Rick Warren creepeth upon his belly
Wendy Kaminer has some thoughts on ‘vain and unctuous right-wing pastor Rick Warren’ (what an elegant way of putting it).
Obama justified appointing Warren as his inaugural invocator-in-chief as a gesture of inclusiveness. Warren’s own notion of inclusion has its limits, considering his belief that millions of his heretical fellow citizens are going to hell.
Quite, and that’s certainly one reason I find the man rebarbative.
[D]espite Warren’s extreme social and religious conservatism – reflected in his denouncement of stem cell research, reproductive choice and homosexuality, and his belief that only good Christians are bound for glory…- he is widely regarded as a moderate evangelical by the mainstream press and centrist intellectuals.
And that’s the problem – he defines rabid conservatism downwards. Religious lunacy has gotten so rancid and off the map here that a guy who believes in hell and the ‘sinfulness’ of homosexuality is seen as ‘moderate.’
Warren described God’s positions on social programmes and war as ‘debatable’ for ‘Bible-believing Christians’, but he singled out as ‘non-negotiable’ five issues that should determine the votes of good Christians: abortion rights, stem cell research, gay marriage, cloning, and assisted suicide. In a subsequent 2005 email exchange with Warren, I wondered why God was clear about his ‘non-negotiable’ positions on the Culture War but equivocal about war and social programmes: ‘Does God really care more about gay marriage than the obligation to alleviate human suffering?’, I asked. Not surprisingly, I received no response.
Just what I wonder.
How ridiculous – how pathetic. Stem-cell research, gay marriage, cloning are ‘non-negotiable’ and everything else is more trivial. What a tiny-minded man he must be if he really thinks those are the five worst crimes in the world.
We see a pattern here, don’t we – the Vatican thinks cracker-damage is more serious than genocide, Rick Warren thinks stem-cell research and gay marriage are among the worst things. These people have a hideously warped sense of morality – which is not new, but they do keep performing it in public…
Kaminer and Warren had a brief correspondence after she wrote a critical piece about him, in which she called his book ‘childish and platitudinous and questioned his commitment to religious pluralism and civil liberty for all.’
A few months later, on the occasion of Yom Kippur (which I do not observe), I received an email from Warren assuring me of his personal love and friendship, and seeking my forgiveness ‘for any ways that I may have ever unknowingly hurt you. Your article showed a lot of hurt by, and fearfulness of, what you think I represent … I want you to know that I would like to be your friend. I thank God for you, for your talent at writing, and I ask you, on this sacred day, to forgive me.’…He concluded by assuring me that I was in his prayers and his heart: ‘I respect you, thank God for you, and I am praying for God to bless you this new year. With love in my heart for you.’
Have you ever read anything quite so sickening?
Warren didn’t know me…I have no love in my heart for him, or other people I have briefly or never met. But Warren, it seems, is more like a benevolent deity, who doesn’t simply harbour indifferent goodwill towards others but loves them – loves us all, despite our sins and failings. In fact, Warren’s email to me was apparently a variation of a Yom Kippur form letter that he sent to Jewish journalists. In any case, I didn’t see myself anywhere in his extravagant protestations of love for me and requests for forgiveness; I saw a reflection of Warren’s self-image.
And very cloying and disgusting it is, as well as effrontery in someone who sorts people into sinners and the other thing for the arbitrary reasons that Warren does. Sanctimony and bigotry: a nasty combination.
Oh, I love that! I haven’t seen the word rebarbative for years! And he is!
Warren’s words to Wendy Kaminer are not only cloying and disgusting, they’re downright offensive and dishonest. I’ve heard so many Christians say this sort of thing that it makes my hair curl! ‘I love you. I wnat to be your friend. I thank God for you’!? How can anyone be so sickeningly disingenuous? A man can smile and smile and be a villain.
Worth another crack, I think. (I also think, having read the whole article, and the blurb for her book on Amazon, that Ms. Kaminer’s book would be worth getting hold of.)
This is particularly sick-making: ‘Your article showed a lot of hurt by, and fearfulness of, what you think I represent.’ This is the typical Christian response. It throws it all back on you. You’re hurt, you’re afraid – and, of course, the suggestion is, there’s no reason for it. And just to show that he ‘extends the hand of friendship’! He begins to talk about love! (That’s a dead give-away.) The whole point is to make you feel terrible. This wonderful guy doesn’t want to hurt anyone! There’s nothing to be afraid of! It’s really a bit too much! Been there, heard that!
And the President-elect trusts this man?! It’s not a good sign.
Rick Warren creepeth upon his belly”
And of that too, of the inauguration Obamaunderbelly.
Yeah, the ‘Your article showed a lot of hurt’ bit really irritated me, too – it turns her from a rational adult with serious criticisms into a hypersensitive child. It’s SO patronizing. What a git.
I do admire Wendy Kaminer’s elegant and gracious description of Rick Warren.
I fear that I would have settled for “fat, greasy snake oil salesman.”
Were this individual a Muslim his views would certainly be considered ‘moderate’, and there would be no left-winger would think to pass adverse comment about him either (this website being an honorable exception).
Interesting perspective that the Religion of Peace is the one with adherents marching the streets calling for genocide. Seeing I know nothing about Ps Warren though, I can’t offer any opinion.
Come on, Richard! Why should it matter? I’m sure that Jesus (don’t know anything about Christos) would have turned himself into a pretzel at the thought of gay marriage. But why should that matter?
Warren is a smarmy, self-elected protestant pope, and he’s condescending, dishonest, and stupid as well. All good reasons for him not to be given a platform at Obama’s inauguration.
As OB points out, the man is not only rebarbative, but he actually defines rabid conservatism downwards. He’s a liberal evangelical! How low do you have to do to find the conservative? And I don’t give a damn what Jesus might have thought. He might have agreed with the man. So much the worse for him.
Chris, you want to know about him, just go to saddleback.com. You won’t be enlightened, but you might be informed.
Thanks Eric, I don’t presume to be enlightened and I trust you were not limiting the possibility except in reference to that website.
A few minutes there told me that I would have no trouble finding stuff to object to on rational grounds, such as the ‘What We Believe’ page description of the Bible as ‘truth without any mixture of error’ and ‘The christian seeks to live under his (the Holy Spirit’s) control daily’. Control? Poor word choice, but indicates the mindset I am sure.
I also found a very interesting and extensive set of stuff on HIV+/AIDS ministry, calling people out of bigotry to serve sufferers and saying sufferers were among their membership even if we don’t know about them.
The sick-making letters quoted by OB apparently come out of a project called ’40 days of love’, a re-education attempt to increase their love on the model of God’s love for all people. Extreme cultural insensitivity to atheists, I agree.
Looks like there’s another Brian here so I’ll amend my signature. I’m the Brian who loathes Islam, Christianity, and the lot and doesn’t care who knows it, is gay and asks Ophelia too many questions (about mechanical vaginal enlargement and such).
Comment: The choice of Warren completely sours my pleasure in Obama’s inauguration. I can’t overlook the transparent politics of it and anticipate more of same in the days to come. I’m happy Obama won but harbour few illusions.
Saddleback over Brokeback. The juxtaposition is irresitible.
Brian.02, I toast your chosen identity. Have a great day!
Hey…I’m not the Brian above, either. He has a point, though…many “liberals” would be falling over themselves if an “Iman” showed this much LURRRRRRVVVVE. Multiculti above all else.