Rick Warren/Obama Inaguration
People are up in arms about Obama's choice for Rick Warren of Purpose Driven Life fame being picked to give the invocation at the inaguration. Seems Rick Warren has made some anti-gay statements. See his remarks for yourself on the controversial Proposition 8 revoking same-sex marriage in California:
I'm disappointed in Obama's choice. Let me say that first. But I'm not surprised. Obama has never come out in favor of same-sex marriage. Obama wants to cozy up to evangelicals still. Obama is still fighting rumors that he's not Christian. Really, given the options of who the famous evangelical pastors are, he probably picked the best of the bunch, and he has some history with Rick Warren. He picked a liberal, pro-same-sex marriage pastor for the benediction, and that will be the final word. One could argue that this is balanced, and that the country is really divided on the issue of same-sex marriage, and to use to pro-lgbt pastors would be too unbalanced for Obama.
What do I wish had been the case? That's a different story. I happen to disagree with that point of view that says this is necessary for balance. I don't believe in giving an equal amount of my own time to hate to balance out the time I give to love. And it's impossible through two religious speakers to represent all Americans, so the idea that this balances out this one particular view ignores all the other things that it presents out-of-balance.
But more than being disappointed at an anti-gay pick, I'm disappointed in the exclusively Christian picks of the religious professionals in the inaguration. Rick Warren not only believes that lgbt people shouldn't be allowed to marry in same-sex relationships, he also thinks Jesus is the only path to salvation, and the rest of us go to Hell. That doesn't represent all Americans, either. I would've loved to see one Christian and one from any other religion (or representing the non-religious--now there's an idea!). Now that would be balance I could get behind.
I'm disappointed in Obama's choice. Let me say that first. But I'm not surprised. Obama has never come out in favor of same-sex marriage. Obama wants to cozy up to evangelicals still. Obama is still fighting rumors that he's not Christian. Really, given the options of who the famous evangelical pastors are, he probably picked the best of the bunch, and he has some history with Rick Warren. He picked a liberal, pro-same-sex marriage pastor for the benediction, and that will be the final word. One could argue that this is balanced, and that the country is really divided on the issue of same-sex marriage, and to use to pro-lgbt pastors would be too unbalanced for Obama.
What do I wish had been the case? That's a different story. I happen to disagree with that point of view that says this is necessary for balance. I don't believe in giving an equal amount of my own time to hate to balance out the time I give to love. And it's impossible through two religious speakers to represent all Americans, so the idea that this balances out this one particular view ignores all the other things that it presents out-of-balance.
But more than being disappointed at an anti-gay pick, I'm disappointed in the exclusively Christian picks of the religious professionals in the inaguration. Rick Warren not only believes that lgbt people shouldn't be allowed to marry in same-sex relationships, he also thinks Jesus is the only path to salvation, and the rest of us go to Hell. That doesn't represent all Americans, either. I would've loved to see one Christian and one from any other religion (or representing the non-religious--now there's an idea!). Now that would be balance I could get behind.
Comments
-- I’m actually OK with Rick Warren being invited to do the invocation (and am actually somewhat relieved that it is NOT jeremiah Wright), mostly because I believe that Warren is eventually going to see the light and get it right on this issue, just as he has on AIDS in Africa, and seems to be now on the War on Terror and Gitmo, and…well let’s just say that he’s a pretty bright guy, he wants to do right, and he truly BELIEVES in the GOSPEL, and isn’t just mouthing some lame Bible College ideology….