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 She's
beautiful. She's exciting. Above all, today she is a believer. So how
does Lynda Carter, TV's Wonder Woman, equate her spiritual stand with
her film role? Here are her candid comments. An exclusive interview BY
JAN FRANZEN |
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Lynda Carter, lead personality in TV's Wonder Woman, starred this fall
in her own CBS-TV special, Lynda Carter's Special, and in The Last Song,
a dramatic three-hour CBS telefeature. She has been described as
exciting, dynamic, beautiful and talented. |
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Since winning the Miss World U.S.A. title in 1973, she has received many
honors. The London-based International Academy of Beauty named her "The
Most Beautiful Woman in the World"; Blackwell put her on his list of
"The Ten Best Dressed Women in America"; Helene Curtis named her as one
of "The Ten Best Tressed Women in America"; the International Bachelors
Ass'n called her one of "The Ten Most Exciting Women in the World"; and
George Gallup, in a recent poll, discovered that she was one of "The Ten
Most Admired Women in the World." |
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These honors are all put into their proper perspective by the thoughtful
Lynda, who identifies herself as a "Spirit-filled, born again believer
in Jesus." |
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"I appreciate the titles ... but I don't understand some of them," she
said in a recent Christian Life interview. "I don't dwell on them. It's
great that people want to say nice things about me, but I'm not always
sure how to react." |
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But Lynda, 27, did react to the questions we asked. Here are her
answers. |
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 Lynda, today you are very vocal about your faith in Jesus
Christ. But this wasn't always the case, was it?
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No.
I was brought up in the Catholic church. But catechism didn't mean very
much to me. There were three of us children, and we usually played
hooky. We'd wave goodbye to our parents at the front door of the church,
then walk straight through to the back. But somehow you learned that
there is only one way to be saved, as the Bible puts it, and that way is
through Jesus Christ. |
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When I was in high
school, I began attending a group called Young Life, and I accepted the
Lord as my Savior when I was 14. But I didn't know what the
Spirit-filled life was. So I drifted away from Him. I tried Eastern
religions-all sorts of weird things to find fulfillment. I really was a
mess. |
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I
was very disappointed in my Christian friends. And Satan used this as a
wedge. My parents were divorced about that time, and I needed to help
the family out. So I took a job singing at the Pizza Inn in Scottsdale
[Arizona]. My friends didn't think the entertainment field was fitting
for a Christian. I rejected that. I was rebellious. If it wasn't of the
Lord, how come it had all worked out for me? Then I got a job in Vegas
when I was 17, singing in the lounge of the Sahara. They didn't like
that, either. |
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Do
you feel any differently now about the viewpoint of your friends? |
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I
still reject it. But now I respect what they believe. We all look at
things according to our different backgrounds. And the Lord uses each of
us in different ways at different times. |
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And I understand that the Lord used your sister Pam Cole to really help
you spiritually. |
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Yes, God used my sister Pam as a vessel to lead me into a deeper
relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. I had been struggling.
The Holy Spirit was really working in my heart. I didn't have peace. Or
rest. I went through a real emotional trauma. But I had been afraid to
commit myself fully to Jesus. I wanted to ... but didn't want to
disappoint the Lord again. Then, too, everything was going well for
me-my marriage [to Ron Samuels, her manager], my career. I didn't want
to upset anything. You can be afraid of the silliest things! But Pam and
I prayed-and the Lord met me. I was filled with His Spirit. |
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How
do you define the Spirit-filled life, Lynda? |
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The
power of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life is what makes the big
difference between being a nominal Christian and an effective one. Jesus
left us the Holy Spirit when he went back to Heaven. "I will send you
the Comforter," He said. The Holy Spirit turns all the attention to the
Lord. For me, it meant a cleansing, an inner purging. And this continues
through my prayer language. It is so fulfilling. It brings my
communication with the Lord so much closer. Before I was filled with the
Holy Spirit, I didn't know He could reveal things from the Bible. But He
does. He makes truth more clear. |
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I'm
sure that many wonder how you equate your spiritual stand with your
Wonder Woman costume. |
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I
was concerned about this ... and about the certain amount of idolatry
connected with the program. But the Lord showed me that He would use the
focus on me to turn the focus back to Him. For example, I would never
have been interviewed so many times [Ladies Home Journal, People, many
newspapers; other magazines], if it hadn't been for my role in Wonder
Woman. And each time, I try to witness.... Wonder Woman is just a
fictional character, of course. There is no person who is immortal in
just that way. We are immortal in spirit and will someday get a new
body. |
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How
does your family feel about your new spiritual commitment? |
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My
mother has now accepted the Lord, also some of her family. And my
sister, of course. Spiritually, she is like a little fountain-she
doesn't drench you, she just splashes you all over. |
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Are
you involved in a church, Lynda? |
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I
have gone to many. I don't have a lot of Christian friends, so I need
the fellowship of a church. I now go to a Jewish synagogue, led by a
Messianic Rabbi. He teaches from both the Old and New Testaments. This
is the first time I've ever understood the connection between the two.
It's beautiful the groundwork the Old Testament laid for the New, and
the prophecies about the coming Messiah, Jesus. |
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How
did you happen to choose a Jewish synagogue? |
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My
husband is Jewish ... and a believer. He was never really involved in
the Temple when he was growing up. His father was very religious. Ron is
seeking ... and is interested. He just doesn't like most of the
preaching on TV. But he goes to the Temple and Synagogue with me. Our
Rabbi is identified with Jewish people. He lets them keep their
Jewishness, so they are not threatened by losing their identity; their
culture. |
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Is
anyone discipling you, studying the Bible with you, helping you grow in
your faith? |
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My sister, Pam. And
I've gone to meetings with Joanne Flug, (watch for an upcoming story on
this TV personality). Stunt people, too, like the Yerkes (see "Lights,
Camera, Action-Then Pow," Jan. 1977), have been a great help to me. |
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How
do you spend your quiet time with the Lord? |
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I
used to get up at 4 in the morning. That was my "closet time." I'd get
really involved with the Lord. When I don't get up early and read and
pray, I really get spiritually thirsty. Ron and I always have prayer at
home, before meals and at other times. And I do always try to get up
early to spend time with the Lord. |
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I would love to be able to tell you that I am a perfect example of what
the Lord wants. But I go back and forth in terms of my discipline. But
the Lord always shows me the difference in my career, life, even my
marriage when I'm not living as close to Him as I should. |
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Many
of the articles about you and your life say that you are extremely
ambitious. Is this true? |
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I
don't know where people get these things. I am ambitious. But only in
doing the right things. I steer away from violence, and from romance
since I am a married woman. I try to do things that are positive. I'm
into ecology. And I try to put a spiritual aspect into everything I do.
I try to show what the reality of life with the Lord is all about ...
that Jesus gives comfort, peace of mind and heart. I try to show the
difference between living by faith and trying to do it on your own. We
start thinking, "I'm going to do this for the Lord," instead of letting
Him do what He wants. |
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How
does this affect your career? |
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If He wants something else for me, He'll provide a natural transition.
It will be right in my heart. There is no confusion in the Lord. He'll
lead me where He wants. And that's what I want. I do not clutch my
career. If He wants me to have children, and give up what I'm doing,
that's fine with me. Or whatever. |
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How do people react when you share your testimony as a believer? |
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In some interviews
I've tried to show what life is about ... and I've been misunderstood.
In other interviews, I've not even mentioned my faith, but the reporter
has asked questions to bring it out, and it's gone just great. |
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I don't know if I have
a testimony. Mine isn't a "'revelation" like some people's: I told Pam,
"I know the Lord is going to lead me, but I feel so unworthy." Then I
remembered that when I was filled with the Holy Spirit, I was feeling
the most unworthy of all. So God let me see that worthiness does not
determine His blessing-or I'd never be blessed by Him. I'm a sinner. A
repentant sinner. God saw my heart, and came into it. |
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That's where we all need to start. God draws us back to square one. We
get so sophisticated spiritually. We listen to tapes and hear great
preachers. We receive prophecies, speak in our prayer language, are
ministered to-and get caught up in knowing so much. Then God lets us see
that we need to get back to square one-to Him and His Word. |
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Do you have a favorite Bible verse? |
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Yes, I Corinthians 10:13-"There hath no temptation taken you but such as
is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a
way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." God is faithful. I have
stood on that so hard! So whether I've sinned with my tongue, or
whatever, I claim His forgiveness through Jesus. |
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Now, Lynda, back to your reputation as being the most beautiful woman in
the world. What advice would you give to other women who want to be
prettier than they are? |
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You
cannot have physical beauty without having inner beauty. God has made
each of us special in her own way. God has blessed me with physical
beauty. But I pray that what is in me will surpass what is on the
outside. Women should count their blessings-their work, family,
children. Changes in a woman's physical appearance start from the inside
and go out. Anger and frustration show up on the outside. But the beauty
of the Spirit of the Lord shines brighter than anything else-makeup,
jewelry, beautiful clothes, or what have you. And the most important
thing they can do. |
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That's
to truly represent the Lord. Now, how about a rundown on your future
plans? |
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Again-as the Lord
leads. We are negotiating a new record contract, and I would like to
have a provision in it that I can do a Christian album.... When we did
my TV special, I was so blessed. The Lord really took me by the hand
through the whole production. No quivering lips.... It was really
representative of what I wanted. |
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The last song on the special was the oldie, "Always." It goes, "I'll be
loving you always. With a love that's true, always." In my heart, I
dedicated it to my mother. I thought when I was singing it, The Lord is
saying that to us, "I'll be loving you always. " What a great God we
have. |
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