10:07 a.m. - 2008-12-18
some thoughts on this rick warren thing
Wow, people are really freaking out about Obama's choice to have Rick Warren speak at the inauguration. I find this to be interesting. Everyobody was so excited that Obama is this bridge builder, this guy who brings opposing forces together. It was so edgy that he appointed this person and that person - Hilary, for example, who battled him relentlessly. People who are actual experts in their field, like that physicist guy, instead of politicians. But now that he is bringing in someone to talk at one event, who doesn't support gay rights, everyone is freaking out.
Look. He has said that he disagrees with him. He's not trying to restrict anyone's rights or promote inequality or anything like that. I agree that it might not be the greatest time to put this guy front and center considering all of the Prop 8 stuff going on. But this does not mean anything inregard to Obama's stance on gay rights, as far as I'm concerned. Let me explain.
I'm not a huge fan of Rick Warren, he's fine, whatever. His book, that famous one...the Purpose Driven Life is not on my own book shelf but it impacted some people that I love in a way that I believe is positive. The first line of the book is powerful. "It's not about you." BAM. Chew on that for a while.
People dig this guy because he is conservative on issues that a lot of Christians feel strongly about, but INSTEAD of just of focusing on those issues like gay rights and sex before marriage or whatever it is they are up in arms about these days, like Crackpot Falwell, Crazy Robertson and Annoying Dobson...Rick Warren strikes a tone that includes compassion and even some humility. He actually seems to give a shit about poor people. I mean, helllllo - he is supportive of the Obama administration enough to partcipate in the inauguration. He could have backed John McCain like the other crazy evangelicals did for no apparent reason other than the fact that most people who consider themselves to be conervative Christians are also Republicans...but he didn't.
I understand that people are antsy...like what does this mean? Is Obama actually a wolf in sheep's clothes? Is he going to go all crazy and conservative now that he's elected? Does he secretly hate gay people because he's black? But think about this. Would you want the public to categorize you on your stance on ONE issue? I mean, I'm pretty supportive of street drugs being legalized because I believe it would wipe out or at least minimize the crime that results from illegal drug sales/transport, etc. At least weed, anyway. Want some weed, go to the CVS instead of that seedy, unlit park down the street. It would create legitimate tax-paying jobs for growers, processors, buyers, etc. It would reduce the number of court cases - do you know how many court proceedings there are that involve two things: young, black men and weed. A lot.
But I really don't want to be the spokesperson for that cause. It would probably paint me as this crazy, drug-supporting junkie or a ditzy, dumb hippie or something.
That one opinion/stance on one issue absolutely does not define me. Similarly, I am pro-choice, but kind of reluctantly so. Having a baby growing in my belly puts me in touch with this issue more than I ever have been. And I feel turmoil over it...on the one hand, I wonder how anyone could intervene with this amazing miracle that is happening between my belly button and my spinal cord. On the other hand, I think it would be nearly impossible to go through this time alone, unsupported, and having reached this condition by accident. I am pro-choice, and if I was defined by that issue alone, there are a lot of people who would call me a baby killer, even though I am doing my best to grow one inside me right now. Hey, I gave up coffee and wine for this thing - it that doesn't exempt me from baby killer status, you don't know me very well.
Rick Warren has introduced a lot of people to Jesus. And he has introduced a lot of people to the scary but important idea that they are incredibly self-centered at their core...we all are, at least until we realize it. He has also used his influence to put the spotlight on important issues like global poverty, human rights abuses and HIV/AIDS. I know the gay rights issue is deeply important. But so are these other things and he's on the right track with them. Why can't we celebrate that?
I am not saying that I agree with anything Rick Warren has to say about gay rights. But I don't think Obama does either. And it's not why he picked him. That's the point.
