It's not hard to understand why Hollywood liberals were so eager to stand behind Barack Obama as he surged toward the White House. A few years back, it was easy to understand why they liked Pastor Rick Warren, too, author of the best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. Warren was a big fan of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, though what Californian is not a fan of anything promising cleaner air?This week Barack Obama announced that Rick Warren would be doing the invocation at his inauguration in January. The howls of protest coming from Hollywood's hills could be heard round the world.
I guess this is the age we live in. No longer can we count on common sense and civility to soothe our differences. Every decision, and even non-decisions, will have ramifications amongst one segment or another of our society. The gay community is outraged because Warren helped pass the most recent Proposition 8 which struck down gay marriage in California, an unforgivable sin.
Obama's selection of Warren is clearly an olive branch to the nation's Christian conservatives, saying let's be of one family. But many gays see Warren's selection as a slap in the face against their struggle for justice.
I have never been a big fan of Rick Warren, since I pretty much feel that the message of his books, living a purpose driven life, is not one of my weak areas.... and maybe because I am always suspicious about fame. But being a pastor of a Bible believing church as he is, and being that the invocation is historically a prayer by someone who actually believes in God, it seems Obama is not out of line in his selection.
Obama has a tough situation here. If he backs down and changes his choice, he looks weak. If he maintains the course, the viciousness of political gays may show no restraint in marring the transition of this new president to power.
The New York Times titled their article, "Obama's Choice of Pastor Creates Furor." The article focuses on Obama's response to the furor and defense of Rick Warren. "Mr. Obama’s forceful defense of Mr. Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life, has signaled an intent to continue his campaign’s effort to woo even theologically conservative Christians. As his advisers field scores of calls from Democrats angry because Mr. Warren is an outspoken opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, Mr. Obama has insisted that a range of viewpoints be expressed at the inauguration festivities next month in Washington. 'That’s part of the magic of this country, is that we are diverse and noisy and opinionated,' Mr. Obama said, speaking to reporters here this week. He added, 'That’s hopefully going to be a spirit that carries over into my administration.'"Actually, the bitter edge to this debate might be O.K. since a lot of the issues it raises have festered in back rooms and professional convocations behind the scenes for a long time. Good luck, Mr. Obama, as you strive to bring your ideals to bear on the public square.
A couple weeks back I saw an article about a Jewish rabbi from Israel who dreamed that Obama would select two Christians, two Jews and two Muslims in a more global symbol. Evidently the idea did not get much traction.
One way or another, we're watching history unfold. The depth of venom in some quarters is going to be a challenge to all of our ideals.
I am reminded of George Harrison's soft rebuke...
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps
Can we find a way to love one another? We can only hope...
12 comments:
The Bible has also been used to justify slavery, segregation between the races, all sorts of other racial discrimination, and even murderous wars.
By very definition, this is ONLY done by Bible-believing churches, and not by non-Bible-believing churches.
Belief in the Bible is not necessary for belief in God, justice, tolerance, and love. Too often it is used for just the opposite reasons -- and again, always by those who are Bible-believers, and never by those who are not.
Self-labeled "Christians" claim, with no proof whatsoever, that gays are more liable to be promiscuous and pedophile than the rest of the population -- and out of the other side of their forked tongues, they're against gay marriage. Makes a lot of sense, huh? It doesn't HAVE to make sense, to Bible-believers, though.
These bigots are against gays, is what they're against, and not only that, they're not content unless gays are suffering -- under discriminatory laws.
And yes, these gay-haters can be vicious, both politically and physically.
To choose an unabashed proponent of INtolerance, in an effort to show tolerance, seems akin to choosing a Bible-believing member of the KKK to deliver the invocation. There'd be a lot more people howling if he'd done that.
I'm not gay, from Hollywood, nor what anyone could, or would call elite. This has baffled me and makes me wonder why. It certainly wasn't necessary and it isn't very savvy. I am, however, one of the hard-working base who is beginning to feel betrayed, and he hasn't taken office yet. Inviting him to 'pray' at the inauguration gives credibility to this bigot.
>>>The Bible has also been used to justify slavery, segregation between the races, all sorts of other racial discrimination, and even murderous wars.
Sadly, to the denigration of its core truth, "Do unto others..."
As for the misuse of Scripture, that is only evidence of the brokenness of our world, not the falseness of Scripture. Humankind has been corrupted by the fall, and there is not a one of us who is exempt.
Other traditions express the same reality. Pandora's box has been opened.
>>>Self-labeled "Christians" claim, with no proof whatsoever, that gays are more liable to be promiscuous and pedophile than the rest of the population...
One of the three most significant writers of the first half of the 20th century is Andre Gide, a French author of more than 80 books who won the Nobel Prize in 1924. He's one of my favorite writers, and was influential in the championing of rights for homosexuals. I have many of his books, have read all his journals, and do not regard hostility for gays an appropriate response. Nevertheless, in at least a couple of his books he outlines three categories of gay males... the ones who like young boys, the ones who like long term same-sex relationships and the ones who like multiple partners a night. The latter yiou find in the bath houses, the first group may be found (to some extent) in the Catholic priesthood. These are not nice subjects that get talked about with frankness, but there is no such thing as a homogenous gay profile.
The same can be said of Christians. To be Christian and to hate are incongruities. Sadly, some Christians are hypocrites, some are insensitive and cruel. But a lot of people who "hate gays" have nothing to do with church whatsoever. And there are a lot of Christians with attitudes of mercy and kindness toward gays...
>>>>>>>>>Sadly, to the denigration of its core truth, "Do unto others..."
That's the core truth of ALL men of good will, not only "Bible-believers". And, many Bible-believers DON'T follow that truth, and they use the Bible as the justification for that.
As prime example, Pastor Rick Warren would scream bloody murder if laws were passed discriminating against chubby, rich, smooth-tongued, religious hypocrites -- but he actually campaigned FOR laws discriminating against gay people (specifically, against those who wanted a long-term committed relationship).
Do unto others?
>>>>>>>>Nevertheless, in at least a couple of his books he outlines three categories of gay males... the ones who like young boys, the ones who like long term same-sex relationships and the ones who like multiple partners a night. The latter yiou find in the bath houses, the first group may be found (to some extent) in the Catholic priesthood. These are not nice subjects that get talked about with frankness, but there is no such thing as a homogenous gay profile.
I never said there was a homogenous gay profile. I said that gays are no more likely to be promiscuous or pedophiles than the rest of the population. And I said that these so-called Christians (like Warren) are campaigning to make sure the long-term relationships are discriminated against.
The pedophiles are not only found in the Catholic priesthood. A couple recent notable cases in the Duluth area were Lutheran pastors.
And the gays who like multiple partners are not limited to bathhouses. They include the likes of Pastor Ted Haggard, another anti-gay crusader -- who was not charged with violating any US law for his meth-enhanced tryst.
>>>>>>>>>And there are a lot of Christians with attitudes of mercy and kindness toward gays...
And there are a lot of Christians with attitudes of mercy and kindness toward racial minorities.
As I said, Obama's choice of a "Christian" with NO attitude of mercy and kindness toward gays, but an active record of discrimination against them, is about the same as if he'd chosen a "Christian" with NO attitude of mercy and kindness toward racial minorities.
A bad choice, in my opinion.
>>>>>>>>I'm not gay, from Hollywood, nor what anyone could, or would call elite.
Likewise. I'm a redneck with a strong belief in "Do unto others ....".
The belief that "Jesus died to save you from your sins" has led many to expect to be able to live like greedy pigs here on earth, and still get to "heaven".
People who claim to be "Christians" should follow the words and example of Jesus, or drop the claim.
Jesus campaigned against hypocrites, not against minorities. No doubt he would have made more money, AND avoided crucifixion, if he'd campaigned against the latter.
Warren may be smart, but he's no Christian.
These are murky waters when church leaders get involved with political act "as church leaders."
Rick Warren may wish he'd not been selected when this is all over. But he's made choices to put his face in front of those cameras. He's spoken at the United Nations, The Council on Foreign Relations, has and done a lot of high profile things on the political fronts.
Some would say that Warren's form of evangelism is nothing more than Western-style efficiency management techniques packaged in Christian lingo. He is an organizer, and very successful at it now... after his first four or so failures. (He eventually learned the marketing mantra Location, Location Location.)
My original blog about this event (selection of Rick Warren) indicated I was "not a fan" but I did not take time to get introspective so as to remember why... Well, I know why. He represents a Pop Christianity for me, not the kind of sensitive depth of a Bonhoffer...
Maybe Billy Graham was the selection by past presidents because he was careful not to get into political stuff. He aimed for changed hearts, not political action. Graham DID have organizational skills which are necessary of any large orgnization. (He employed 600 in Minneapolis back in 1980's)
Jesus campaigned against hypocrites AND power brokers. The fight against the powers, telling the truth, is what got him crucified.
We'll see what happens.
I should add here that a lot of people HAVE been helped by Rick Warren's book A Purpose Driven Life. Maybe Mr. Obama himself found the book inspirtational. My guess is that it did not have political aspect to it... but I do not know any of these things from first hand experience ans this last ramble is strictly speculation.
For an excellent article on Rick Warren's efforts to help poor in Rwanda, see: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/february/21.88.html
Essentially, everything is more complicated than it appears on the surface. It all "sounds good" to some people, until you actually look at the details. The article is a good lens focused on details that escape the superficial first glance. Worth reading.
Aye.
I would.
It's worthless spam.
I'll even throw a figurative shoe at it, on its way out the door.
Like Obama SHOULD throw at Pastor Warren, but I don't suppose he will.
Aye.
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