Another preacher, another controversy

And now, for a little political diatribe, with a religious twist . . .

I’m a former news guy, so I get it. Aside from all the financial turmoil we’re experiencing right now, we’re between presidents. The old one is a lame duck, and we’re still a full month away from the new one. The news channels have to have something to talk about, and apparently they’ve decided to manufacture a controversy out of Barack Obama’s request to have Rick Warren provide the invocation.

And that’s what it is — a manufactured controversy.

I mean, I get it: Rick Warren spoke out against California’s Prop 8, which successfully banned marriage in the GLBT community. Yes, he’s conservative. No, he and Obama don’t agree on a lot of things. So I understand why people are upset that Obama appointed Warren to a cabinet position.

Wait. You mean he didn’t appoint Warren to the cabinet? You mean Rick Warren isn’t going to set policy in the Obama Administration? Well, then what’s he going to do?

Pray? You mean, he’s going to stand in front of a gazillion people, ask them to bow their heads in silence, ask God to preserve and protect the day? For what, maybe 4-5 minutes? Then, after that, he’ll launch into an anti-homosexuality sermon that’ll last about 30-40 minutes . . . Wait. You mean, after his invocation, he’s going to sit down and enjoy the rest of the program?

It would most certainly be news if Warren was going to get up on the Capitol Steps and ask God to strike down all gays and lesbians. The problem is, he’s not going to do that. He’s going to ask for a blessing for America, it’s people, and it’s newly elected leader. Then he’s going to sit down, and let Obama be Obama.

And that’s what Obama is doing — being Obama. He has repeatedly reached out to people he doesn’t share the same view with. Doing so does not mean he adopts those positions — he said just this week that he’s in favor of equality for GLBT Americans. So I can’t figure out why everyone is surprised with this selection. It’s only what the Obama movement has always been about: inclusion instead of exclusion.

Meanwhile, we all need to say a prayer for our nation and its leaders. And as the old proverb goes, we need to “pray with our feet.” With the challenges our world is facing, we’ll all need to chip in and get to work.

Decide for yourself. Other views on this topic:
LA  Times says not to get too worked up over this.
Kathryn Kolbert of People for the American Way says selecting Warren was a mistake.

Barack Obama speaks for himself.

So does Rick Warren.

Chime in with your two cents right here . . .