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Pastor Joel Osteen just the scripture messenger, Piers Morgan prays for ratings, preview

By April MacIntyre Jan 24, 2011, 20:15 GMT

12/06/2010 - Victoria Osteen and Joel Osteen - Joel Osteen "The Christmas Spirit: Memories of Family, Friends, and Faith" at Barnes & Noble in New York City on December 6, 2010 - Barnes & Noble, 5th Avenue - New York City, NY, USA © Paul Froggatt / PR Photos

Shock and surprise, Evangelical preacher Pastor Joel Osteen of Houston Texas believes that Homosexuality is "a sin", thus making rocker Elton John "a sinner."

Best-selling author Osteen and his wife Victoria Osteen are the guests on Wednesday's "Piers Morgan Tonight," and the hour-long discussion touches on faith, finances, charity and more.

Sin pops up, as it often does, and Piers gets to the bottom of the recent Elton John rant about the Church and Politicians castigating his lifestyle and relegating him to the status of a second-class citizen.

Specifically, why homosexuality is a sin in Osteen's belief, and according to the scriptures, that despite his fame and fortune, that Elton John is a sinner.

"The scriptures shows that it's a sin," said Osteen in the interview. "But you know, I'm not one of those that are out there to bash homosexuals and tell them that they're terrible people and all of that. I mean, there are other sins in the Bible too...I don't believe homosexuality is God's best for a person's life."

Piers Morgan noted Osteen does not usually discuss this, and he admitted in the first interviews in front of the camera "this was all new to me" and "people say I don't talk about sin."

As for Elton John, there was this exchange:

MORGAN: Say a friend of mine like Elton John watching this at home, who with his partner – a civil partner, David Furnish – have just had a surrogate child which was born on Christmas day. They're going to be pretty angry what they hear. They're going to think who are you to call them a sinner.

J. OSTEEN: Yes.

MORGAN: But why are they sinners in your eyes?

J. OSTEEN: Well, it's strictly back to what the scripture says. I mean, I can't grab one part and say God wants you to be blessed and live an abundant life, and not grab the other part that says, you know what? You know, live that kind of life. So it comes back to the scripture. I'm not the judge. You know, God didn't tell me to go around judging everybody.

The full interview airs Wednesday, January 26 at 9pmET/PT.