Even superstar evangelical author and pastor Rick Warren wasn’t pure enough for some anti-abortion groups, which turned on him for — horror of horrors — inviting Sen. Barak Obama, D-Ill., to speak at an AIDS conference at his Saddleback Valley Community Church last Friday. But by not backing down, Warren helped American politics take an important turn, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne argued. "Warren speaks for a new generation of evangelicals who think that harnessing religious faith too closely to electoral politics is bad for religion, and who are broadening the evangelical public agenda to include a concern for global poverty and the scourge of AIDS," Dionne wrote. And he concluded that the standing ovation Obama received "suggests that Warren is right to sense that growing numbers of Christians are tired of narrowly partisan politics."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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49 Comments
It’s good to know that more and more Christian leaders are saying no to the domestic terrorist group Operation Rescue and their anti-American, theocratic allies.
Daily Show last night had on an Episcopalian pastor who wrote for separation of church and state, and made some excellent points on why religion and government don’t mix well. Maybe the right wing evangelicals are finally getting the message?
Are you listening Terry Fox?
As long as Senator Obama was not invited to speak from the pulpit to further his antichristian views, I believe that Pastor Warren had every right to invite him to the conference. Maybe spending time with some men of God will be good for him.
I do wonder why we are called terrorists and antiamerican when Christians are the ones who care the most and give the most to help others. It would be very hypocritical of us to have the answer to people’s problems and not want to share it with them. Yes, we have a narrow view. God said that the way is narrow, we just are repeating what He said.
Dale, I am surpise to read what you wrote and I know that a mirror does not see itself. If christianity is what you all claimed and using scripture to enhance your narrow ideology, I see that the the so-call religious right have a long way to go. How can you judge others and how do you know what the will of GOD is? You have not sit down and remove the log from your own eyes and trying to judge other people. It will be hard to follow the doctrine learning from people like you. Remember you and your movement are not the only one that give. There are a lot of silent giver in our society today. There are alot of people that are not affiliated with the so-call moral majority but are christians and non christians that do alot of goodwill in America today and not the so-called pharisees that had rose up to derail the country’s legislative agenda. Please think again and people like me will not worship with with people like you if GOD will revil your ideology to me. Thank our founding fathers for including the freedom to worship in our bill of right.
Bible based Christians look at things thus:Jesus is coming and when He does, He will take to Heaven those who believe in Him. All others don’t get to go. They look at it like there is a train coming straight at you and all they want to do is help get you out of the way, so you won’t get hurt (not go to Heaven). I don’t roll that way, but, the way I read the Bible, there is not another interpretation.
Dale – just how is Obama anti-Christian? Perhaps he doesn’t support the kind of Taliban you support and supports freedom instead?
Isn’t just a bit arrogant to believe the a certain faith (Evangelical Christians) are the ONLY ones that know the ‘narrow way’?
I have a hard time understanding that if God really only loves his Evangelical Christians – couldn’t God had picked better people?
I thought God had more discretion than that.
sunny-You thought wrong.
I see the smear campaign by the Evangelical Christians has already started against Barack Obama. Obama must be very intimidating to them and they know that Obama is becoming more and more popular among the voters because he makes sense. The Evangelicals are losing political power and they don’t like it.
If you thought they were mean before – just wait folks. There is nothing meaner than a bunch of phoney church people fighting in the name of their phoney God.
Why would Osama Obama (as Ted Kennedy called him. LOL) be threatening to anyone. What are his skills? What experience does he have? He is a great speaker, talking with a silver tongue but with no substance. He is charismatic, capturing the hearts and emotions of liberals but has no plan. He is the media-darling, getting front page coverage of MSM but who else excites the Democratic party?
You would have thought the last two elections would teach us to be a better informed electorate, but I guess we are going to still vote with our hearts and not our minds.
blah blah blah blah blah blah and more blah.
Evangelicals will be judged for their misguided interpretations of the Christian Bible.
But in the end God forgives all who will admit their guilt.
– Your local Jewish friendly guy, Erik
Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”It’s pretty clear.
Several presidents have had no skills but did possess the silver tongue charm. So what is your point?
George W. Bush had no leadership skills did he? He was only a governor in a state where the Bush name runs everything – what accomplishment was that?
Ronald Reagan was a movie actor (the perfected silver tongue) and yet he bumbled his way through two terms of being president. What were his skills? Running up the high deficit, slashing all social programs in sight and yet managing to keep his rich buddies rolling in their green dough.
So when you ask about Obama’s skills – you might want to think back. and not with rose-colored glasses, to the presidents we have had.
Barack Obama could not be any worse and possibly could be much better than we have had. At least he makes common sense, which is probably why he scares the hell out of the Republicans.
And Jesus said that in the Bible which has been translated how manyh times? It is only true if you believe it to be true.
Off topic Erik – how well do you know your calendar? Does it purportedly start in “year 1″ at creation?
Just curious … my Jewish lawyer didn’t pay much attention in religious ed.
;^)
Re: hmm…
A good source of information is http://www.jewfaq.org
It is written by a conservative Jewish woman, but it reflects the orthodox views first.. And then she adds in the conservative and reform followings.
Re: fleettwood
Wake up call buddy.. Judaism does not reflect Jesus’ views..
What you say is, possibly, true for Christians.. But applies to no other religious faith..
God will judge those by their actions and ability to admit guilt
Jesus has nothing whatsoever to do with it for the Jewish faith.
Oh also, as i’m so famous for saying.
That guys picture scares me.
Jesus has nothing whatsoever to do with it for the Jewish faith.
Posted by: Erik | December 06, 2006 at 09:16 AM
Except that He was propheised by how many?And when He finally came a narrow few (afraid of losing power – sound at all familiar?) had him killed?But this was all propheised as well. Lived to die. You know the story.
Thanks Erik. By the way, I don’t think fleettwood’s views represent all Christians either. (I suspect there are many Jews who would reject the teachings of Rabbi Meir Kahane too)
Amazing. A Roman emporer, Flavius Valerius Constantinus (commonly referred to as Constantine) assembled a group in 325 AD, the Council Of Nicaea, and put together the what is now commonly accepted Christian practices.
About 2,000 years later, people worship those edicts from a nameless council and claim that only the followers of this particular sect will get “eternal reward”, and everyone else is “wrong”.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
For one, they are not my views. I’m an agnostic. But, that is what the Bible says. Admitting guilt is all well and good, but to my interpretation, it’s not good enough.And Erik- of course it doesn’t reflect any other religion, duh. It’s a Christian Bible.
Very interesting interpretation of the age of the universe …
http://aish.com/societywork/sciencenature/Age_of_the_Universe.asp
“After 3000 years of arguing, science has come to agree with the Torah.”
How long is a ‘day’ … ‘evening and morning’ … ?
Thanks again Erik.
sunny,You mean like Presidents who were Governors? Who were Generals? Who ran successful businesses? Things like that?
Note my comment that we did not learn from the last two elections? Not really a favorable comment about Bush, now is it? Ready your blah blah blah is a perfect example of why Washington is full of self-serving elitist. With voters like you, who needs to worry about facts, figures and perspective. Just look pretty and say what the electorate wants to hear.
Erik, a big thanks from this corner for the first link, and to hmmm for the second link. Truly makes one think; and, perhaps now I can start to understand what the Rabbi was trying to say to us in Judaism class lo these many years ago at KU.
The religious bigotry of the left is what is absolutely stunning. Every time I read one of these blogs and see the manner in which people of faith are discussed i can’ help but think back to the days of the Klan or the early years of the Third Reich it’s absolutely frightening to see where this country is headed.
Narrow minded, authoritarian, bigoted – leftist, find your own mirror.
“the days of the Klan”
Every Klavern had it’s Protestant Chaplain.
One funny thing that shows how insane Brownback is was when Brownback welcomed Obama at the event. Brownback welcomed Obama to “my house.” Brownback thinks he’s god and churches are houses of worship devoted to him.
Fanee
Yes, I am thankful for the freedoms that we have. Even God believes in freedom. He doesn’t make us do anything, He believes in choice. God says ‘whosoever’ believes on His only begotten Son shall not perish, but have everlasting life. God lets you choose what you want to believe. As for me and my house, we choose to believe what God said. ‘For by grace are you saved and not of yourself, it is a gift of God. Not of works that no man may boast.’ (Eph 2:8-9) I certainly am not good enough to be saved. But, God said that I didn’t have to be good enough, just forgiven. Why are we accused of hating others when we want to help them to understand how to have eternal life?
Come on Not-so-gentle Ben, Oh poor us christians, the mean old left is picking on us again horse left the stable years ago.
You aren’t victims. The left isn’t picking on you.
Dennis: What blog have you been reading? It is absolutely the number two most favorite thing to do here at WE Leftyblog; right behind bashing the prez.
As a Christian, I don’t take it personally because I consider the limitations of the source(s).
I am sick and tired of hearing about how persecuted these Evangelical Christians are. Give me a break. They have been running the show in the GOP and they also got their butts beat in the last election.
No one wants to hear your tantrums and whining. Maybe if you would act like real Christians, the rest of America would listen to your point of view. Instead, you let your false prophets like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Ted Haggard do the talking for you.
Your side has shown nothing but hate-filled rhetoric and you expect everyone else to bow down just because you throw out the name God?
You do not have the monopoly on christianity nor God.
But keep up your current tactics and your side will never see the inside of power again – thank the real God.
I’m so irritated that these born againers who think they know what is best for me and my life and everyone else’s lives. Heaven forbid I make my own decisions.
I’m sick of them treating all of us who don’t subscribe to their idea of God, like we need an intervention- here’s a news flash for you. We think YOU’RE the ones who are delusional. We see YOU as living your lives by the words of a fairy tale.
I am glad that Dale do know that GOD believes in freedom. Then the so-call moral majority or envagelical christian like Dale need to understand that the scripture read “come as you are” don’t force people to follow Christ on your term. Let people see your good work and glorify the father who is in heaven, not in your pupit. I think it is time for these people to short up and become fishers of men. Stay out of politic, religion and politics don’t mix. Pray – If my people who are called by my name will pray and turn away from their wicked way will I (The Lord) heal the land.
How can the evangelical way be the ‘narrow’ way, when most of Christians are evangelicals?
Leads me to believe the ones who are the majority should be re-thinking their religion- for God was referring to you- that goes for the rich as well.
I love how the right portrays liberals as ‘elitists’ constantly. How ironic then that the base of the Republican Party thinks that they, and only they who follow the bizarre and completely political version of evangelical Christianity, are good Christians who will get into heaven. If that’s not arrogant elitism, I don’t know what is. Unfortunately, since most of them don’t have two critical brain cells to rub together, they don’t see the hypocrisy.
Cognitive dissonance: an everyday fact of life for right-wing psychos.
Dale, the Bible also says in Isaiah “Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess to God…” Some people interpret this as saying everyone will eventually come to Christ and be saved. There are some sects of Christianity who think that salvation is possible after death; the pain and agony of “hell” is purifying and causes sincere repentence…and when that happens, when the sinner is ready, he will join God.
Now, how do you know THAT interpretation isn’t correct and yours wrong? The truth is, you don’t. I don’t. None of us know for certain. All you can do is trust that God’s judgement is always fair and just, and live out your life, rather than fancying yourself saving people from an oncoming train.Don’t you have enough to worry about with your salvation? Why are you peering over at the guy next to you? Let your actions testify to your faith.
“All you can do is trust that God’s judgement is always fair and just,…”
What could be more just or more fair that getting fair warning?John 3:16 is considered the fair warning.
PROOF OF GOD’S EXISTENCE:http://atheistdelusion.cf.huffingtonpost.com/
Thanks, Tracy. Reminiscent of “debates” I’ve had in the past.
Jesus also warned about adultery but doesn’t stop those phoney church people from running the church.
Tara
1 John 5:13Romans 10:9-10 and other scriptures tell me that my salvation is secure. Jesus paid the price for my sin. There is nothing left fo me to do. As Paul said, “I am chief of sinners’, but I repented and trusted what Jesus did on the cross for me. I’m afraid that a lot of knees will bow after it is too late. James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. They acknowledge God, but there is no hope for them. A lot of people beleive that there is a god, but have not scriptually accepted His terms (bend the knee before Jesus). I’m afraid they will suffer the same fate.
This is one of my favorites.
Ezekiel 23:19-20 NET
Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt. She lusted after their genitals – as large as those of donkeys, and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions.
Yeah, fleet, that stereotype about Africans having large wangs sure does go back a long time. How come the preachers don’t have sermons about well hung Egyptians? Well, Ted Haggard might have but not many others.
Who the fuck cares? The truth of the matter is nobody should give a flying fuck about this! The only thing that separates Barak Obama from any other politician is that he’s BLACK and he could become PRESIDENT! That is the ONLY FUCKING REASON the Liberals are wetting themselves! He sweet-talks just like any other politician, and everymotherfucker in this country eats it up!
Hey, whatever happened to Viva la Raza guy? What’s his opinion on all this?
Since Obama pisses off insane fundies like CrusaderX so much I’ll support his candidacy. It’ll also make the racist Republicans scream non-stop in anger that someone who is half Black will be in charge of the country.
The question is, will reichwingers foam in the mouth more over Obama than they did Howard Dean whose predictions about the Iraq occupation were proven correct? Or will they foam more about Hillary and the thought that a female could be in charge. They already went nuts about Pelosi. All we need is a half-Black female President then their heads will explode. Stupid bigots.
In Doug’s world all racists are Republicans and none are Democrats.Doug thinks I give a shit about Barak Obama… well all I can say is, I’m not the one who brought up “African wangs.” I guess that’s the real reason Doug and his liberal friends get their panties wet when they think of Barak Obama? They think “African wangs.”
Gahahahahahahaha!!!!
I still think Obama is too ‘green’ to be a viable candidate. Give him a few years to develop a ‘resume’ in office.