MURDOCH

Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch

By Ken Silva

Apprising Ministries

"Rick Warren: Purpose-Driven Pornography?," a news release from my friend Chris Rosebrough that concerns Southern Baptist Pastor Rick Warren and Rupert Murdoch, is certainly a most disturbing piece of information. Rosebrough, who heads up the Christian Accountability Network, was also on Crosstalk the other day with Ingrid Schlueter to discuss this very important issue that I am bringing further into the light here. In an article called "Revealed: Murdoch's growing adult television empire" in the online magazine The Business we are told:

RUPERT Murdoch, the born-again Christian who chairs media giant News Corporation, has been secretly building a stable of wholly-owned pornographic channels for his BSkyB subsidiary. The Business has learnt that BSkyB now owns and operates its own pornographic channels – the 18+ Movies selection – after years of hosting third-party content only. [1]

So Rosebrough is exactly right when he tells the Christian Newswire:

Rupert Murdoch is a born-again Christian and Rick Warren claims to be his pastor. As a Christian, Murdoch is committing an egregious sin by owning, expanding and profiting from pornographic channels and Rick Warren, as his pastor, has a Biblical duty to call Murdoch to repentance and/or put him out of the church. [2]

This really is nothing new as in December of 2006 Agape Press ran an Feature article by Ed Vitagliano called "Porn Profits Surge on Main Street" where he quotes Gail Dines, professor of American Studies at Boston's Wheelock College, who tells us:

"[Rupert Murdoch's] News Corp. is a major owner of DirecTV, which sells more pornographic films than [Hustler magazine founder and porn film producer Larry] Flynt," Dines explained. "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, Twentieth Century Fox, the New York Post, and TV Guide. Welcome to synergy: Murdoch also owns HarperCollins, which published pornography star Jenna Jameson's best-selling book How To Make Love Like A Porn Star." [3]

And not only is Murdoch profiting from "best-selling books" by porn stars and pornographic TV channels but as Rosebrough's A Little Leaven website also shows Rupert Murdoch has been profiting from peddling titillating soft-core porn for years as well with The Sun long notorious for the nudity of its infamous "Page 3":

They say is picture is worth a thousand words. We hate having to post these pictures but they show the problem better than we can ever say it.

The picture on the left is a screen shot taken from The Sun. This is a tabloid printed in the UK that also happens to be owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. [4](Online source, original)

As one who is a pastor-teacher myself, I would never knowingly allow sin to go on undisciplined by anyone associated with the flock for which Christ has made me an under-shepherd. So the question we need to ask now would be: Is Rick Warren personally responsible for Rupert Murdoch? He is because he claims to be Murdoch's pastor. The Orange County Examiner informs us in November of 2006 that:

Warren says he is pastor to Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. subsidiary publishes "The Purpose-Driven Life" but also publishes tabloid newspapers featuring topless women.

"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," Warren says.

That pragmatic attitude has paid off. Murdoch was among the first to support the PEACE plan, donating $2 million. [5]

So now we can see that Rick Warren already at least knew about Murdoch's newspaper which features soft core porn, however, apparently he chose to ignore that 80 percent in sin and focus on "the 20 percent" that equaled $2 million. And claiming to be Murdoch's pastor is not an isolated event either. According to a piece entitled "New Yorker article on the ministry of Rick Warren by Malcolm Gladwell," which "originally appeared in The New Yorker magazine on Sept. 12, 2005," and was also reprinted in Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox, Warren himself tells us again that he is Murdoch's pastor and not only that but Murdoch also published his book:

"I had dinner with Jack Welch last Sunday night," he said. "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 are 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!'" Then he tilted back his head and gave one of those big Rick Warren laughs. [6]

This is very important because we have now seen from Warren himself that he feels he is indeed Rupert Murdoch's pastor. This does two things; since one does not pastor an unbeliever, Warren must believe that Murdoch is a Christian, which then means as his pastor Warren is also personally accountable for Murdoch. And there's no chance to mistake this, or that Warren was somehow misquoted, because apparently he was so pleased with The New Yorker article that Warren asked to have it republished at his own Ministry Toolbox website.

So now that we have established Warren's pastoral responsibility for Murdoch the next question would be: What does Pastor Rick Warren have to say about dealing with people in sin within his ministry. Well over at Rick Warren's Ministry Podcast "Pastor Rick" posted a piece dated 5/01/07 called "What Happens When a Staff Member Falls" where Warren informs us:

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. [7]

One would certainly have to think that "owning and expanding a network of pornographic channels in Europe" has to qualify as "public sins." And then in that piece at the Podcast website Warren also states correctly that:

The Bible says that those who teach are held to a greater public accountability because of their visibility to those they teach. (James 3:1, 1 Tim. 5:20). [8]

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." Rick Warren can't have his cake and eat it too; Warren can't just name-drop that he is Murdoch's pastor in the good times and then not step up to that role in disciplining Murdoch, when claiming to be a born again Christian, he is openly committing transgressions that are bringing shame to the Name of Jesus Christ.

As Warren himself has said, people like Murdoch have to be held to a greater "public accountability" because of "their visibility." And this is exactly why Rick Warren must now publicly rebuke Rupert Murdoch for his Purpose Driven pornography.

By Ken Silva Click here for bio and archived articles

Re: Re: Re: Is this a money issue? Posted On: 05/15/07 10:36:08 AM Age 45, IA Ken? Ken? You still out there? Your silence on this speaks volumes. Re: Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/11/07 01:42:10 AM Age 36, TX While I agree with your sentiment (take the matter directly to a brother first) I don't think anybody is planning on stoning Mr. Warren or Mr. Murdoch to death so bringing that verse to bear on this discussion seems pointless. I would also question the new-agey concept that "all sins are equal". Scripture clearly shows us that some actions are sins while others are considered abominations to God. Jesus himself pointed out that there are "weightier matters". When we cause a brother to stumble or a person who is lost to consider Christ less because of our actions, isn't that a greater matter than my personal sin that does not impact others around me directly? Just a thought... Re: Re: Is this a money issue? Posted On: 05/10/07 02:33:51 PM Age 40, MN "Better luck next time." ??? What is this, a game show where the host is competeing against the audience, trying to one up them? What a strange way to end your post Ken, what do you mean by it? I'm really interested. Re: Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/10/07 12:56:04 PM Age 37, MN http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Document.aspx?id=B224C88D-3D13-4652-9D22-33FD2D80FD2C There's a 2006 businessonline article claiming it. By : Rupert Steiner - City Editor 12/02/2006 "RUPERT Murdoch, the born-again Christian who chairs media giant News Corporation, has been secretly building a stable of wholly-owned pornographic channels for his BSkyB subsidiary...." Re: Re: Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/09/07 06:10:08 PM Age 34, CANADA As I see it, the big problem here is that Rick Warren speaks sloppy. What else is new? Sure, if Murdoch is a Christian, Warren has a responsibility as a friend and brother to admonish him -- but so does every other Christian. Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/09/07 02:41:48 PM Age 43, FL This is quite a bizarre story, including the news that Murdoch is a born-again believer in Christ. Depending on Warren's true role in Murdoch's life, I agree that he has some responsibility, but I do have an issue with the article itself, especially with the title. To title this article the way you did is to use a tactic that would make the worst part of Rupert Murdoch smile. In essence, it insinuates that porn is part of the life God has in store for us just like worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship and ministry. I understand your point in the story, but Jesus had some harsh words towards those who attributed a work of the Holy Spirit with the demonic, and I can personally attest to the way the Holy Spirit has worked in my life and my churches' through the emphasis on the 5 Biblical principles upon which the PDL is based. I write this not to try to accuse you, but to encourage you to be careful how you attack the splinter in a brother's eye. Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/09/07 02:16:36 PM Age 41, ENGLAND Hi quote "WOW, you people have no idea how a business runs do you!! You are acting like Rupert Murdoch took the pictures himself and published them. The guy can not micro manage every photo printed in the paper."" I'm in England and i can tell you this quote is naive..The Sun is the biggest selling tabloid paper in my country..The page 3 topless shot is as famous here,as celeb gossip is in the The National Enquirer..True Murdoch doesn't micro manage the shot,but he knows its in there..He KNOWS the Sun inside and out,apparent with his dealing with the printer in the strike of the 80s.. Re: Re: Is this a money issue? Posted On: 05/09/07 12:39:54 PM Age 40, MN What did you really mean Ken? Look up apparently in a thesaurus and here's some of what you find "in fact, actually, evidently, obviously" and in the context of the sentence, these fit perfectly - fess up - this is exactly what you meant to say? That is precisely the point and connection you want us to make all through your article, why do you act like it isn't?. //And you avoid the question - did you try to talk to Rick Warren about this matter before trying to shred him publicly? // Wasn't the entire purpose of you piece, not to right a wrong, to help somebody get back on track - but to discredit Warren? Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/09/07 10:51:11 AM Age 52, KY Doesn't Rupert Murdoch own the copyright to the NIV Bible? Maybe we should examine some of the mushy passages that have been rewritten in the name of "antiquated kjv" which wasn't so hard to understand after all Re: Re: Purpose Driven Pornography: Why Rick Warren Must Publicly Discipline Rupert Murdoch Posted On: 05/09/07 10:22:27 AM Age 49, TX I do agree with you that when a brother is 'overtaken' in a fault that any initial confrontation about his sin must be done one-on-one and after much prayer and self-examination (Gal 6:1). However, there is no way you can biblically justify shirking your responsibility to God with an excuse that the pornography your company produces "is just business", and that the burning of that filth and stopping its future publication cpuld any way be considered micro-management. Whether Mr. Murdoch believes it or not the wealth given to him was by God alone and "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48). 30 mem lost their lives and their families all suffered because of Achan when he took of the 'accused thing' in Joshua 7. Did those men have anything to do with Achan? In somewhat the same sense Christians suffer rebuke from the world when those like Mr. Murdoch, who claims to be a Christian, loves the pleasures and profits of the world more than he loves God.