Rick Warren
Doesn't really piss me off so much (re: Obama picking him to deliver the invocation at the pres. inauguration).
Why is that? It's consistent with Obama's continued outreach to the Evangelical community. But lots of lefties are sort of (or majorly) pissed so shouldn't I be too???
No. Part of holding progressive values is including people in the discussion I disagree with. Rick Warren is one of those people, and frankly he's better than most evangelical's in the public spotlight because he's not a jabbering gas bag of hell fire and brimstone. If people can disagree and still manage to be civil towards each other, or even participate in functions together that's not a BAD thing.
Are there more serious conservative theologians I would've liked to see? Yes.
Are there liberal theologians I would've liked to see? Duh.
Am I still waiting for a Buddhist Invocation? It'll happen when it happens.
The fact remains Rick Warren is not the devil anymore than the gay people he doesn't want to see married. Instead of doing what W. did these past eight years - shutting out the opposing side - I'm happy Obama is taking symbolic gestures like who leads a dopey "glad y'all could make it" prayer at the inauguration. We don't win by doing the same thing to the opposing team, we win by being better than they could ever hope to be.
So yeah, toss Rick Warren some table scraps - it's not like he's dictating policy.
Why is that? It's consistent with Obama's continued outreach to the Evangelical community. But lots of lefties are sort of (or majorly) pissed so shouldn't I be too???
No. Part of holding progressive values is including people in the discussion I disagree with. Rick Warren is one of those people, and frankly he's better than most evangelical's in the public spotlight because he's not a jabbering gas bag of hell fire and brimstone. If people can disagree and still manage to be civil towards each other, or even participate in functions together that's not a BAD thing.
Are there more serious conservative theologians I would've liked to see? Yes.
Are there liberal theologians I would've liked to see? Duh.
Am I still waiting for a Buddhist Invocation? It'll happen when it happens.
The fact remains Rick Warren is not the devil anymore than the gay people he doesn't want to see married. Instead of doing what W. did these past eight years - shutting out the opposing side - I'm happy Obama is taking symbolic gestures like who leads a dopey "glad y'all could make it" prayer at the inauguration. We don't win by doing the same thing to the opposing team, we win by being better than they could ever hope to be.
So yeah, toss Rick Warren some table scraps - it's not like he's dictating policy.