Suddenly, “America’s Preacher” Surrounded By Rays And Stars

This is a coup for Warren. He’s now solidly positioned as the new Dobson — although these particular shots are all Swaggart.

I don’t even know how to comment, not knowing much of anything about the megachurches in CA, or him in particular. Is this even a normal thing, the picking of a preacher for innaguration? i’ve been voting for 4+ presidential elections, and don’t remember this part of the song and dance. or, have they all done this, but it went under the radar b/c they hadn’t had problems w/ their preacher? I have to say, the backdrops in these pics are evocative, in terms of a growing hymn of ’shining aura’–the pink/purple/paisley seem to be, especially since guy is in California, some sort of link between the megachurch and the ‘other-church’ that is more associated w/ new age-y, incense, karma, etc., having no particular name.
Beyond that, i have to say, to someone who thought that they voted for ‘change’ and don’t know who this is, he doesn’t look like ‘change’–but then do religion & pastors really ever look like change to the average person? Are they always ‘more of the same’? sorry, more q’s than answers here.

To my mind, the memory of the endlessly played tapes of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermon snippets plays a role in how I view this choice of Warren. Megachurches around the country have huge congregations. Barack’s willingness to talk with a leading [white] minister is similar to previous presidents calling on Rev. Billy Graham, whose 2006 story in film is here.
The benediction will be be given by an older, black minister, Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, civil rights activist and Martin Luther King, Jr., colleague. Let’s see how the first family proceeds on the religion front: will they break traditions when they enter the White House, regarding church attendance, for example?

This ‘christian’ called for the murder of Iran’s democratically elected president:
“Appearing on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes last night to promote his new book, Pastor Rick Warren made a brief foray into foreign policy. Responding to Hannity’s assertion that “we need to take him [Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] out,” Warren agreed, saying that stopping evil “is the legitimate role of government. The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers.”http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/12/04/warren-stopping-evil/
Have we not heard this before? This is not a good thing to do. As we look at the republican struggles with the religious right, do we really want to be struggling with the religious left? I am very disturbed by this.

Obama seems to like to take the wind out of his enemies’ sails. I believe his approach to be, “Give them something to take away with them, rather than nothing.” That might be the rationale for offering Hillary the position of Secretary of State. There’s a lingering suspicion that both Clinton and Warren were supposed to turn down these Trojan horses.
How does the TV preacher recover from this? Obama has given him a big boost – can Warren afford to seem ungrateful? For that matter, how can Hillary, now a member of Team Obama, mount a campaign against him for the 2012 election?
Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you

“…That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain…”
If one analyses the transcript of that “Saddleback Q&A” session, question for question, one will find, as I did, that it was indeed not fair and balanced. I’m sure you are all surprised at this. Special ‘coaching’ words were provided to McC and some of the questions were not the same, or were asked with different inflections. And that does make a difference in the perceptions of the viewers.
I fear that Obama is being naive and too trusting, and every time I think that, he redeems himself. I cannot but think that there are many good, solid Christian ministers abroad in the nation without bigotry attached to their words. This particular ‘pastor’ is an oily cuss who manages to be patronizing no matter to whom he is talking. He is the ‘modern-day’ Jerry Falwell and every bit as bigoted. If Obama is indeed a centrist, how about a centrist minister?
Personally, I prefer any bow to religion at official state functions to be absent, or at least in the way, way, background.

I don’t even know how to comment