Rick Warren: Inaugural Invocation

[Subby]

Kind of tongue-in-cheek report from Gawker:

Bigot Pastor Will Pray At Inaugural

By Pareene,

6:20 PM on Wed Dec 17 2008, 4,911 views

Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor who's made himself palatable to liberals grossed out by most idiot bible-thumpers, will give the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration, proving that the President-elect is not the anti-christ, probably.

Giving the invocation at a presidential inauguration is already a stupid tradition, and Reverend Wright was maybe too much to hope for, but here we go with Rick "It's Not My Job to Tell the President Not to Torture People" Warren of that Saddleback Church, which, like all megachurches, sounds gay.

Warren is a largely inoffensive figure, except as yet one more in long and historic line of American Huckster Ministers, but he's still a right-wing crank in mainstream clothing, like Mike Huckabee. He was pro-Prop 8 for "free speech" reasons, which is a crock of misleading shit.

So the gays aren't thrilled about this. Obama better get an extra campy musical act to make it up to them.

Read More: Purpose-driven, Rick Warren, God, Religion, Barack Obama, The Gays

I've seen the Obama talking points on this and they make sense, to a degree. Still, the far left has to feel like they got ninja-punched in the nuts for their rabid support of the President-Elect.

[NoMyths]

Having seen this debate elsewhere: has there ever been this level of hyper-analysis for such a ridiculously minor consideration as the giver of an invocation? Or the hand-wringing over each cabinet appointment?

I'm trying to figure out whether it can possibly be intensified during the next election cycle. I mean, really -- the Pope could give the invocation and he'd get the same criticism. Although he'd have the side benefit of actually being newsworthy. It's a prayer, for heaven's sake.

Can we get a similar level of popular scrutiny fired up over Obama's pick for inaugural poet, since he's thankfully brought that tradition back? I mean, I had to decline due to a scheduling conflict, but still.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

I guess the left didn't believe Obama when he talked about representing both Red and Blue America.

[BrianD]

Or maybe he's not interested in representing either Red or Blue on this item but is representing himself. A man who goes to church asking God to watch over his work as President? The horror.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

I'm more referring to the reaction of liberal blogosphere that this is somehow a betrayal than anything about Obama himself.

[BrianD]

My reaction was pretty much for them as well. Being religious himself doesn't mean he can't provide for those that aren't.

[cuervo72]

These aren't unconstitutional yet?

[DaddyTorgo]

my nuts hurt

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

These aren't unconstitutional yet?

They will be if we elect that Muslim Obama guy.....oh, wait.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by NoMyths

Having seen this debate elsewhere: has there ever been this level of hyper-analysis for such a ridiculously minor consideration as the giver of an invocation? Or the hand-wringing over each cabinet appointment?

Amen. (or was that too religious?)

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs2

I'm more referring to the reaction of liberal blogosphere that this is somehow a betrayal than anything about Obama himself.

Well it has to suck when you realize that your President isn't as progressive as you thought he was going to be and really may end up just being another moderate. I think that all this Warren stuff is just held in anger over the Cabinet choices (which Progressives were being told not to judge until the President-elect had already taken off) until this was the last straw and it boiled over.

[molson]

I didn't realize Obama was perceived to be a champion of gay rights. Isn't he against gay marriage?

But aside from that, it's hilarious/sad that people get upset even if you loosely associate with people with different opinions than you. That's our world now.

Good for Obama to stay above the fray - involve people that represent a great deal of Americans, even if not necessarily yourself, or your craziest supporters.

[ISiddiqui]

Yes, the President-elect is against gay marriage... however I heard more than a few times people saying "oh, he's just saying that now, to get elected... wait until he actually gets into office". It must hurt now (then again I heard people saying this Warren thing is just politics too, and when in office, he'll show you).

[Flasch186]

this is awesome

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

I have a feeling that most likely Obama is more liberal on gays that he publicly puts out. I have no idea if he'll act on that. I think this is probably true of most Democrats in national office, tempering their personal thoughts to the political realites.

[DaddyTorgo]

i just question what % of America Rick Warren represents

[molson]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs2

I have a feeling that most likely Obama is more liberal on gays that he publicly puts out. I have no idea if he'll act on that. I think this is probably true of most Democrats in national office, tempering their personal thoughts to the political realites.

I don't doubt it, he's a politician, just like the rest of them

We forgive Democratic politicians for lying about their social views, but buy the "change" and "independence form oil" stuff hook-line-and-sinker.

[Flasch186]

LOL

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

But aside from that, it's hilarious/sad that people get upset even if you loosely associate with people with different opinions than you. That's our world now.

I think this is a different issue though. It would be sad if this was over a different opinion on how to handle the economy or something. This is a civil rights issue though, so it draws a lot more emotion.

[Chief Rum]

Going nuts over the giver of the invocation, as No Myths said, is stupid and going way overboard.

That said, I have also said this before, and I'll say it again here: we just went through eight years of rabid and constant criticism of Bush and the GOP every step of the way from the left.

For some reason, some on the left think this shouldn't happen to Obama, or that what they did for eight years was going to be ignored or forgotten by those who do not so readily agree with them, or who think Obama or leftist policies are not necessarily the answer for this country.

I certainly hope those who think so will come to recognize that what is going on now is nothing more than a repeat of what has been going on since 2000. Prepare for four years of it (at least).

[molson]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think this is a different issue though. It would be sad if this was over a different opinion on how to handle the economy or something. This is a civil rights issue though, so it draws a lot more emotion.

He's just saying a prayer though, he's not being appointed to the Supreme Court. And a good number of the people upset by this probably aren't Evangelicals anyway. And he's not a Nazi or anything.

Obama's done a pretty good job, post-election, of making his pending administration feel a little less like a cult, compared to his candidacy.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

He's just saying a prayer though, he's not being appointed to the Supreme Court. And a good number of the people upset by this probably aren't Evangelicals anyway. And he's not a Nazi or anything.

Obama's done a pretty good job, post-election, of making his pending administration feel a little less like a cult, compared to his candidacy.

Still, if a segregationist was saying a prayer at an inauguration in the 60's, none of us would be questioning why blacks would be upset.