Rick Warren has led a charmed existence to date.

IMO.

Warren appears to never have been challenged on his support for the Bush administration -- a very muscular support at that -- versus his purported belief in the tenets of the ministry of Jesus.

It seems to me that most high schoolers would detect a derangement between living one's life in the path of a humble first-century itinerant Jew and vigorous support for a man who bombs to smithereens defenseless populations.

I'm not just doing the deep-blue partisan knee-jerk thing; I'm saying that if Warren is truly Christian, he's either operating with one of the biggest blindspots in human psychiatric history or he's an asshole outright. I lean toward the latter theory.

Bill Moyers should interview Rick Warren, if Warren has the cajones to show up for such an interview. My assumption is that Warren is smarter than his congregation at Saddleback but he's not smarter than Bill Moyers.

If you take away the muscular budget of Warren's mega-church it seems to me that what you have left is just a very shrewd but intellectually dishonest and spiritually corrupt flunkie. A narrow-minded charlatan with a fat wallet. I look at Warren, I listen to what he's said, and I do not see or hear the tenets of Jesus anywhere present in him.

Yesterday I emailed the Obama transition team to express my sharp disappointment with the choice of Warren for the invocation at the Inaugural and urge others who have similar misgivings to do the same.

But what do I know? I'm not a part of the "purpose-driven" bullshit machine.

and of course it rocketed thru the fundie nutbag community at the speed of light.

So I give him creds on being shrewd, but subtract from his notion that he's "Christian." I think your phrase, "disingenous opportunist," is perfect for Warren. It smacks him in the face, and properly so.

:-)

I really think we should try and get him to rescind the invite.

Inaugural platform, in heavy winter garb, freezing their tushes off in the January wind.

But the choice of Warren is jarring. At least to me.

phony sack of shit and a media whore yesterday. Can I get any props for that? I realize it's not as intellectually literate as "disingenuous opportunist" but it's just what came to mind on the fly. lol

and 'media whore' sure works for me.

Warren is a ringmaster, a center-ring ego walking around. I note his bearing and his use of 'force' in the psychological sense.

This guy is, as you say, a media whore. He's very keenly aware of how to play the camera. He knows which buttons to push and when.

transition team? I have googled but cant find it - thanks

http://www.change.gov/page/s/contact


Thanks.

He must have known it would be controversial. I think it's simply the inclusive thing. He is trying keep his campaign promise of reaching out to those who disagree with him and find common ground. Warren is clearly a bigot on some issues but he does do good work for the poor, needy and the HIV/AIDS crisis. I think more good than bad can result from this. IMO.

I think you are exactly right that the Obama team knew this was not going to go over smoothly among progressives, and in going ahead with it anyway, there remains a chance that they know what they're doing and I certainly do not know what they're doing.

I was reluctant to darken the door with a negative response to a campaign team which has been so right and so sure-footed to date, but Warren to me is a drunk at a Tupperware party. I can't find a rationale for his out-sized ego coupled with his obvious public affiliation with right-wing issues.

He has been right so many times before. But nevertheless it's good to voice your opinion. That too can help.

the "no red states/no blue states/but the United States" theme should have prevailed.

An ecumenical panel would have represented more without sparking so much division.

Anyway, Warren himself is as much a problem for me as what he has said and done publicly. I tolerate Billy Graham because he seems like an old lawn mower out in the back yard shed. It's taking up room but too much trouble to haul to the dump.

With Warren, it's more of an intrusion. I'm repelled by his gigantic ego at the center of his mega-church, and I'm repelled by mega-churches to start with.

I wish Obama would speak out on this so we could understand his thinking.

Having played a big (though only ceremonial) part in the Obama inauguration, future criticisms from Warren will not have as much power.

--IMM

Honestly had not considered it from that angle.

In my deep blood and bones I think Obama knows more about Christianity than Warren does. I think Warren is a shrewd businessman but Obama is a master politician.

you "dance with the one that brung ya." Our Dem leaders seem to figure we progressives have nowhere else to go, so we have to put up with it while they kiss bigoted RW fundie ass. The Republicans suck up to their base--and the Democrats suck up to the Republicans' base, too.

I am disappointed that Obama would go that route.

Dear Transition Team,

As an Obama financial contributor (albeit a small one) and one who canvassed for him and cheered his victory, I wanted to express my
surprise and disgust that an anti-gay right-to-lifer has been selected to give an invocation at the Inaugural.
Pastor Rick Warren is an extraordinarily poor choice for this key moment in history and I beg you to reconsider this decision.

Nicely done.

and who's sending them.

Dear Team Obama:

A preacher from a small Southern church, perhaps in a Parish of New Orleans, or a minister from a struggling inter-city congregation, or any of a million clerical voices to choose from...and for the most auspicious of all invocations....the honor is given to a commercial huckster who poses as a man of the cloth? His avid anti-gay and public pro Bush's war stances should have been enough to pass him over.

What were you thinking? Or better yet, what are you thinking? And will those of us who wonder, ever know?

I'm not surprised that you came up with such forceful points (New Orleans, etc.), but I am delighted.

"Commercial huckster" indeed.

Bravo.

That was a class thing to do. :)

Religion, politics and money are a bad mix.

I'd say he's an asshole.

please keep sending my ministry cash and i'll keep on preaching about the wedge issues that are your red meat.

Warren being there is just so unnecessary imo.

It's like fingernails on a blackboard to me. It's cojones. Please spread the word.

Sorry. I usually ignore such things, but this has always bugged me. Last night I saw it several times in a row on several different blogs and message boards, and I have been counting since then. I had reached 28 "cajones" to one "cojones" when I read your post. Now its 29:1.

(Alternatively, of course, everyone could just say "balls." That's easier to spell.)

On the other hand, the OP is an excellent comment, so K&R.

kahonies for correcting me.

:thumbsup: :hi:

...even Obama.

to his chest so far on religion, meaning that he has a very strong command of the New Testament.

Warren knows how to market "Christianity," at least his version of it. He's been prtty successful at that marketing. So I give him 'shrewd,' but not 'intelligent.'

I hunch that Obama is as able to command the NT as anybody. I have no proof, really, it's just a hunch. But I think if he were a wuss he wouldn't think to invite a successful marketer/con man like Warren.

Of course I distrusted Warren before already, so I'm not covering any new ground, only saying that Warren the Marketer may find himself on a stage with someone who knows his faith better than he does.

I'd pay some serious to hear a private exchange between Obama and Warren.

...the same way ministers use politics as a religious tool ~ which is no big deal for me, as long as it's not on inaguration day, which should be a wonderful celebration for ALL those who worked to get him elected.