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January 12, 2009
Most Obvious Pander, Evah
When one's choice of inaugural invocation pastor causes you political problems with a vocal constituency, the only answer? Nuclear-level pandering.
(CNN) — The first openly gay priest ordained by a major Christian denomination will deliver the invocation at the kickoff inauguration event Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial.I like the last paragraph. It's clear the incoming administration is taking great pains to make sure everyone knew this totally wasn't a response to any of the criticism they received. The fact that they got a gay bishop to deliver a prayer while taking heat from gay groups for allowing Warren to participate is just completely coincidental.The Rev. Gene Robinson, Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire, has accepted an invitation issued by the Obama team prior to the announcement of the Rev. Rick Warren’s selection to deliver the invocation at the president-elect’s swearing-in, Politico reported Monday.
Robinson had been a critic of Warren’s role, calling his inclusion in the event “really, really unfortunate” because of the California minister's support for California's Prop. 8, which barred same-sex marriage.Not sure what he means by that last sentence. Is Robinson suggesting his sexual orientation determines the content of his prayers rather than his Christian beliefs? Both men are Protestants. One would assume their prayers to God would be similar. For a guy who demands Christian doctrine and church tradition bend to accommodate his sexuality, Robinson seems awfully reluctant to tolerate views that differ from his own.“It's about this particular venue and the role that he has in praying for all of America, and I'm just not sure he'd pray to God the same way I would,” Robinson told Beliefnet last month.
How can our president-elect stand to embrace such intolerance?
Yikes - I guess he wasn't kidding about praying in a different way than Warren.
Posted by slublog at January 12, 2009 07:42 PM
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Comments
"I'm different than you, so I'm special, and you HAVE to recognize that I'm special."
And not sure he'd pray to God the same way I would. Doesn't everyone pray differently? Yes, there are the prayers that you automatically say, but when you are talking to God, it's personal and it's you, so of course each time is different.
Posted by: Kath at January 13, 2009 05:58 AM
God of our many understandings? Excuse me?
And how charming that he got that idea from his 12 step program and, uh, congrats on being a recovering alcoholic. The man just gets better and better, doesn't he?
Posted by: Kath at January 14, 2009 06:23 AM