Being in politics is difficult in today’s media-saturated, options-oriented world. This can be especially true if you have strong beliefs that you won’t compromise on regardless of the polls. However, this type of politician will, almost assuredly, never rise to any significant level of power without a large dose of compromise.
However, those politicians who find compromise easy and fashion themselves as political chameleons (like Barack Obama) will face a day when specific measurable decisions need to be made (BTW. Both parties are guilty of this. In other words, I am not being partisan toward a candidate or party, but trying to evaluate the role truth and courage play in politics. I simply use Barack Obama as an glaring example since he is the latest style over substance image-bearer). This is one of the reasons why the history of a particular candidate is so important. Regardless of the projected soundbite being offered during a campaign one need only look at the history of a candidates voting record to find the silhouette of character behind every decision that has been made. Since we had precious few incidents from which to measure the character of Barack Obama it was easy for everyone to claim him under the all-inclusive banner of “Change.” If you think about it, the mantra of “Change” was a fantastic slogan because it offers each person the ability to define “Change” according to what they think it should mean. In the world of politics this was simply brilliant.
However, the time for slick ad campaigns is almost over and we begin to see the payday begin to swell for riding the the wave of political fuzziness. In other words, Barack Obama is going to now start feeling the burn for his political elasticity (see video below).
In an article entitled Rick Warren to deliver Obama invocation – gay community furious we begin to see how being everyone’s friend during the campaign is making the President-Elect very unpopular.
I don’t mind so much that President-Elect Obama is choosing to include people of other opinions in his inaugural ceremony. I didn’t vote for Mr. Obama but I respect that he acknowledges that he will be presiding over people of different beliefs and opinions. Would I prefer a president who is conservative/evangelical? You bet! But I’m certainly glad neither of the two angry political pundits in the clip were elected president, otherwise I think being a conservative Christian would become illegal much quicker than it’s happening now!
Obama is doing what he said by reaching across the aisle, party lines, etc. to try and find common ground.
It’s the attitude of the gay community that finds this so offensive that makes it so ironic.
“We will not tolerate intolerance!”
Sarah, I agree. The two things that bugs me more at my core is (1. the fundamental thought that bringing people together in and of itself is a virtue and (2. the nature of right and wrong. Having an opinion (in this video) is not judged based on it’s merits but on whether or not it is inclusive. Inclusive of who? Someone at some point must not be included. Isn’t that the fundamental role of governing?
David, you hit it on the head with the application of “tolerance.”
It is poor/weak leadership to believe in #1 and foolish to not understand #2. The panel in the video clearly struck-out in understanding either.
I think this cuts both ways. While there are many who ask how President-Elect Obama can choose Rick Warren for this role, there are also many who ask how Warren could accept. I will be interested to hear his prayer. Will he, for example, call this nation to repentance or will he simply mouth some platitudes designed to offend no one? Given Warren’s track record when addressing unbelievers, I’m guessing it will be the latter.
As for the homosexuality issue (which Warren does get right apparently) those who have chosen to embrace homosexuality have no evidence they can rely on to support their contention that homosexuality is akin to race or gender so they must resort to these kinds of in-your-face tactics, name calling etc. Its the tactic of those with no argument. Expect to see more of it going forward.
I read just today that Obama is likely going to appoint an avowed homosexual as Secretary of the Navy so his administration will apparently be pushing the homosexual agenda pretty aggressively. Those who disagree with that agenda have some difficult times coming I would bet. Given that, it will be interesting to see how Rick Warren deals with this issue going forward. If he maintains a thoroughly Biblical approach, he may find himself no longer on the A-list in the circles he seems to enjoy traveling in. Time will tell which is more important to him.
Larry, great observation. This surfaces an important question: Is Rick Warren compromising the message he stands for (the Gospel) when he stands with President-elect Barack Obama at the inauguration?
I think we can only answer that question after we hear what he has to say. However, from what I’ve seen and read regarding other opportunities he’s had to speak before groups of unbelievers, I’m not expecting much.
“I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn’t agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony.
Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.
The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders. I am honored by this opportunity to pray God’s blessing on the office of the President and its current and future inhabitant, asking the Lord to provide wisdom to America’s leaders during this critical time in our nation’s history.”
— Statement from Dr. Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church
Larry said,
In a prayer of invocation, shouldn’t Dr. Warren be addressing God, not people (whether believers or unbelievers)?
True Jeffrey. Perhaps I should have said he should ask God for the gift of repentance for our nation and for His forgiveness. Again, I suspect he will do neither.
Here’s an interesting article related to this from, of all places, TMZ. Warren is, in their words, doing some ‘image adjusting’.
One cannot simultaneously speak truth to the world and be loved by the world. If our goal is that they love us, we cannot truly love them. In fact Christ warns us that being loved by the world is not a good thing at all (Luke 6:26)
Greetings GF Blogger Club:
A quick note that the news clip is of Anderson Cooper of CNN who himself is a homosexual. Just to help with perspective as I really like him as a commentator, but knowing his personal beliefs on this would be interesting as he has to report about it.
Cheers.