The Rick Warren Antidote: Gay Episcopal Bishop To Speak At Inaugural Event

Frankly, I can hardly stifle the yawns upon reading this news. Sure, I imagine some people will get bent out of shape, but I doubt it will measure anywhere near the cataclysmic meltdown from the angry left over Rick Warren.

New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, an outspoken, international gay rights leader, has been asked to give a prayer at one of President-elect Barack Obama's first inauguration events at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The announcement follows weeks of criticism from Robinson and gay-rights groups over Obama's decision to tap the Rev. Rick Warren, who's likened committed gay relationships to incest and polygamy, to pray on inauguration day.

Robinson, an early Obama supporter, said last month the choice of Warren left him feeling as if he'd been slapped in the face. In a telephone interview this weekend, Robinson, of Weare, said he doesn't believe Obama has included him in response to the Warren criticism. But he said his inclusion won't go unnoticed by the gay and lesbian community.

"It's important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way," Robinson said. "Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority or, in our case, a sexual minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."

Warren, author and high-profile pastor of a California mega-church, will still give the invocation at the Jan. 20 inauguration, shortly before Obama delivers his much-anticipated inaugural address. Robinson will share his invocation prayer Sunday afternoon on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural kick-off event.

Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be there, and Obama is expected to speak, Robinson said. The event will be open to the public and run on HBO. Robinson doesn't yet know what he'll say, but he knows he won't use a Bible.

"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."

Rick Warren Derangement Syndrome Now Infecting Birth Certificate Troofers

I really could care less that Rick Warren is giving the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration. When news first came out last week, the meltdown by the left was entirely predictable. After all, some people are never happy unless they're consumed with rage.

Now, however, we've got some Southern Baptist crackpot having a hissy fit and making ridiculous statements.

Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake bashed Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren this week, saying "God will punish" Warren for agreeing to give the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration next month.

"I pray He is kind to you in this punishment that is coming," Drake wrote in a widely-released e-mail. In it, the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park pastor criticizes Warren's "recent plan to invoke the presence of almighty God on this evil illegal alien," a reference to Obama.

Drake is--you guessed it--a birth certificate Troofer, a/k/a Nirthers.

Drake, who made last November's ballot as a vice-presidential candidate for the American Independent party, is a party to a lawsuit claiming Obama was born outside of the U.S., and is therefore ineligible to serve as president. Obama has a Hawaiian birth certificate, which Hawaiian officials have said is genuine.

As I noted, I really just don't care about Warren or Obama's inaugural. It's his party, let him have his fun. He could have Snoop Dogg give the invocation and it wouldn't bother me.

Move on, people. Get over it. As for this clown Drake, I suggest some psychiatric help is in order.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

'Now Our Domestic Surrender Monkeys Are In Shock'

Ralph Peters nails the whimpering lefties flipping out over Barack Obama selecting Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inaugural.

AMERICA'S hardcore leftists had convinced themselves they were finally getting "their" president. Boy, were they wrong.

Their latest cause for outrage: Barack Obama has picked the Rev. Rick Warren - a pastor who actually believes in the redemptive power of faith - to give the invocation at the inauguration.

That's what you get for judging a book by its cover - or believing campaign promises.

Months ago, I predicted that, if Obama were elected, the most-disappointed Americans would be the MoveOn.org gang.

Now our domestic surrender monkeys are in shock.

And it's not just Warren, as Peters points out by examining a number of Obama's cabinet selections.

I'm mildly surprised by some of Obama's picks and unsurprised by others, more recently Arne Duncan at Education. Considering the illiteracy rate in Chicago's schools, that one smacks of rank cronyism.

But really, the childish reaction of the far left blogs and radical gay groups is just beyond hysterical with the Warren announcement. Clearly, pragmatism and moderation aren't their strong suit. It's either march in lockstep and cave to their demands or they turn on you.

There never will be a president who appoints a cabinet 100% to my or anybody's liking. You often have to accept some bad with the good and hope in the end your agenda is followed to some extent. Having a temper tantrum and flipping out before your guy is even inaugurated speaks volumes about these people. They really need to grow up.

Previously.

Rick Warren to Give Obama Invocation, Angry Left Meltdown Ensues

Frankly, I could care less who Obama has speaking at his inaugural. I know it'll take a superhuman effort to avoid any of the fawning media coverage when the time comes. Anyway, news comes that Rick Warren, who I couldn't have picked out of a lineup before this summer, will be delivering the invocation at The Messiah's inaugural.

The selection of Warren, whose Saddleback Church in California was the site of a candidate forum with Obama and Republican presidential nominee John McCain in August, is an early taste of the Democrats' post-election effort to reach evangelical Americans. The effort continues even though Obama's evangelical offensive during the presidential campaign yielded only modest results on Election Day.

I can understand that. Obama isn't a complete idiot. He figures enough suckers will fall for this obvious ploy, so who can blame him? It's smart politics.

What, you expected him to completely drop the facade and have Jeremiah Wright in his stead?

Of course, the selection of this dreaded evangelical has evoked hysteria on the gay left blogs. Not content with focusing their seething rage upon Mormons for them losing on Proposition 8, now they're completely melting down over Obama's choice of Warren.

Once again, a useful idiot has discovered his usefulness has an expiration date.

I'm sure the brain trust around Obama thought Rick Warren would be a great idea. You know, because they're so smart that they're post-partisan. But someone on the Obama team missed the intense anger that erupted after Prop 8 won and we lost rights (or maybe they didn't care). It's visceral. Believe me. Visceral and real. And putting one of the leading supporters of that campaign on the stage at the inauguration is an affront to us.

Oh no. It's both visceral and real! Ooo-ga!

Notice he mentions intense anger. Yet when we point out how angry they are, we're inundated with hate mail.

Go figure. Meanwhile, others are using the time-honored homophobe label. Ooooh! This just isn't the change they were looking for.

Sure Warren may be better known, may have sold a whole lot of books and brings with him the added bonus of sending a dog whistle signal to Christian conservatives that he's their president too, but what about sending a signal to the LGBT community and broader progressive community who, ya know, actually supported him and worked our ass off for him? Reinforcing the false notion that the only real Christians are conservative Christians is NOT change I can believe in at all.

I'm sure Obama will be awake nights worrying about this. The funny thing is, it was an overwhelming Obama vote in California that helped pass Prop 8. The angry gay left just cannot rationalize it yet that the guy they poured their gay marriage effort into also brought out the voters who reject gay marriage. When you're a single-issue voter, you're often going to be angry when you don't get your way.

Mrs. Andrew Sullivan, while crestfallen, at least realizes this is all about politics.

Rick Warren will give the invocation at Obama's inauguration. Warren is a man who believes my marriage removes his freedom of speech and cannot say that authorizing torture is a moral failing. Shrewd politics, but if anyone is under any illusion that Obama is interested in advancing gay equality, they should probably sober up now.

I'll refrain from further comment on the alcoholic rate in the angry gay community.

Meanwhile, the always understated folks at one of the insane left blogs call Warren a Rick Warren, Warmongering Torture Apologist, to Usher in Era of Hope and Change.

So to review, Warren publicly chastized Obama for refusing to reject and denounce abortion, said four California judges "threw out will of the people", and openly calls for the murder of a head of state -- but is completely unwilling to hold BushCo morally accountable for torturing.

Great choice, guys.

These people are hilarious.

This selection is clearly not about “change”—it’s about making a high profile decision to give the stage over to a known homophobe; choosing Rick Warren is tantamount to asking any of the professional anti-gay “Christian” set to stand up there. There is no excuse for this; given there are so many leaders of the faith community that are in alignment with equality for all.

I almost feel sorry for Obama having to deal with these children. Sure, they helped get him elected and they feel they have whatever grievance ameliorated. But the childish reaction to any perceived slight just demonstrates their inability to understand that maybe, just maybe, the things they demand the rest of the country does not want. The sooner they grow up and realize that the more people like Obama might actually listen to them rather than just use them.

Thanks to Instapundit for the link.