Posted on 12/22/2008 2:10:23 PM PST by patriotgal1787
Tonight at 9 ET on The Andrea Shea King Show on Blog Talk Radio What's YOUR opinion? Should Pastor Rick Warren have accepted the invitation from Obama to offer the inaugural invocation?
Pastor Rick Warren might be a man filled with spiritual wisdom, but in this case, he's made a huge miscalculation and a serious mistake.
Under fire for opposing gay marriage, the influential evangelical pastor defended his decision to accept President-elect Barack Obama's invitation to give the invocation at the Jan. 20 inauguration.
In a keynote speech he delivered at the Muslim Public Affairs Council's annual convention in Long Beach Saturday, he also said that he loves Muslims, people of other religions, Republicans and Democrats, and he also loves "gays and straights."
Warren's involvement in Obama's inauguration ceremony has sparked outcry from gay rights and other liberal groups, who said choosing such an outspoken opponent of gay marriage was tantamount to endorsing bigotry.
The 54-year-old pastor and founder of Saddleback Church in Southern California told the crowd of 500 that it's unrealistic to expect everyone to agree on everything all the time.
"You don't have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand," said Warren.
Eye to eye? Obama is the only Illinois state senator to have voted against a measure that would have allowed medical professionals to save the life of an infant who inconveniently survived an abortion. And who referred to unwanted pregnancy as punishment.
On the other side, the Conservative Right has expressed disappointment and dismay at Warren's inauguration involvement.
Pastor Rick Warren is being used in a shameless political maneuver by Obama, a politician noted for his masterful art of window dressing to dupe Americans into seeing whatever Obama wants them to. The politically slick Obama team knew exactly what it was doing when it invited the most popular pastor to stand beside him on January 20th. Do we believe for a moment that Rev. Billy Graham or Rev. Jerry Falwell would have been so flattered they'd have accepted?
We are getting quite a glimpse at the size of Warren's ego. What does Warren hope to gain by this? Did allure (to give the invocation) overpower principle?
It has sent shockwaves. The Left is furious. I've read their blog comments -- they are absolutely screwed into the ceiling vitriolic toward Obama. Even more shocked and angered than the Conservative Right is toward Warren. The heat Pastor Rick is feeling from Christian Conservatives is deserved. You really have to wonder about his convictions, his street smarts, his own political instincts.
This can only hurt Warren's credibility as a spiritual leader. And perhaps turn away many who disappointedly conclude that their pastor's ego has overtaken his humility, wisdom and common sense. Maybe he's calculated that it's worth the risk to his reputation as a man of God. A man of The Word. If this is an example of Pastor Rick Warren's "purpose driven life", it's unfortunate. What is the purpose to his ministry? His life?
Has he traded his devotion from one messiah to another? In Warren's own words... Obama's Abortion Answer Not Clear Enough
*** Other opinions... It's the religious who should be outraged...
Obama refuses to buckle under pressure
Why is Obama's evil in Rick Warren's pulpit?
You were saying...
“You don’t have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand,” said Warren.
The Bible say that unless two be in agreement they cannot walk together. Also sounds like common sense. If you do not have the same goals in mind you cannot travel the same route.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.