The Power Of Prayer

Agnostics and athiests have been outraged since 1776, but you don't hear them splitting hairs. Only until a sound philosophy for living based upon reality replaces religion as the component in our government that dictates what is moral, and therefore lawful, will we have the individual rights and freedoms our constitutional forebears intended.

@ mjkoch - Excellent, my sentiments exactly. Why is it that those of us who do not favor gay marriage are branded bigots, haters simply because we don't agree with their agenda. I'm tired of it and the attempted bullying. I'm a Christian, I am not a hater, I am not a bigot, I treat gay people with the same kindness and compassion I try to treat everyone else with, however I have a mind and an opinion. I, personally, do not believe in marriage between same sex people and I stand on my belief. I don't call others who don't believe in what I do bigots, yet the liberals are the ones who seem to like to bash.

Rick Warren is a good choice, and I commend Obama for making it.

People (including Warren) who claim that since a majority of voters don't want same-sex marriage to be legal, the majority wins, are wrong. In this country (at least theoretically), the majority DOESN'T win, when it tries to impose its beliefs upon a minority to the extent of denying the minority's rights. That's preciesly why we have the Supreme Court: to overturn any such imposition

Here, too, the "equivalency" test I mentioned in an earlier posting leads us right back to the black experience in this country. IF the majority had voted for continuing segregation and denial of blacks' civil rights, do you really think the Supreme Court would have let it go at that? And to go back even further, as Whoppi Goldberg pointed out--if the majority vote automatically won, she'd still be back on the plantation.

Is it possible that a majority of decent Americans are just not in favor of gay mariage and that they deserve their voice to be heard as well?

The Hollywood liberal elite are trying to push gay marriage on our country and if someone should as much as say they don't agree with their agenda they are called bigots and worse.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having Rick Warren give the prayer at the inauguration. What IS wrong is trying to silence any person who's views on choice and gay marriage you do not agree with. This is not Syria or Saudia Arabia and people in American have the right to have different opinions and express them publicly without being branded as being bigots and full of hate.

The issue I think is not specifically gay/lesbian marriage or religion. It is the fact that while public policy discussion should indeed be subject to debate from all sides, basic civil rights are "inalienable" and not debatable, and should not be subject to actual or symbolic challenge in the name of "inclusion." Rick Warren has accused gays of pedophelia, has said that women must be subservient to men, and insists that court rulings on consttutional (not policy) issues should be overturned by popular vote or other means. By virtue of his age Obama did not go through the civil rights challenges the rest of us did. He wasn't spit at, fired, humiliated and otherwise did not endure that which made us determined to preserve rights and liberties for all Americans. It's necessary to remind him not that the GLBT communities alone are disturbed by this, but that those upon whose shoulders he claims to stand in advancing civil rights might begin to find his weight uncomfortable.

It is disgusting to glamourize a specific religion while ignoring other religions in a major political event in the name of democracy. Furthermore, it is a religion that originates from a political history of burning people alive for stating the facts such as the earth being round.

WWW.OBAMAFORMAMAS.COM

"DEVOTED TO MOTHERS AND FAMILY!"

This talk of Warren and his ilk 'not hating' gays and lesbians shows nothing but ignorance, or worse. Having grown up fundi, I can promise you that when hard line "Christians" talk about not hating someone or some group, this does not mean they don't militantly seek to abuse them or take away their rights. They simply do so out of 'Christian Love" to "lead the person out of sin". And as for Warren's comments on civil unions not being a right, how is not obvious that this is nothing but a precursor to saying "well your not guaranteed it in my opinion, so we don't have to give it to you."

I fail to see how my natural, in-built desire to marry more than one partner is worse than gay union as Chris says, and thus pervasive. Does this means, Renna, that I'm less a child of God than you are, or that I'm not a "person of faith"?

Its a mistake to take one or two quotes and malign a person. As a member of Saddleback church pastor Rick has never put down Gay or Lesbians ever. Hetrosexual or gay his goal is to spread his faith to others. Further his wife Kay Warren has made it a point much to the dismay of many evangelicals to have AIDS as one of the primary ministries of the church, with her husband they have made it a point to minister to those in need of care, raise funds to find cures and to educate for prevention and that has been totally inclusive of the gay community. Let me repeat that the AIDS ministry has been completely inclusive of the gay community. So to paint Pastor Rick as a hate monger is not even close to the truth. I invite you to actually speak from an educated point of view and attend the church. You will find that no one is put down, you will find a church that calls on its membership to be involved in ministries that help the poor, the addicted and the broken, to go to missions across the world to educate, feed and build communities. You will find that the preconceived notions of hate are just unwarranted. You would find that there are ministries that cater to the gay community as part of the church and would rethink your position. As much as its nice to play victim Christians may not agree with the lifestyle but that is a far cry from hating anyone.

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With all due respect. Taking a single quote or two from Pastor Rick is unfair. As a member of Saddleback Church. Pastor Rick never insults or condemns gay people. Further his wife Kay Warren much to the dislike of many Evangelicals has partnered with her husband to make AIDS cures, prevention and care a key ministry of this major church. I am disturbed when someone is so passionate about a quote or two and that this becomes the very basis to say someone is this or that. With all due respect if you took every sentence ever said in your life and someone said that represented who you are I believe you yourself would think that to be a gross distortion. Contrary to what has been expressed Pastor Rick wants everyone to be in Unity with Christianity but not at the expense of hate and violence. Were you to truly look into the church you would find an active ministry that feeds the homeless, helps develop third world nations with peace, counseling, addition recovery and so much more. I genuinely believe you would find that you would find the church is truly a force for good.

WOW, how quickly Obama's supporters have turned on him!!! Did he lie to you? Did you require him to have a gay or lesbian pray? I did not vote for him, but have liked his choices so far...I am sure I will disagree with some, and i am okay with that.

Hail to the Chief! YOU, voted him into office, He is a decent human being. And I pray that he stands his ground. The gays and lesbians are strong out numbered, and I am giggling inside that "You Man for Real Change" has made you so upset that you want your money back!!! That is hilarious. What is not hilarious, is bashing Mr. Warren, he is calling sin, sin, and that is what it is...even Jesus called sin, sin to peoples face. I am not saying by any means that he is even a litle bit like Jesus, no one is. He is simply stating true facts, that WAY too many people are upset about, because they can't have it "their way" Mr. Warren has help many, many people...using his Bible. There really IS only one Word of God, some easier to understand translations, the Word IS God and he does not back down from the hard things in life.

Some religions have had to change their bibles, at one point, blacks were not allowed. And they changed there "Book", the real word of God has never changed, it has never had to...God does not makes excuses, He is perfect, and so is the Holy Bible.

Abortion is murder, plain and simple! What else can you call it? You are destroying one of God's greatest creations...and are playing God, Talk about hypocrits, People who do not believe in God should witness a birth, should view the Grand Canyon, the Smokey Mountains, Yellowstone National park...and that was just chance??? No way my friends. Look at the stars, the moon, the planets...how can you not believe? Do you believe in CHRISTmas??? In case you have never heard, that is the day God created his own Son, Jesus, and he was created to show us the TRUTH, to be a sacrifice for our sins, "Behold, a Savior in Born, and his name is Jesus." People, even Charlie Brown had this right!!!! Don't be a "blockhead", Read the book, "A Case for Christ." The author was on a mission to disprove God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit, he tried real hard to prove that Creation was just a myth. I encourage you to read the book.

Obama will continue to impress more an more Americans if he stands his ground, and tells his one time supporters, 'I am doing what is best for our country!" You supporters are hard to figure out. He said he wanted a real change"..and that is exactly what you are getting. How pathetic some of these comments are.

The Man has integrity and is making some critical decissions...and I am sure he is sorry for stepping on his "loyal" supporters.

You know, it is interesting to read these responses. I have not had to use one curse word, or call anyone evil, or run away from my beliefs, beacuse what I believe is the Truth. God is Truth. Give Mr. Obama some credit.

To understand why gays and lesbians are so upset over Warren's giving the Inaugural Invocation, do the "equivalency" test. When Obama defends his choice by saying he wants to be inclusive, if he were to pick someone whose viewpoint was different from yours or mine (or Obama's), just so everyone can be represented, that's equivalent to simply having someone of a different viewpoint speak.

But when that someone also tries to use his beliefs to deny a segment of Americans who don't share those beliefs the right that every heterosexual abled-adult has, then we must move on to a different equivalency. And for Obama, this one should have been easy to understand: a minister who believes in segregation because blacks are inferior to whites. Would any President outside of the Confederacy possibly consider having such a minister deliver the invoicaiton at his inauguration, on the excuse that all viewpoints must be represented?

I am completely disillusioned by Obama's asking Rick Warren to do the invoation at his inauguration. Everyone of my gay friends worked long and hard to promote Obama...and even I, at age 71, had renewed home in this man who I believe stood for change. Well...as far as I am now concerned: he doesn't. He's a hyprocrite.

I have been pro Obama...all the way ... until THIS... I am not over-reactionary. I am a 71 year old senior lady who has seen and witnessed a lot. I have many gay friends of all ages... There is not a gay person I know who did not work for and promote Obama...and he has stabbed them in the back by asking this bigoted right radical to do the invocational prayer for his inauguration. I, too, feel completely betrayed. Joyce the Plumber would have been a better choice!

For me the question is not about Rick Warren's opposition to marriage or even gay rights in general. It's his decision to bring up the pedophilia canard while justifying his opposition to gay marriage. For obvious reasons, most people both loath and fear pedophiles. Bringing the pedophile issue into the gay debate is beyond the pale. It coarsens the debate and it is an act to vilify a group of people by connecting their claims to rights to those of the much reviled pedophile. Our consensual relationships should not be equated with the acts of an older guy or woman preying upon vulnerable children. By inviting Rick Warren to deliver the invocation he sent the message that such inflammatory rhetoric is acceptable within the realm of civil discourse. Equating the "evil" of homosexuality with the evil of pedophilia is not civil; it is hateful.