Martin also wanted to know if there is something really wrong biblically with having a big house, having a nice car or is it a matter of having excess?

"The answer to that question is I don't think it's a sin to be rich. I think it's a sin to die rich. I think god intends you to use it. Money is to be used and not loved. It is a tool.

"I think you should give it away. I think you should use it. The Bible tells us over and over and over, don't store up for yourselves. Rich is in heaven. You know my wife and are reverse tithers, we give away 90 percent and we live on 10 percent.

"I've been playing this game with God for years, we started tithing 10 percent, and each year we'd raise it over 30 years. Now there's no doubt about it that when you serve God, it brings blessing in your life. Sometimes that is physical blessing. Sometimes it's not.

"But you don't judge your closeness to God on how much you've got in the bank. We're to love people and we're to use money. Now, what happens is if we start loving money, we end up using people to get it and we get the priorities reversed.

Martin said that some of Warren's critics say that he mixes Christianity with pop culture, pop psychology. "What about that particular issue? Does it bother you in terms when they criticize your books and they say it's pretty much Christianity light?" Martin asked.

"Well, actually Jesus said beware when all men speak well of you. The only way to not be criticized is do nothing, be nothing, say nothing.

"The moment you put your shingle out somebody is going to start throwing rocks at it. The truth is, criticism is good for us. It keeps us in check. It keeps us humble. What I do with critics, and there are many, is if it's true, I listen and learn from it. If it's untrue, I ignore it and forget it and ultimately I just remember that god is the ultimate judge my life.

Martin wanted to know what would Jesus be focusing on? What would be his agenda?

" I have no doubt about it that if Jesus were here today, he'd be hanging out with people who have HIV/AIDS. There's no doubt in my mind about that, because they are the lepers of the 21st century.

"People say I don't want to be around it. I don't want to hear about it. I'm afraid I might get it. People are scared to death of it and Jesus hung out with people who had leprosy in those days. He cared for the sick. He assisted the poor. In Luke chapter 4, he gives his agenda and it's basically I'm going to meet the needs of the people around me."

In closing the segment with Warren, Martin wanted to know: When did the Easter bunny and Jesus get hooked up on the same weekend?

"I don't know. They didn't teach us that in the seminary, Roland. I have no idea. All I know is that every holiday, which really started out as a holy day, holiday is a perversion of the word holy day, and every holy day is perverted and secularized and people want to figure out how to make a buck off of it.

"But the truth is, Easter is the greatest significant event in history, in fact, it split history into A.D. and B.C. Even people who don't believe that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected for our sins use Easter as a reference point every single day of their life. When you write a date April 3rd, April 4th, 2007, you're using this -- what's the focal point? It's Easter, because God came to earth and split his try into A.D. and B.C., it's the most significant event."

In his closing remarks, Martin expressed some opinions of his own regarding faith in God.

He said: "Folks, I don't have a time to mince words. In 2007, enough with the people who pimp God. That's right. I said it, pimp God. Instead of focusing on the totality of Jesus, we have Christians who want to make the faith all about abortion and homosexuality. And then we have others who seek God as nothing but a spiritual slot machine. They say a prayer and down from Heaven comes a big house or a new car.

"Faith should be used to break down racial and economic barriers, not solidify them. Don't tell me Jesus would have embraced the sinners and you bar them from the church door. How can people say they love Jesus, but are afraid to speak to their neighbor, eat with a co-worker have their children play with peers across town?

"As we heard tonight, the Christian agenda should be broader than two issues. Let's stop with the nonsense that one political party has a hold on Jesus. We are called to speak truth to power no matter who sits in the White House. Christians, let's stop wondering what Jesus would do to make this world better. The question you need to answer is what am I prepared to do? "

**This article was based on a rush transcript of the Larry King Live program on CNN. The transcript of the interview may not be in its final form and may be updated on the CCN Transcript page at www.cnn.com/transcripts.  While this transcript has been edited for use on this news service, every effort has been made to maintain the accuracy of the original interview as posted to that website.

© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission