Rick Warren To Pray

Rick Warren has been asked to give the invocation at Obama’s inauguration and that’s got some folks’ underwear in a collective bunch. Warren was pro-Prop 8 and some on the left see Obama’s reaching out to him as a slap in the face.

Jane from Firedoglake compared inviting him to inviting the Grand Wizard of the KKK and called him a hate monger and a homophobe. Now I posted about name calling recently and this is a classic example.

One thing that interests me, she says that if Obama really wants to preach inclusiveness then why not have someone up there that represents inclusiveness. The answer? Obama does. His name? Barack Obama. Inclusiveness doesn’t mean surrounding yourself with people that agree with you on every issue. You don’t need to include actual “hate mongers” or despots in your cabinet or on your team to be inclusive, but at the same time you don’t need to vilify those you disagree with either. We need to have the proverbial “big tent.”

Lee Strahan says it best in his post.

I don’t understand how anyone who listened to Obama during the campaign would be shocked that Obama lets Warren give the invocation. It’s vintage Obama. It does not signal agreement with Warren’s political positions, some of which are clearly at odds with Obama’s. Warren isn’t making policy or even giving a sermon., He’s saying a prayer and then possibly dancing later at some inaugural parties. If anything, it’s the possibility of this dancing that should be deeply troubling to all Americans.

So, if this has you upset then I think you need to reconsider how important this really is in the scheme of things. Get your priorities in order. Don’t worry, Obama is a liberal. He will be a liberal president. He may not jump through every hoop you set up for him. In fact I hope he doesn’t. He does seem like a guy who will try to do what he said he was going to do and so far I think he has. When he does something really stupid like pre-emptively starting a war with another country or okays the bugging of American’s phones without a court order, we’ll talk.

Oh and when you compare just about anyone to Hitler or a Klan member, you lose the argument automatically.

  • http://www.thejadedvisalian.com Scott is Hitler

    I wish to distance myself from Warren.

  • Big C

    Well said Scott, Well said indeed.

  • http://sidfaiwu.com/blog sidfaiwu

    I agree completely, Scott. Oh, and you’re Hitler. Since I lose the argument and I agree with you, does that mean you are wrong as well? }:-)

  • Scott

    Thanks Big C!

    No Sid that would be guilt by association which is wrong too. I think.

  • http://www.agcpodcast.info magstheaxe

    Very well put, Scott.

    Ultimately, this is just a showy political move. The long term benefit of Obama using Warren and those like him to peel away moderate and liberal evangelicals from the clutches of the neo-conversatives far outweighs the short term benefit of kicking Warren et al. to the curb. In fact, I’ve just about decided that the screaming being done by LGBT rights-supporters is all part of Obama’s cunning plan to doubters to his side. Right now, some people are probably thinking, “Hm, he’s willing to piss off his supporters for what he believes–maybe all that talk about unity and listening to people you disagree with isn’t b.s. after all.” And once those folks listen, then just maybe they can be made to see sense.

  • Scott

    Thanks Mags. I’d like to think it wasn’t political and that Obama is somehow different, but he’s a politician as much as any of them. Hopefully he’s one of the good ones and uses those wiles for the good of us all.

  • http://rhodester.net RhodesTer

    Nicely put, Spiritual Scamp.

  • Kansas Bob

    I liked Obama’s response where he said that Warren invited him to speak at his church. I remember many Christians were upset with Warren when he did that. Guess it is just human nature to find fault when leaders don’t act the way you want them to.

    I think that Obama will not govern as a liberal.. for sure he will be left of center.. but not that far left of center.. but I could be wrong.

  • http://darwen.us/southcon Darrell

    Agreed on the Hitler/KKK comparisons. I’ve done that myself, too. It’s just so easy to do. It seems like one of the biggest effects of internet culture is that those allegations have started to become second nature to many of us these days, no matter what the dispute is about:
    “Which one of you FASCISTS finished the Coacoa Puffs??”
    And just a quick OT comment to say Merry Christmas to you and yours.

  • Scott

    @ Rhodester – Thanks Davearino.
    @ KB – I guess liberal is in the eyes of the beholder. I hope he’ll be as moderate as I am, which is liberal by some standards.
    @Darrell – It is easy to do. I’m sure I’ve vilified my enemies a time or two.
    And Merry Christmas to all of you!

  • http://www.thejadedvisalian.com Scott is Hitler

    I wish to distance myself from Warren.

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