Category: News Author : Duncan Riley Posted: December 18, 2008
Tags : invocation, obama, obama rick warren, rick warren, rick warren gay, rick warren prop 8, saddleback church
President-elect Barack Obama has defended his decision to invite Pastor Rick Warren, an opponent of gay marriage rights, to deliver the invocation at his Inauguration in January.
The choice of Warren has outraged GLBT, liberals and moderate religious leaders due to Warren’s role in supporting Proposition 8, and his anti-abortion stance.
At a Chicago press conference, Obama said he was a “fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans” but said it’s important for people who disagree on social issues to work together.
“We’re not going to agree on every single issue, but what we have to do is be able to create an atmosphere … where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans,” Obama said.
Warren’s more extreme views include a belief that abortion is on par with the Holocaust, that gay marriage is like incest, and that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other non-Christians are going to spend eternity burning in hell. Supporters note that he works on behalf of people with AIDS, the poor in Africa and global warming.
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Dec 18, 2008
I'm a pretty devout atheist, but I think Rick Warren is find. He delivered a TED Talk that was pretty good a few years back. Everyone needs to chill out.
Dec 18, 2008
Benjamin G is correct. Warren is a moderate by US standards. I don't agree with much he believes but many Americans do. Obama's job is to work with *everybody* including those who do not agree with you, me, or Obama. A good choice.
Dec 20, 2008
The selection ot Rick Warren will tarnish Obama's message of hope and change. Warren stands for so many of the things Obama supporters thought they were voting against by choosing change. Obama seems all too happy to throw so many of his supporters under the bus in the hopes of getting more evengelical votes come reelection time.
Jan 3, 2009
Why are people upset or surprised?? *New Flash* to all those who failed to watch the debates – Obama himself is an opponent of gay marriage rights as well.