Writes: Joe Solmonese

Obama’s Inaugural Mistake

It is difficult to comprehend how our president-elect, who has been so spot on in nearly every political move and gesture, could fail to grasp the symbolism of inviting an anti-gay theologian to deliver his inaugural invocation. And the Obama campaign’s response to the anger about this decision? Hey, we’re also bringing a gay marching band. You know how the gays love a parade.

Yes, the Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of the humongous, evangelical Saddleback Church in Orange County, Calif., has a sound message on poverty. And certainly, in the world of politics, there is a view that Barack Obama owes Warren for bringing him before fellow evangelicals, despite fierce opposition during the heat of the presidential campaign.

But here’s the other thing about Warren, the author of the bestselling book “The Purpose Driven Life“: He was a general in the campaign to pass California’s Proposition 8, which dissolved the legal marriage rights of loving, committed same-sex couples. …. [READ MORE]

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Special Read(s):

1. How the hell did Rick Warren get inauguration tickets? — Barack Obama knows liberals are upset he picked the conservative evangelical preacher to pray at the inauguration. And he doesn’t care.

2. God doesn’t exist. He never did . . . he never will. Wake up . . . grow up . . . and get over it!
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Who is Rick Warren

“Just because I like pizza it doesn’t mean I should marry it.” — Rick Warren. — In an interview with Ann Curry on NBC’s Dateline [See Video below], Evangelist Preacher, Rick Warren, who is set to deliver the invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration, equated gays getting married to eating pizza everyday.

Under fire, Warren defends inauguration invite — Evangelical pastor says he loves ‘gays and straights,’ met Melissa Ethridge

Obama responds to Warren Backlash
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References:

1. Rick Warren Likens Gays To Pizza — “Just because I like pizza it doesn’t mean I should marry it”
2. Obama’s Choice Of Warren Is Very Disappointing — Rep. Barney Frank
3. Rick Warren and Gays — John Leo
4. To Whose God Will Rick Warren Pray? — The selection of Southern Baptist megachurch pastor Rick Warren to deliver the Inaugural Invocation raises all sorts of provocative questions. Has Barack Obama betrayed the left by choosing someone so closely identified with the anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage positions of the Christian Right? Does this mean Warren has succeeded Billy Graham as America’s pastor? Will the 2009 Inaugural Invocation be the first in American history delivered by a man with a goatee?
5. God doesn’t exist. He never did . . . he never will. Wake up . . . grow up . . . and get over it!

I watched last Saturday’s “forum on faith” at the Saddleback Church in California, hosted Rev. Rick Warren, and it was pretty obvious that McCain, who was questioned after Obama had an unfair advantage.

McCain got some notice that Obama did not.

NBC political reporter Andrea Mitchell reported Sunday that Obama aides thought McCain “may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.”

She was right.

A Republican pastor plus his “God-Smooching” crowd…..Please!

The so-called evangelicals follow some of the most racist and bigoted Ministers (pastors) in the United States, who freely advocate American wars based on Biblical mandates, rant hatefully against Islam, and argue that natural disasters occur because God hates gay people.

Pastor Warren might not utter the same, but he and his congregants belong to the same cesspool — a snake pit of the most racist vipers in America, who have and continue to use Religion (Christianity) to persecute others who do not think like them.

The entire Republican establishment is permitted actively to lavish them with praise and court their support without the slightest backlash or controversy.

To me, Religion is a disease, an affliction that is the catalyst of 90% of the world’s problems.

Comedian Bill Maher says: “Religion as brain disease,” “Christians have neurological disorder,” ……”I think religion is a neurological disorder…. When you were a kid and they were telling you whatever you believe in religion, do you think if they had switched the fairy tales that they read to you in bed with the Bible, you would know the difference? Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the difference? Why do you believe in one fairy tale and not the other? Just because adults told you it was true and they scared you into believing it, at pain of death, at pain of burning in hell.

My friend at afriqueonline.com says: God doesn’t exist. He never did . . . he never will. Wake up . . . grow up . . . and get over it! Religion is a fairy tale for adults, a scam run by priests, ministers, rabbis, nuns, witch doctors, bishops and popes so that suckers will pay for their big houses, fine clothes and BMW’s. As scary as it might sound, you alone are responsible for what happens in your life, not some imaginary spook living in a paradise in the sky . . . not some evil goblin living underground in a fiery pit . . . You!….[read more]

I agree with both, and it pains me to admit that my own dear mother is hooked to Religion like a junkie on crack-cocaine.

I rejected Religion (All Religion) at the age of five. At first my mom could drag me to church by force, but when I got bigger later in my teen years and she got older, the best she could do was scream at me (poor mama).

But don’t get me wrong — she is the best human being on earth and so are many other evangelicals — those who are not bent in shoving religion down my throat.

My early rejection of religion has not prevented me from knowing what’s right and what’s wrong — several decades later.

Now, back to ReTHUGlican McCain.

The New York Times and so many others reported that John McCain was not sitting in what Pastor Rick Warren referred to as “the cone of silence” while Barack Obama was questioned during Saturday night’s Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency.

McCain staffers told journalists that the Republican candidate was in a motorcade on his way to the church when Obama was on stage, but heard none of the questions.

Several times the pastor allowed McCain to “Stump” as if in a town-hall meeting, a luxury that was not accorded Mr. Obama.

After this charade, as usual, blood-sucking right-wing snakes(pundits) rushed out to toast McCain’s victory over Obama.

Rick Warren is just another lying and conniving “give GOD 10% of your wealth” pastor. I bet you he discussed every question with McCain before conducting the forum.

That had to be the case — judging from how relaxed the bumbling McCain was on Saturday.

This was a setup!

God’s Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters

Special Comment on McCain: Olbermann chastises McCain: Grow up!
Senator is acting like a child, needs immediate attitude adjustment