Rick Warren Reaps the Anti-Gay Pastors that He Sowed in Uganda

By Gustavo Arellano Wed., Dec. 23 2009 at 12:29 PM

Categories: Gay Marriage, Gimme That OC Religion

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The big story in the international gay community in the past couple of weeks has been a proposed bill in Uganda that would essentially make homosexuality punishable by death. Much heat has been placed on Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren, because he had a long-term partnership with one Martin Ssempa, one of the most vocal homophobes in the African country. Purpose-Driven® Rick has lamely, gamely tried to distance himself from the controversy, going so far as to criticize the bill and the pastors as being un-Christian. Alas, those pastors are now furious with Warren for what they see as his kowtowing to gays.

"We note with sadness the increasing levels of accepting of the evil of homosexuality," an open letter to Warren by a group of Ugandan pastors states. "The ordination of Mary Glasspool a Lesbian as a bishop in Los Angeles without any condemnation from you, has increased the widening gap between the global south church in Africa and the global north church in Europe and America. In these increasingly dark days, we encourage you not to give into the temptation to water down what the bible says so as not to offend people. Jesus's gospel is a stumbling block, and a rock of offense."

Merry Christmas, Rick, from your former African wards! Ain't too hot playing Great White Father right now, is it? For a great critique of Warren's attempt to wash himself clean of all the gay attacks, read this.

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When the killing starts, will the U.S. initiate an investigation into what part the american evangelical leaders had in this? Will the non-profit status of these organizations be reviewed? Can this develop into another holocaust? These are tough questions, but people will want answers.
I really do not understand why this has not been settled in court. In the eyes of the catholic church, once married, thats it. You cannot remarry in their eyes. Why are they not demanding marriage rights to be denied those that divorce and remarry. One shot at spousal benefits and thats it. Divorce...your on outside sinner! Why would any church in the US be against gay marriage. You live in a country based on freedom of religion and separation of Church and State. Go into a room, by yourself, sit down, clear your head of what your religion tells you to think and imagine what the people of Iran are going through right now. Children are being murder by their government in the name of God. What happens if one day your religion is not the religion of choice and your forced what to wear, your thoughts are silenced and you risk the lives of your family for simply praying to your maker. Without freedom of religion, you have Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, Afghanistan. Countries where its government and citizens accept killing others for different religious views. Imagine sitting in a movie theater with your husband or wife and kids, laughing, enjoying life and then a methodist who hates catholics decides its Gods will to blow himself up and your family as well, and that will make him a martyr and send you to hell where you belong. The people who came to America didn't want to live in fear because of their religious beliefs. The people who come to America today, don't want to live in fear. But, when you start denying rights to anyone based on your religious beliefs, you become no different than a suicide bomber..well, the difference is you survive and its the gay teen, your son or daughter or nephew or niece or neighbor who commits suicide because he is an abomination, he is evil, a pervert. This country and so many of its religious and political leaders, including Obama, are so hypocritical. Gay men and women are not asking anyone to change their religious beliefs. They are not asking the catholic church for the ability to participate in the sacrament of marriage. They are asking for the right to hold their dying partners hand in a hospital. They are asking for survivor rights so when their partner dies, their family cant come in and take everything you have as though that life you had shared means nothing. Religion in America is supposed to be the ability to stand next to any other American and pray or not pray to whatever higher being you believe in. And when your done, turn to that person beside you, shake their hand and thank them for allowing you to live, love and worship without fear. People who hold their religion dear should be yelling the loudest for Gay marriage. If you don't support people different than you, remember, one day, it will be you who are the different one, and no one around to support you.
I love the Bible cherry pickers in the these posts. NEWS FLASH you homophobic bigots, if the Bible was actually literal as you claim on homosexuality, you should be advocating for multiple wives and concubines (David and Solomon), slavery, stoning of women, etc. All that is in the Bible and accepted by God. Waiting for your illogical and nut job responses...
The scriptures listed by lee451 say it truely yet everyone ignores the scripture after he listed them. Pastor Warren abides in the truth in hateing the sin and loving the sinner. His responses to what is happening to the gay community here and in Uganda is the same. Hate the sin, love the sinner.
Don't cherry pick and say that death is not acceptable for gays if this is what your holy book says stand by it with conviction. @Corpral Urge WTF deprive a child of a home with a mother and father? Did these children ask to be put in the adoption system as well? Do you know anyone that has been adpoted?The rate at which children grow up and get passed over in favor of younger cuter more "in need" children. When you are in the system a home that is stable and welcoming is what you are looking for, not a man and a woman. It can be single parent, gay, straight or alien as long as the child is provided for and loved that's what really matters.
Folks - the "God hates gays" argument is this - a crock. A lie. A blatant untruth. A canard. Lee451 spreads out a mess o' Apostle Paul but all he's doing is saying a lot of things that are irrelevant. The plain fact is this - homosexuality is NOT one of the 10 Commandments. It isn't. Nope, ain't there. Nowhere in God's basic list of "sins against Me" does the Creator tell us that homosexuality is wrong. Now that that's settled and understood, will everyone please stop putting word's in God's mouth? I don't imagine He likes it when the lowly human tries to play Him, or intimates that He doesn't know what He's talking about.
Harry Barfbag: FYI to help you hide your ignorance during your future intolerant rants, winter solstice is an astronomical event not a belief.
Being a Christian. We recogonize that sin is sin. Be it gay or straight. But, I believe Pastor Rick should stand up and let them know that accepatance of death for gays is wrong. No man has a right to judge. Except God. As for judgment of Christians for one another we can advise and pray for one another. But, in the end your sin is yours alone. Don't lose the witness of Christ and his tolerances for all of us. Cause we are saved by his grace and our faith in him
Carl: Still waiting for you to tell me where I said Purpose-Driven� Rick said death to the gays....
Geez, the elitist enlightened ones have spoken. Rick is a GOOD Man. You guys write with a atrophied brain. Meaning, Gus you implied little buddy. But you are what you are. Love how you guys have nick names.
Maybe I'm missing something "Corporal Urge" but it sure seems like you are saying that women or men that are not able to conceive children shouldn't be able to be married either. Real classy.
Marriage through the church is just a ceremonial ritual. Marriage (in todays society)is actually an agreement (now a legal contract) that says two people are going to cooperate economically ... often in the upbring of a child in the eyes of the state. As an anthropologist who has studied cultures world wide, many christians (and other religious zealots) get the concept of marriage confused with the religious definition of marriage. Just to further exemplify my point try to say your marriage is valid in the US if you only have a religious ceremony but don't have have the proper paperwork filled out through the state...it's not valid. I always get a kick when people say that marriage is something that religion has ownership over...that is an outright lie...people did not start getting married after the council of nicaea (cohesive establishment of christianity for you folks who don't know)...people were getting married for tens of thousands of years before Christianity was even a cult. The church just capitalized on it to line their coffers like they try to do to fund their misogynistic activities. Now we see this perversion of marriage that has become so pervasive in western society that the puritanical ideology has even leached into our dictonary and venacular. If you look at the history of marriage, marriage acts, decrees, and look at it cross culturally...you will clearly see it has a LONG history of existing way before christianity ever did. Pick up a book other than that outdated rubbish and educate yourself. You can read now...take advantage of it. Don't let someone else dictate your spiritual relationship with your god or gods of choice. BTW I agree with God...Warren is a douche bag.
The sole purpose of marriage is to validate and give legitimacy to the act of bringing others into the world. Since it is needed to have a male and a female for procreation and rearing of new beings, the vows taken during marriage are directly related to assuring that the union is based on honesty and total commitment to one another, and that it will last at least as long as needed to fulfill the primary function of the Marriage, thus giving the young people a chance of survival. Emotional or physical attraction to other being, be it male or female, has nothing to do with marriage. Every person has the right to love and be loved by anyone that he or she chooses, we all have the right to co-habitate, copulate, or enter into a monogamous relationship/partnership/and make a long-term-commitment with whomever is of our choosing. If we choose to share assets equally and share benefits such as health insurance plans, life insurance benefits, inheritances, etc., that is also our right. But unless the two partners are biologicaly capable of procreating, this relationship, by definition can not be called a "marriage". This brings another subject, adoption by gays. My question is: why would anyone want to deprive a human being of the benefits of being raised in a family environment that is influenced by male and female?
You are not the real Jesus...but you're right warren is a douche bag.
Don't listen to Rick Warren. He does NOT represent me my children. He's a fried chicken glutton with serious gas and I don't even like him.
Tolerance is not having to change your beliefs, but making room for the beliefs of others...
Rick warren is a closet homosexual.
Howard, you must have a learning disability. Now remove the two headed wonder dildoe and go celebrate winter solstice/kwanza or whatever it is you believe in.
500 years ago the Christians were burning witches, now they are after gays. Ugandan witch doctors or good Rick Warren witch doctor, what's the difference? They all suffer from self imposed lobotomies.
What is happening in Uganda is wrong but it is a weak and petty attempt to connect this with Pastor Warren. God (and His Word) is forever and unchanging. because homosexuals and other deviates do not like this message, they try to destroy the messenger. Sinners have been trying to remake God in their own image for a very long time. Paul's message to the Romans is as evident today as it was 1900 years ago: Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Ask God for forgiveness and deliverance and He will grant it.
Seems like Gustavo just doesn't understand that one can dislike another's actions but still like or even love the person. Pretty standard Christian doctrine, however. To each their own. Even minorities can be bigotted...it's America! Personally, I have a thing against people named Gus.
Gus says "Oppose homosexuality and it's because you fear homosexuals (i.e. homophobe). Rick Warren goes to Africa to support Christian churches and he is playing the Great White Father (i.e. white supremacist)." Is there a rational and moral philosophy somewhere in there you can defend, Gus, or is this just your bigotry jerking that knee of yours?
Look at what Gabriel wrote above. Warren speaks out against homophobes the way Tod Brown speaks out against pedo-priests.
Shouldn't you be complimenting him for speaking out against the homophobes in Africa? It isn't like he went to Africa and gave them "anti-homo pills" or something. Don't you agree with his statements on the issue?
This was Pastor Slick Rick's initial response before he started feeling the heat: "The fundamental dignity of every person, our right to be free, and the freedom to make moral choices are gifts endowed by God, our creator. However, it is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations." That's weak sauce...
David: No, I'm criticizing Rick for having worked with those lunatics in the first place, and laughing bitterly at what his acolytes are now doing in Uganda.
So you are being critical of Rick Warren for saying something you agree with, simply because it is coming from a pastor in Uganda who he worked with previously?
Carl: Read my post again slooooooooowly. I didn't say Warren says death to gays; it's the Ugandan pastors he long worked with who are pushing that bill.
Gustavo, your obviously a misguided self righteous ignorant person. Where do you see or where have you heard Pator Rick say death to Gay's? He follows the bible and DOE'S NOT CHERRY PICK as you seem to. This man has done a lot for the community and for others who have or are still hurting. Someone stands up against immorality and you want to bash him, where is your OPEN mindeness of acceptance? Hypocrite my friend, start looking in the mirror. Tolerance, code for PC whiners such as your self Gus.