Should Rick Pray?
Let’s be clear about this.
On one side we have people critical of Rick Warren’s acceptance to pray at Obama’s Inauguration because they don’t agree with the President Elect’s position on homosexuality, abortion, etc. Some Christians who are pro-life and are against gay marriage think Warren should say no.
On the other side are people who are critical of Obama for inviting Rick Warren because of his views on homosexuality, abortion, etc. Homosexual rights groups, supporters of gay marriage, pro-choice groups, and many commentators are very critical of Warren for his views and I’ve read some scathing articles about Rick Warren. Christopher Hitchens (commentator and famous author/atheist) writes, “If we must have an officiating priest, surely we can do better than this vulgar huckster.” Hitchens is mad not only because Warren believes homosexuality is a sin but he blasts Warren’s conservative theology regarding his belief that one must accept Christ for salvation, that Mormonism is a cult, and his views on the end of the world.
So what is the truth in this situation?
First, while I do believe in separation of church and state I have no problem with a minister praying at this inauguration. As a Baptist who holds to the historic principles of church/state separation I do not want the state to endorse or support the church and I do not want the church to run the state. However I do believe Christians have a right to have a voice about issues while not endorsing political parties or candidates. I do not see a problem with figures of faith praying or appearing at events such as the inauguration and do not think this violate my heritage. It has been a historical tradition that has not been an endorsement of any one church or movement. Leaders of many world faiths have been at various gatherings. Obama will be sworn in on the Bible that Abraham Lincoln used and so while not every president has used a Bible or been outspoken on faith it is not a new thing. Billy Graham has been at most of recent inaugurations and his son was at the last.
Second, I do not think the first group has ground to stand on. To those who think Warren should tell Obama no because they don’t agree with Obama’s I simply do not agree with you. Billy Graham did not agree with every individual he stood with at inauguration and yet he went. In fact I do not believe we have to have uniform agreement on all issues to be a Christian or to be in fellowship with one another.
I also don’t understand why concerns about abortion and homosexuality trump other issues such as poverty, racism, injustice, and other serious issues. Why single out these two differences as a reason to not work with someone and yet be willing to work with someone else who might downplay the other issues? I also do not agree with the other side either.
The first camp has become so entrenched in politics that they have lost their way. The second camp is so angry that they refuse to even listen to what they are saying. It seems that some want tolerance except for those who are not in agreement with them. If someone believes homosexuality is a sin do they no longer have a voice in this country? Have the tables turned so that now those who do not accept certain views must be silenced? Aren’t we all Americans and don’t we all have a voice and a right to believe and practice our beliefs? If a Christian believes one must accept Christ to be saved this doesn’t make them a bigot or evil. This is a historic and majority view of the church for 2000 years. Other religious groups make exclusive faith claims too so why does Hitchens have to blast the Christian one? I do not agree with the dispensational view of the end of the world that he states Warren has and I am sure there are other issues I disagree with Warren but that does not mean only my voice should be heard. Tolerance goes both ways Hitchens! By working together it does not mean Obama and Warren agree but can’t they work together despite their differences? Shouldn’t you pray for your leaders even if you disagree? I’m glad Warren is going. I hope that the religious leaders of our country will work together in our troubled world where there can be common ground. I hope we can respect our differences and discuss peacefully and respectfully where we disagree. I also hope we continue to have the right to have our beliefs and respect those who disagree. I believe we can do this without creating a church state or by silencing those we disagree with. Whether you voted for Obama or not he is the President and he needs everyone’s prayers! Our country has some major problems facing it and we need to work together to face our future.
As I’ve pretty much told you when speaking with you, I really do think it’s ignorant to do as Hitchens does and say that a Christian who believes salvation lies in Christ aloe is a bigot. I myself as a Christian do feel that Christ is the way for me and that he is my I AM, my entrance to positive global service that those raised in the Eastern World might find in Buddha or Allah. I do not however feel that thinking Christ alone is the way makes one a bigot. I respect Warren for his poverty stance, his call to a stronger and more proactive church. I do, though, feel that he is missing the point in his stance on homosexuality. I feel that the gay rights movement is our civil rights movement today. I feel we must evolve beyond our current church perceptions to a more inclusive and loving manner–I feel that homosexual relationships should be morally judged on the same level that heterosexual relationships are judged–on monogamy, honesty and equality. That’s why this issue is so touchy. To deny that it is as important as the civil rights movement is to view it with blinders on-religious, social or hereditary blinders. Scripture was misused to condemn minorities, interracial marriage, and to promote slavery. Scripture was used to keep “women in their place” and was misused in highly mysoginistic ways. Police have beat blacks just for being black and gays just for being gay. Racists have screamed “Nigger” at blacks and homophobes have screamed “Faggot” at gays to equal hatred. The truth is, I believe Christ would love all gays and urge them to follow him along the same path he urges straight folks. I think he would criticize laws and practices that denigrate homosexuals. I feel he would unconditionally love them and hope they could follow the same moral code he asks all of us to follow. Jesus was a devout Jew who memorized the Torah but sifted it and shed it of its baggage, emphasizing its most important aspects. He gave no indication as to indicate he ever intended any new scripture to replace its holy writings, yet he showed the path through his life and action that brought it into the light. Since the Christian church did add new scripture, should we not today, since we are to be as Christ was, not be able to sift the early church’s scripture to emphasize its most important aspects? Christ subverted traditional wisdom and replaced it with the rule of compassion. He summed up the law with one simple rule: love your god with all your heart, and love your neighbor.” That rule tells me my gay brothers have every right I have. So, those that flinch at Warren’s attitude do so only because they feel he is doing like the otherwise good and moral folks who used inadequate religion to subjugate the African Americans. Christianity must evolve, change and take into account History, Culture, Time and Place.
Love,
Dustin
dmhamby2.wordpress.com
I personally do not equate the homosexual issue with racism and believe there is a difference (That would be a blog in of itself). I do believe the issue is a big one that faces the church in the 21st century. The Anglican split with the Episcopal church is a good example of how this issue divides folks. We now have an Episcopal division within the US over this issue. On the one hand there are those who are angry at everything and attack in vicious ways but there are also many, many serious thinking and grace filled believers who do not accept homosexual PRACTICE as valid/sinless/helpful and do not accept homosexual marriage (note that pactice may be separated from identity–the birth vs choice issue is one topic-nature/nurture as is what the appropriate response regardless the reason). The issue is one that often creates yelling and screaming rather than conversation but I believe that Christians of all stripes and traditions are coming down on various sides of this issue. When Hitchens and others paint Rick Warren as a primitive hate monger for holding to basic Christian orthodoxy it saddens me as much as when hate mongers yell at people like the scary Fred Phelps church (the ones that protest soldier funerals and declare that God hates America because of homosexuality). Of course my major point is that aside from our personal convictions (and I hold to a more historical Christian view on this issue while hopefully being grace filled and not shouting hate oozing speech) the main issue at stake is are we going to work together in this country despite our differences? Obama has made a good gesture by bringing Warren to the table. Christians and other religions (and non-religious) folks are going to have to agree to disagree as citizens of this country and learn to talk to and not at one another. We all live in this country and we need to exist together (the alternative we see as Israel and Palestine continue to blast away at one another). I also feel that conversations such as this are positive and helpful. And there is common ground. I may work on poverty issues with folks who do not share my personal convictions about a host of faith issues but we still agree that helping the poor matters!
Blessings,
Derik
In case anyone is reading our to and fro dmhamby and dwhamby are two different people!!! We may confuse you all! The author is DWHAMBY and my responder is another blogger who is DMHAMBY. Boy will we confuse you all!!! Number 1 is he and I the author am the number 2 responder!!! Oh I would love to hear from some others of you! How do you feel about this issue?