Pastor Rick Warren, who drew criticism from both the left and the right when he was chosen to give the invocation at President Obama's Inauguration, explained on Hugh Hewitt's radio show last night how he deals with being "a pretty big target" in public life. "My number one goal in life is to have a Christ-like ministry," said Warren, pointing out that Jesus "hung out" with questionable people such as prostitutes and tax collectors. Warren then said that Jesus "would have hung out with Democrats" today.
"Christians aren't perfect. Just forgiven." If I've seen the bumper sticker once, I've seen it a thousand times, and I'm struck by the arrogance and self-superiority expressed by it every time. I'm sick to death of "Christians" who seem to see nothing wrong with viewing themselves as some sort of higher form of humanity simply due to their belief in and commitment to their flavor of imaginary friend. Faith is a good thing, and if Christianity is what gives your life meaning and purpose, good on you. There's nothing inherently wrong with Christianity as a belief system and a recipe for living life. Indeed, there are a lot of good things that can follow from adhering to the teachings of Jesus Christ...and being "Christ-like" can a very positive thing. Unfortunately, idjits like Rick Warren too often manage to confuse "Christ-like" and inflated sense of self-worth.
Rick Warren, from where I sit, represents the worst sort of "Christian"- self-superior, hateful, bigoted...and yet absolutely convinced that they're the very pinnacle of Christian love and Charity. Love others as you love yourself...as long as they're White, heterosexual, Republican believers. The rest of humanity? Well, obviously we're all heathens who haven't recognized the blindingly obvious truth of Jesus Christ.
And you wonder why I'm sickened by modern Christianity??
RIck Warren is the worst and most dangerous sort of hypocrite- a smiling fool so convinced of the absolute correctness of his own beliefs and prejudices that his disdain for those who live and think differently is palpable. Warren doesn't even bother to paper over his hypocrisy, so secure in his self-superiority is he. I still can't figure out what Barack Obama sees in the man. Warren wouldn't recognize "Christ-like" if it bit him on the ass. Is it any wonder that whenever I see his beatific visage on television, the first things that come to mind are the words "temple" and "moneychangers".
What Would Jesus Do? I can only hope that he'd kick Warren's corpulent ass from here to Thursday.
