Comments | jmpierce: Rick Warren

jmpierce

Rick Warren

Jan 01, 2009 12:58

You know, I was just about to get really pissed off about Rick Warren being chosen to pray at President-elect Obama's inauguration, but then I read what Mr. Warren had to say about it, and even if I don't agree with everything the man thinks or believes, I can grudgingly agree with his own justification for being there, and say Fine. You know, it's ( Read more... )

politics

Comments 7

tzarohell January 1 2009, 19:43:48 UTC

Rick Warren is one of these new "cuddly" social cons who are akin to the segregationist "separate but equal" folks of yesteryear. DONT FALL FOR IT. We have been in back of the bus for an EXTREMELY long time.

jmpierce January 1 2009, 19:57:07 UTC

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't invite the guy over for dinner, unless it was because he was on tour visiting every single American to apologize in person for preaching divisive hate speech that hurts our country.

But as far as the inauguration, I choose to continue trusting President-elect Obama, and I truly believe that he knows more about what he's doing than I do. If he thought this was a good idea, I will trust that he knows what he's doing for now. Obama said a lot of things about equality for all American citizens that I choose to continue to believe in. Only time will tell I know, but I'm not ready to give up on it yet.

That's just my 2 cents.

tzarohell January 1 2009, 20:29:41 UTC

I agree. But this choice of his has me thinking "Ok... now show me with actions how you're going to help us."

jmpierce January 1 2009, 20:33:00 UTC

Absolutely. I agree with you 100%.

geckophobe January 1 2009, 20:11:57 UTC

I admit I know little about Warren, and only since he was invited to do the invocation. It was certainly a risky gamble - if planned as a "reaching out" opportunity, or else a poorly thought out choice - if it was made "innocently" and independent of Warren's stance on gay marriage.

Anyway, I found some interesting comments in another blog's discussion, and it gave me a little perspective.

Rick Warren has just posted a video in which he declares point blank that he doesn't believe gay relationships are equivalent to incest, pedophilia or polygamy.

He's apparently scrubbed some anti-gay language from his website. He's also encouraged that he's reached out to Melissa Etheridge, and hope that their new friendship will help to bring greater understanding. Of her new relationship with Warren, Etheridge wrote yesterday, "Maybe if they get to know us, they wont fear us."

This was precisely the dynamic I was hoping for when Obama invited him, one well-meaning gesture greeted with another. Sometimes reaching out works better than ( ... )

jmpierce January 1 2009, 20:25:40 UTC

I'm also cautiously optimistic, and I think there's merit to Obama's "team of rivals" approach.

As far as Mr. Warren specifically, I'm not that impressed by his attempts at making a token gay friend, or even by removing "some" of the anti-gay hate speech from his website, or even by making a video in which he admits that maybe gay people aren't all pedophile dog fuckers. Frankly, when that's where you've got to start from, you've got a long hard way to go. But at least maybe he's trying, I'll give him that. I've given him that. I won't hold my breath on him suddenly becoming accepting and tolerant and a champion of the cause for equal rights under the law though. (shrug)

fatimusprime January 3 2009, 18:44:28 UTC

I have high hopes for PE Obama to lead this nation toward a direction that encourages the masses to be far more accepting (NOT just tolerant) of others outside their social circle. Personally, I think the sheeple masses are going to need to be led by their proverbial collars to that direction, but I believe PE Obama is intelligent and socially graceful enough to do it.

BTW... you're awesome. : P