Pastor Rick Warren defends invite to inauguration

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Bishop <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Robinson">Gene Robinson</a> prayer kicks off Inaugural events.



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Anyone else notice that no one clapped when Warren was introduced ? OK, then maybe 10 people did after a long silence. Schadenfreude indeed !
 
Well, I for one was shocked and completely won over when President Obama included ME in his speech! (..."Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and nonbelievers...") Has any President ever acknowledged nonbelievers like that before? Woohoo! Way to go Obama! You ARE my President too! Yay! It's a really, really strange feeling to feel, well, included!
 
Excerpt from Warren's Invocation:



<em>"Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. <strong>When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us</strong>. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ."</em>
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1232613677]Excerpt from Warren's Invocation:



<em>"Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. <strong>When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us</strong>. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ."</em></blockquote>


I'm not Troop, but I think the point is that he is a total hypocrite.
 
Only if you are determined to read it that way. It could very well be an apology for his inartfully phrased comments and a reminder for everyone on both sides of, well, any issue that disagreement should not devolve into disrespect. There sure was a lot of that this election cycle!!
 
Sorry, but it's hard to forget his actual statements which Troop has posted a few times. If he really had an ounce of an apologetic bone in his body, he'd apologize honestly and openly to the wonderful gay people he has spewed his nonsense towards during the last few years.
 
Really? I just saw one very badly phrased CNN interview. Nothing else. And he did apologize for it. So, I don't buy that. I'd never heard of him before this, except to watch the Saddleback form with McCain and Obama but he seems like a pretty good fellow.
 
Rick Warren has likened gay marriage to pedophilia and incest on camera and then lied about it. I have searched but I can't find the video Troop posted earlier. She actually convinced me when I was ready to give the guy a chance. Where are you Troop?I guess she's working, but I'll let her answer when she has time.
 
I know the one you're talking about and totally agree it was poor of Warren. However, as I recall, the video cuts off after he says "I do" and in reality he elaborated on his meaning beyond those words. And we're still just talking about one interview and I think his point was not really that homosexuality=pedophilia, etc...I think his meaning was about not redefining marriage and the whole slippery slope argument. But his words were poorly chosen and he left plenty of room to be hammered. On the whole, nothing I've seen about this guy would suggest to me he in any way believes homosexuality is the same as pedophilia/incest, etc in the way people are suggesting.



The evidence seems to be he did a poor interview where he miscast his argument (bringing up the slippery slope argument is a fair question and I have no problem with him for that), and it wasn't an accurate representation of the man.



With all the work he does with AIDS, with the vast majority of what he says seeming very tolerant (for someone with his religious beliefs), and the way he serves his gay protestors donuts...he just seems like a good guy. Lord knows I disagree with him on a lot of things, but his allowed his opinion and I'm allowed mine. This guys seems to be very respectful (not perfect, but pretty darn respectful). I don't get why people are trying to demonize him.
 
[quote author="4walls4me" date=1232633823]I don't get why people are trying to demonize him.</blockquote>
Every war needs and enemy and every enemy needs a face. Warren just happens to be anti-same-sex marriage and lives in California, so he gets to play poster boy. At least this attack is more intellectually honest than marching on the Mormons. It also seems to be a war Warren is willing to wage. As I don't agree with him, I am not going to waste my time defending him. He's a big boy, he can handle his detractors.
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1232512562]Well, I for one was shocked and completely won over when President Obama included ME in his speech! (..."Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and nonbelievers...") </blockquote>


You're going to hell for that one kid.
 
4Walls, welcome back. I've put all my thoughts about Mr. Warren on this here thread....just start from page 1. No need to reiterate.



He campaigned to remove my rights. His church won't allow me to become a member (not that it matters to *this* atheist, but I'm sure it matters to other believing gays). Therefore, I don't like him. Simple enough ?



I keep hearing about his assistance on the AIDS crisis...which is admirable. But once you read about what it *really* is, you might think twice....



<em>And here's more about Warren's BFF:



With safe sex advocates on the run, Warren and Ssempa trained their sights on another social evil. In August 2007, Ssempa led hundreds of his followers through the streets of Kampala to demand that the government mete out harsh punishments against gays. "Arrest all homos," read placards. And: "A man cannot marry a man." Ssempa continued his crusade online, publishing the names of Ugandan gay rights activists on a website he created, along with photos and home addresses. "Homosexual promoters," he called them, suggesting they intended to seduce Uganda's children into their lifestyle. Soon afterwards, two of President Yoweri Museveni's top officials demanded the arrest of the gay activists named by Ssempa. Terrified, the activists immediately into hiding.</em>



<a href="http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2009/01/the_truth_about_rick_warren_an.php">Rick Warren's work on AIDS</a>



Call me jaded, but this smacks more of an attempt to convert Africans to Christianity than an attempt to curb AIDS. Because banning condoms ain't gonna do it.
 
And if anyone bothered to read the story, you'll see that the AIDS rate had been slowly declining in the countries where Warren "helps out". Then, he and his gang came in and changed the "Safe Sex" approach, to the "Abstinence" approach.....



....and the AIDS rate is on the upswing again.



Brilliant. Thanks for the help.



And that buddy of his ? Ssempa ? You know, the one that demanded gays be arrested and met with harsh punishment ? He's been in Saddleback Church as a guest of 'Ole Rick and family....who consider him "Like a brother." Nice. How *very* Christian of him.



Does anyone have any other questions ? Does anyone wonder why he doesn't trumpet his "success" re: AIDS in Africa ?



<em><<<< Trooper goes out to buy a box of condoms to burn in the name of Jesus.</em>
 
ISM Said: <em>"Well, I for one was shocked and completely won over when President Obama included ME in his speech! (...?Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and nonbelievers??) Has any President ever acknowledged nonbelievers like that before? Woohoo! Way to go Obama! You ARE my President too! Yay! It?s a really, really strange feeling to feel, well, included!"</em>



Watch out ISM ! Here they come !



<a href="http://news.aol.com/article/obamas-nonbeliever-nod-unsettles-some/316339">Obama's Non-Believer Nod Causes a Ruckus</a>



<em>By mentioning, for the first time in an inaugural address, the 16.1 percent of Americans who check "no"? when asked about religion, Obama turned it into the most controversial line in his speech -- praised by The New York Times editorial board and cited by some Christians as evidence that he is a heretic, and in his well-spoken way, <strong>a serious threat</strong>.</em>



LOL ! "A Serious Threat"
 
and I couldn't help myself with this one.....



<a href="http://news.aol.com/article/disgraced-pastor-ted-haggard-faces-more/316660">Haggard Faces More Gay Sex Allegations</a>



So much for the comeback, Teddy boy. "Head of the Evangelicals" indeed.
 
Trooper...did you vote for Obama, despite Rev. Wright, Ayers, etc? If so, you can't turn around and hold Warren "guilty by association" either. I don't know who this guy is, but I imagine he isn't all bad and probably does a lot of good. Warren believes in abstinence. I agree with you in that, IMHO, it's a misguided approach in some ways (not all), but that's what he believes in, he preaches, and he promotes. Who are we to turn around and judge him or condemn him or be intolerant or insensitive to his belief system? Other people are free to go promote their ideals and the equally stupid idea of free love if they want.



If what you say is correct, a gay person can't join his church. Big deal. There's a million clubs you and I can't join for a million different reasons. From gender, to medical history, to skin color...things that are completely out of our control exclude us from things all the time, whether or not we think it's fair. So what? There's a thousand other groups we can join. That's what's awesome about living in the US.



I get why you don't like this man and don't appreciate what he has to say. But you're trying to nail this guy for saying "When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us." The man has a right to exist...



The key is to learn to live each other, is it not?



As always, Trooper, thanks for the discussion. I appreciate it.
 
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