Comments on: Rick Warren, Barack Obama, and Melissa Etheridge

By: Terrace Crawford

Terrace Crawford — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:53:24 +0000

Hi Bryan! Found your blog via Brad Ruggles. Nice site bro. I am grateful we have leaders like Rick Warren who are seeking unity while holding the line when it comes to sin. This is a great piece and I appreciate you sharing. I hadn’t heard the story on Ethridge before.

By: Annie K

Annie K — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:50:22 +0000

I think Rick Warren did the right thing in accepting the opportunity to give the invocation at the inauguration. It certainly doesn’t mean he endorses or agrees with Obama, but he’s definitely making a statement about supporting our leader with prayer which is what we are called to do as Christians.

And meeting with Melissa Ethridge…why not? Aren’t we to love as Christ would? It doesn’t mean we condone the lifestyle, but we are to show love and reach out. I think it’s a positive step in the right direction.

By: GFMorris.com » links for 2008-12-23

GFMorris.com » links for 2008-12-23 — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:30:13 +0000

[...] Rick Warren, Barack Obama, and Melissa Etheridge Unlike Bryan, I never stop thinking about politics. (tags: gfmorris_comment) [...]

By: Geof F. Morris

Geof F. Morris — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:29:49 +0000

Obama and Warren are both making the clear statement that, despite their disagreements, they want to work together to make America better. That’s wholly within Obama’s campaign rhetoric.

Andrew Sullivan has been really interesting about this over at the Daily Dish.

By: David Carrel

David Carrel — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:40:08 +0000

Great topic Brian. I think that a lot of Christians get it wrong when they shut everyone off like they are stupid for not being Christian. We as Christians need to treat all others with respect and love them as we love ourselves even though we do not agree with them.
I like how Rick Warren has reached out to Obama and treated him with respect while even disagreeing with him on many issues. I think that our actions of love for others in discussing respectfully with them will show them that we truly want what is best for them and make both sides more apt to listen to each other. I know we will never all live in “peace and harmony,” but if we keep up our hate groups it will not even be close. Sorry for rambling, great post Brian.

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:44:34 +0000

Bryan
I would have to say that Pastor Warren is doing the right thing. Just because there are differences between the two men doesn’t mean they can’t be civil and work together. I hate politics to be honest. I hate them more than spinach, and really hate spinach. I didn’t vote for Obama, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish him all the best and pray that he can use the wisdom and knowledge he showed during the campaign to fix this broken country. I like the wall and bridge thing because I truly believe the same thing. As well, I agree with Larry Shallenberger when he said, “Two thousand years Jesus’ ministry repeated crossed the lines of the religious Right and the religious Left (The Pharisees and the Sadducees). Jesus ignored these group’s boundary markers and went about building the kingdom.” The problem with people these days, in my opinion, is they don’t formulate their own opinions about world or national issues. I think Derek Webb put it best in A New Law, “don’t teach me about politics and government, just tell me who to vote for… don’t teach me how to live like a free man, just give me a new law.” It’s really sad.

By: Josh Allain

Josh Allain — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:58:14 +0000

Bryan
Thanks for taking the time to blog about this topic, I really wanted to hear what you thought. I am excited to see that Obama’s idea of change isn’t one of going from one end of the political spectrum to the other but a change in which he uses his presidency to lead with bridge building humility. Opening up a national dialogue that intelligently and compassionately allows our differences to be used as a way to bring us closer together. I think his goal of a non-partisan country is high on his long-term priority list, maybe even at the top.