Posted on 11/21/2006 5:49:44 AM PST by 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.
If you want some 'earth shattering' pointers...
Read the Book of Acts and walk *that* out.
That's the point.
Thanks for posting.Looks interesting - have you ever heard of Khazars ?
You had no problem with his attitude that if people didn't like the changes that they could leave? The music chapter alone was enough for me to be angered. His attitude was "Shove it down their throats, and if they don't like it, too bad."
Hehehe....
Both can be costly....
I'm sorry if I insinuated that you are a self righteous judgemental heretic. I bet you win a lot of souls by condemming certain books aimed at encouraging new or pre Christians in their walk. Your "read the Bible or nothing" probably is well accepted in your small circle but could be considered pompous in an open forum. I ask your forgiveness for being amazing. I'll try harder GD........
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=modern+american+christianity&hl=en
these video sermons are Not for those who want ear tickling fluffy puffy stuff...
LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE! It brings eternity and the true faith of Christ into our view. A very pointed sermon that cuts through the overlay of false profession in the Church. Paul Washer humbly yet with boldness speaks forth as the Oracles of God to a crowd of 5000 baptist youth. Would be to God that more would speeak with a clear conscience of true Christian virtue and repentance.
Rather, in the absence of such a special mandate, the Israeli-Palestinian dispute should be judged on the same merits as any other conflict. For many Reformed Christians (and others who reject Christian Zionism), this approach still results in strong support for Israel, as a non-aggressive, liberal democracy constantly coming under attack from Muslim terrorists.
Christian Zionism is rooted in errant theology, but that doesn't we have to support Palestinian terrorism.
OK, let's change the word "some" to "a couple."
Christians are not to criticize non-believers but to love them and show them the Way - but to those among us who are, or at least claim to be Chrisians yet lead others the wrong way toward perdition, ("But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea." Mark 9:42)
I will go along with that. "The Purpose Driven Church" has caused many, many churches to become divided and even driving thousands of long-time members to leave and find a place of worship elsewhere. It is totally unnecessary to force change on members.
these video sermons are Not for those who want ear tickling fluffy puffy stuff...
Wouldn't that be subject to where you are in your walk?
actually its this type of church and charismania i have been in for 17 yrs .. Thats all i will say for now... :)
Warren's lemmings, I mean, followers, are not allowed to criticize the Dear Leader, I mean, pastor. They would be breaking Item 1 of the Saddleback membership covenant, which is a requirement for joining his cult, I mean, church.
http://www.baptistpress.com/bpfeature.asp?ID=676%20
Been there done that ' DONT WANT IT ANYMORE.... !
Thank you for making that point. This is often overlooked, or even denied by his lemmings, I mean followers. :-)
It is, "By Your grace, I obeyed."
G-d doesn't want "big" - He wants "clean."
= = = =
I praise God for the millions who are obeying God for the first time as well as those who are obeying God increasingly faithfully in more and more areas of their lives because of
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE as well as Rick's other ministries.
Thankfully, they are also cooperating with
CHRIST'S CLEANSING process.
I didn't read the book that way.
I found it as challenging as a lot of Godly exhortations.
Of course, compared to a lot of Calvinist milk about Salvation at the local Baptist Church, it might . . . be so challenging as to need to be mentlaly watered down and rationalized away immediately for less cognative dissonance or comfort or some such.
They are asleep in the light.
How sad that we have not yet "learned Christ."
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