Rick Warren disciples: Where are you?

WorldNetDaily ^ | November 21, 2006 | Joseph Farah

[TommyDale]

Millions and millions of people have purchased his books.

His California church attracts thousands every Sunday.

He seems to be the go-to guy whenever the establishment, ultra-secular press wants to quote an evangelical leader they like.

I'm talking about Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and the pastor of the Saddleback Church.

Ever since I first pointed out the way he betrayed the persecuted church and our Jewish brothers and sisters living in captivity in the totalitarian police state of Syria, I have been expecting to get blasted.

Millions and millions of people have purchased his books.

His California church attracts thousands every Sunday.

He seems to be the go-to guy whenever the establishment, ultra-secular press wants to quote an evangelical leader they like.

I'm talking about Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and the pastor of the Saddleback Church.

Ever since I first pointed out the way he betrayed the persecuted church and our Jewish brothers and sisters living in captivity in the totalitarian police state of Syria, I have been expecting to get blasted.

I thought for sure I would hear from these millions of well-educated, well-informed, biblically astute purpose-driven disciples.

It has been six days. God created the whole universe in that amount of time. And, so far, I haven't heard one cogent argument, apologia or rationalization for Warren's actions by any of his flock.

I'm told he's got one of the best PR machines money can buy. He sure is not getting his money's worth.

On the other hand, I can tell you hundreds of thousands of people are reading my critiques of his misadventures in misguided foreign policy. We can actually count those readers on WND. And they are being spread far and wide in a viral way by e-mailers and bloggers.

Is the strategy now to ignore Farah?

Is the strategy to pretend WND doesn't exist?

Is the strategy to ignore the hard facts presented here about what Rick Warren said and did in Syria and hope the controversy blows over?

I've got news for you. It's not going to blow over. I won't let it.

I demand an apology from Rick Warren – not to me, for heaven's sake, but to Christians in Syria who choose to worship outside the state-approved churches he toured. I demand an apology to the Jews who suffer the humiliating life of dhimmitude in Syria today while Rick Warren tells the world they don't exist.

This is a world I know something about.

It was just about a year ago that my Jerusalem bureau chief, Aaron Klein, was prevented from entering Syria for one reason – he's Jewish!

Funny, I don't remember Rick Warren protesting that action – minor, really, compared to the indignities Jews in Syria live with daily, but well-publicized nonetheless.

Perhaps Rick Warren hasn't seen the Syrian TV show – a big hit in Damascus – that renews the blood libel direct from "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," entertaining millions with a graphic story of a rabbi who slits the throat of a young Christian boy so he can use it to prepare the Passover motzah.

Perhaps Rick Warren hasn't noticed that the Syrian government has published an updated version of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," an anti-Semitic story that claims Jews run the world by proxy.

Perhaps Rick Warren is not aware of hundreds of years of genocidal pogroms that have taken place in Syria at the expense of the Jews.

But of course he must know about all these things, because he says he's an avid reader of my column and an expert on the Middle East because of his membership in the Council on Foreign Relations.

Rick Warren thinks it is commendable that Syria has opened its arms to Christians fleeing Iraq. What he doesn't know or doesn't say is that many of those Christians fleeing Iraq are fleeing bullets and bombs and terrorists that have entered Iraq through Syria. He also doesn't explain President Bashar Assad's penchant for keeping his friends close and his enemies closer.

I'm not going to let this matter slide. Not me. Not this Syrian-Lebanese-American Christian journalist. If Rick Warren thinks dialogue with everyone is so great – let the dialogue begin right here. The persecuted church in Syria can't speak for itself. But I will stand with them in answering Rick Warren's lies about their tormentors.

[ShandaLear]

Christians have everthing they need to for a more intimate relationship with God already.

It's a fad, another one will come along after that. And then another.

[Halls]

i didn't read either, but I know many who read Jabez and they loved it. I know my father and mother both read the Purpose Driven Life and loved it when it came out, but have never been followers of Warren. In fact now they stay away from Warren as they have learned more about him. But don't judge people because they bought books and read them.

[Quix]

Excellent points.

[exit82]

Sorry, you just can't be perfect.

Cause I am. /sarc/

[SoFloFreeper]

...Kennedy and Sproul were signatories to a screed against the state of Israel in 2002...

Can you provide more details?

[Quix]

Christians have everthing they need to for a more intimate relationship with God already.
= = =

Is that a non sequitur or just a silly notion?

If that were true in the sense it seems to be meant in . . .

then . . .

BURN ALL THE CHRISTIAN VIDEOS AND SERMON TAPES. BURN ALL THE CHRISTIAN BOOKS. BURN ALL THE FLANNEL GRAPH ILLUSTRATIONS. BURN ALL THE CHRISTIAN MOVIES. TAR AND FEATHER ANY PREACHER WHO DOES ANYTHING BEYOND READING SCRIPTURE VERBATIM AND ONLY. CANCEL ALL RELIGIOUS RADIO AND TV PROGRAMMING. BURN ALL THE CHRISTIAN CD'S. . . .

sigh.

[safisoft]

Of course, if posters want to do better than Rick, I'd be happy to compare their results with his.

What is the measurement of "results"? Like the world, that only knows numbers of "satisfied customers" or like Messiah, Whom the crowd abandoned?

The measurement of success is not "I brought millions..." It is, "By Your grace, I obeyed."

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Not everyone who says to Me, 'L-rd, L-rd' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'L-rd, L-rd, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" Matthew 7:13-15; 21-23

G-d doesn't want "big" - He wants "clean."

[wayne_b24]

try www.freekoran.com
you'll be amazed.
you need to be acquainted with the enemy's thinking...

[Gamecock]

Or even Rod Rosenbladt (LCMS guy, let's not forget our Lutheran FRiends)

[TommyDale]

But Rick Warren has brought an "easy" version of the Gospel that doesn't require much effort. He MUST be getting better results! /sarcasm

[Tijeras_Slim]

Is the strategy now to ignore Farah?

Works for me.

[zerosix]

"We have "the Purpose Driven Life." And we also have "The Jabez Prayer." It shows how far Christianity has fallen. That 'christians' would even read such crap, much less purchase it.

These "Christians" were never educated in the Word, unfortunately. They are likely "seekers" floating around in Christian churches.

If they have truly been saved and are seeking to expand from "infants in Christ" to "mature Christians" then it is the role of mature Christians to educate them in true Christianity found only in the scriptures.

If they are looking for Christianity "lite" (not genuine faith but a shallow substitute that makes them "feel good" about themselves - mostly about continuing to live in sin) then it is the duty of mature Christians to attempt to reach them, show them the way to "Grow in Christ" and help move from their substitute version of Christianity to the "real deal."

Unfortunately, I felt the same thing about that lady who was kidnapped by the escaped murderer, did drugs with him, then read to him from the "Purpose Driven Life" and helped him to surrender. Poor ignorant souls never to have been given the truth about the Saving Grace of the Son.

[tutstar]

I just got this....

ANTI-SYRIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER PIERRE GEMAYEL HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED IN LEBANON

**Watch FOX News Channel or go to http://foxnews.com for more

[tutstar]

bump!!

[TommyDale]

But Warren says the Christians are treated well! /sarc

[tutstar]

ping...

[safisoft]

Here is the 2002 letter, signed by many in the reformed movement.

The Wittenberg Door

Although to some it may sound like harmless theological points, on its practical level it is decidedly against the State of Israel, and "pro-palestinian." As such it serves as context for the Presbyterian divestiture of all finanical ties with Israel.

On the theological side, when compared with the anti-Semitic rants of the ante-Nicean writers like Justin Martyr, Marcion, Chrystosom, Origen, and Augustine it is quite sinister. It is simply a toned down variation of Martin Luther's "On the Jews" letter.

[Sue Perkick]

It does. But the events of the last several days has made it difficult to defend. He praised people who terrorize Christians. The video was yanked when word got out. A gay rights, pro abortion (including partial birth abortion) activist senator will be speaking at his church as well as his involvement in CFR all at once may be too much to defend. But his true colors are coming out. Hopefully more will see it.

[Osage Orange]

Did you mean drivel....or dribble?

[Sue Perkick]

What else could you need? I mean the last thing we need is another Bible study. /sarc