Too true... Rick puts the RIC in the Religio-Industrial Complex.
Phil
· 7 months ago
Past experience with others of his ilk indicate he will return to his fundie roots shortly.
I never pay any heed to their olive branches, as they always turn out to be poison ivy.
tomitron
· 7 months ago
i still have a hard time believing that he said what he said to king, even though i heard him say it----but i'm not so sure that i would be so cynical about his motives----a lot of christianists are having second thoughts and are finding it hard to walk back from positions that, it is dawning on them, are ill-considered and hateful
DavidinPS
· 7 months ago
Sorry, but who exactly? I can't think of one, much less "a lot."
another steve
· 7 months ago
Either he's an opportunist who has discovered that the middle ground's the place to sell the most wares, or someone close to him came out to him.
The latter is not always a formula for enlightenment, though. Read: Newt Gingrich and his fellow 'family value' knuckle-draggers.
Ben Dover
· 7 months ago
Warren's xtian "faith" begins, and ends, at the collection plate.
He realizes that there is much more cash to be made by posing as a more "centrist" xtian. He can't become the next incarnation of evangelical superiority if he only plays well with the 30 percenters.
Follow the money to see what Warren's version of good ol' gawd really is.
Joneses
· 7 months ago
Could it be that Pres. Obama reaching out to him may have opened his eyes? Nah, but if true, and I say it lightly, maybe he has seen the true light.
Blueflash
· 7 months ago
The only light he saw was lighting a path to becoming the nation's de facto official preacher and even in a country as homophobic as ours that means opposing gay rights while not appearing to be motivated by a visceral hatred.
scooter in brooklyn
· 7 months ago
wasn't he scheduled to be on with stephanopolous this morning? any news from that?
btw john - i loved the way you called prager a bigot and told him you loved him :)
wendy davis
· 7 months ago
Too bad he canceled on This Week, since he is exhausted/sickly, but not being pressured by christianists. Oh, the convoluted politics of religious leadership!
Blueflash
· 7 months ago
He's in more of a bind than a Republican politician who's criticized Limbaugh. He's probably exhausted from trying to figure out how he gets out of it.
DavidinPS
· 7 months ago
He canceled?! I was SURE he was going to blow this off. Given the events of this week, even softballer interviewers would have had to show the King clip of Warren's Prop 8 denial followed by the clips proving him a liar. What would is defense have been? "Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?" No wonder he got "exhausted."
been there
· 7 months ago
He's a charlatan, and he's gonna lose clout, big time.
Warren's church had or still has an "ex-gay" program intended to "cure" gays. Did he ever truly believe in this nonsense? Probably no more than the haters at Haggard's church who cured Haggard after his little scandal, pronounced him now "100% heterosexual", but tellingly he remains completely ostracized and persona non grata. No love the sinner, hate the sin stuff for Ted. Warren's a liar and a manipulator, but then that comes with the religious right territory.
fwoolz
· 7 months ago
...and all the hypocritical poltroons in the world - like Rick Warren - can't change that.
pdxprobert
· 7 months ago
I wonder what price he sold out for and who made him the offer he couldnt refuse?
Indigo
· 7 months ago
I'm sorry but I missed the part where Rick Warren was ever a sincerely spiritual teacher. When was that, exactly?
fwoolz
· 7 months ago
@Indigo - I think it was on TV once, right in between the ads hawking shares in this antique bridge in Brooklyn and prime Florida swampland...
Lee43
· 7 months ago
My guess is that Warren promised to drop the homophobia to get a speaking gig at the inauguration. Look for him to get some Obama face time in the future.
catjya
· 7 months ago
I'm waiting for the lover to come forward,watch!! He has to know his words are on tape,why the turnaround?
hrh
· 7 months ago
"That makes me think that Warren's ambition, and not his heart (or soul) are guiding his newfound tolerance."
These people have no souls. Their only interest is in controlling their Kool-Aid drinking sheeple, who will keep them in the $$$$$$$$ lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.
Goober Peas
· 7 months ago
Warren bailed out on George Stephanopoulis's "This Week" program this morning at the last minute, claiming he was "sick from exhaustion." Pam is reporting at House Blend that his followers are trying to clean up the PR mess of having their master caught in a blatant lie on national television and she has a letter posted that she received from them. Hope he takes some time to reflect and repent for bearing false witness during Holy Week.
nicho
· 7 months ago
Is it possible that Rick Warren simply feels honestly sorry for his past homophobia, and is trying to make amends?
Interesting theory. Let me think. Nahhhhh! These people are frauds and hucksters first, last, and always. Honesty has nothing to do with it.
missime
· 7 months ago
You shouldn't judge, lest you be judged. Rick Warren is not the enemy that you need to fear.
benb
· 7 months ago
If it baffles the Concerned Women for America then whatever Ric Warren is doing is the right thing to do. Keep it up, Ric!
osage
· 7 months ago
HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE
Evangelicals are the bullies and hypocrites who believe the earth is 6,000 to 10,000 years old despite it being 4,500,000,000 years old. The "rationalization" that the word "day" may not mean 24 hours is an admission that the bible IS NOT a literal document, but one that is literally dependent on the reader's subjective interpretation rather than a verbatim dissemination of god's words.
It's always amazed me that fundamentalists who claim to base their values on the words on a particular interpretation of the bible pick and choose which words ARE and ARE NOT to be interpreted literally.
Why should a book that has been translated numerous times from numerous languages by numerous biased and fallible human beings over a period of more than 2,000 years be necessary as proof of and or a justification for one's moral values? When faith itself is completely ethereal, why do so many people base their religious values on the written word?
The majority of people who place so much emphasis on a bible DO NOT practice the values in that bible nor do they project the grace and tolerance of a faithful believer. Where in any interpretation of any bible does it suggest that god wants people to use his words as a tool, weapon or political litmus test? The "Christians" who do that aren't just misinterpreting god's words; they are perverting them into political/cultural swords of sacrilege and unrighteousness.
tomtallis
· 7 months ago
I think that you're right. Warren got a come-to-Jesus from the ayatollahs of the Southern Baptist Convention. He doesn't advertise it, but Saddleback Church is affiliated with the SBC.
K. Foster
· 7 months ago
I wonder if it was BHO who had that come to Jesus moment with RW... Hmmmm... Of course, I have no idea, but wouldn't that be interesting?
Marla
· 7 months ago
I am not saying I don't believe in God. And I am not gay. I am just saying that it seems to me that "my" God would be tolerant of anyone. He should not be tolerant of any pedophile or anyone else who is a preditor of any sort. But doesn't the bible say that ALL are forgiven?? The fact is that nobody can prove that the bible is completely accurate. The story has been told and re-told and somewhere somehow there has to be errors or at the very least exagerations. There were substances involved. It says so in the bible! And there always have been and there always will be. As long as humans have free will. Christians need to be mindful of that. It can't be so black and white. There is a tremendous amount of gray area. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and their interpretation. The fact is that on the day we die we will either be judged and go to heaven or hell or maybe we just die. Then and only then will we know. In the meantime. Be a good person and try to live a good life. If the bible is correct and there is no other way then why don't the Christians abide by it?? I believe it says that we are not to judge. That is God's job. So stop judging!! Unless you are truly a non-sinner which nobody is then you have no right to judge. That makes you a BIGOT. You will never convince a non-believer that you are right and they are wrong and they don't have the right to be a non-believer ,gay or have an abortion or any other of the things that you protest when you yourselves don't follow your own bible.
All Comments
I never pay any heed to their olive branches, as they always turn out to be poison ivy.
The latter is not always a formula for enlightenment, though. Read: Newt Gingrich and his fellow 'family value' knuckle-draggers.
He realizes that there is much more cash to be made by posing as a more "centrist" xtian. He can't become the next incarnation of evangelical superiority if he only plays well with the 30 percenters.
Follow the money to see what Warren's version of good ol' gawd really is.
btw john - i loved the way you called prager a bigot and told him you loved him :)
No wonder he got "exhausted."
The haters are already out on Ben Smith's blog:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0409/War...
He has to know his words are on tape,why the turnaround?
These people have no souls. Their only interest is in controlling their Kool-Aid drinking sheeple, who will keep them in the $$$$$$$$ lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.
Interesting theory. Let me think. Nahhhhh! These people are frauds and hucksters first, last, and always. Honesty has nothing to do with it.
Evangelicals are the bullies and hypocrites who believe the earth is 6,000 to 10,000 years old despite it being 4,500,000,000 years old. The "rationalization" that the word "day" may not mean 24 hours is an admission that the bible IS NOT a literal document, but one that is literally dependent on the reader's subjective interpretation rather than a verbatim dissemination of god's words.
It's always amazed me that fundamentalists who claim to base their values on the words on a particular interpretation of the bible pick and choose which words ARE and ARE NOT to be interpreted literally.
Why should a book that has been translated numerous times from numerous languages by numerous biased and fallible human beings over a period of more than 2,000 years be necessary as proof of and or a justification for one's moral values? When faith itself is completely ethereal, why do so many people base their religious values on the written word?
The majority of people who place so much emphasis on a bible DO NOT practice the values in that bible nor do they project the grace and tolerance of a faithful believer. Where in any interpretation of any bible does it suggest that god wants people to use his words as a tool, weapon or political litmus test? The "Christians" who do that aren't just misinterpreting god's words; they are perverting them into political/cultural swords of sacrilege and unrighteousness.