Free Republic

Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. It makes a whole lot of sense. Even though Warren and Obama disagree on the life issue, they do see eye to eye on many social justice issues. This move is also classic Obama because it is a signal to religious conservatives that he’s willing to bring in both sides to the faith discussion in this country. Obama has never shied away from that. The benediction will be led by Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery. The Civil Rights leader seems to be the perfect pick on such...

A largely known Prop 8 proponent has been selected to do President-Elect Barack Obama's inauguration invocation on January 20. Rick Warren of Lake Forest's Saddleback Church was chosen by the Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which is causing the LGBT community to go a little nutsy on the blogosphere. "As we've pointed out several times before, in 2004 Warren declared that marriage, reproductive choice, and stem cell research were "non-negotiable" issues for Christian voters," wrote a blogger at Right Wing Watch. "[He] has admitted that the main difference between himself and James Dobson is a matter of tone. He criticized...

On November 4, 2008, the people of California—in a 52 to 48 percent vote—placed in the state’s constitution an amendment that reaffirmed that marriage consists of one man and one woman. The amendment, Proposition 8, overturned the California Supreme Court’s May 2008 ruling that invalidated a statute that was passed in 2000 in a statewide referendum by a 61 to 39 percent vote. That 2008 opinion held that limiting marriage to one man and one woman, as required in the 2000 statute, violated the equal protection rights of homosexuals under the California constitution. Following the Proposition 8 victory, thousands of...

As much as I appreciated what Rick Warren did in his faith presidential forum several months ago, his appearance last evening on one of my favorite programs, Hannity and Colmes, was disappointing. What Pastor Warren responded with to some of host's Allan Colmes simple yet important questions was not the biblical gospel of salvation or even a reasonable defense of the gospel. One of his responses? "Try Jesus...?" As Colmes sarcastically quipped in response: "Like the book of the month club..." Beloved, why can't evangelical leaders just speak the truth in love and give the gospel of the Lord Jesus...

Today is the 20th anniversary of World Aids Day. The President and Mrs. Bush went to the Newseum to participate in the Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health chaired by Dr. Rick Warren. Dr. Warren presented President Bush with International Medal of Peace Award. President and Mrs. Bush Participate in Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health The President discussed World Aids day in front of the WH which was adorned with a giant red ribbon. President Bush Discusses World AIDS Day The President’s mother, Mrs. Barbara Bush, is in good condition and recovering from ulcer surgery as expected. Barbara...

ON WORLD AIDS DAY: President to Receive First ‘International Medal of PEACE’ for Humanitarian Initiatives WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 24, 2008 – Dr. Rick Warren will present President George W. Bush with the first “International Medal of PEACE” from the Global PEACE Coalition in recognition of his unprecedented contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases during the Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health, to be held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1. At the Forum, Warren will engage both President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush in candid conversation regarding past accomplishments and priorities...

WARREN: Well, that's the — the answer to getting us out of this economic crisis, no doubt about it, is wealth creation, Sean. We — we tend to go to one of the two extremes. The pendulum goes back and forth. You know, America tends to have an economic crisis about every 20 years. In the 1930s, we decided that markets didn't work and we needed big government. And then in the '70s we decided that government didn't work. We needed free markets. And now we see this trend going back the other way. But the truth is there are...

Though Proposition 8 passed statewide and countywide, some residents are disappointed with the outcome and are expressing their discontent in protests against the Marriage Equality Act this weekend. In Laguna Beach, where residents voted 68 percent against Prop. 8 and 31 percent for the gay marriage ban, opponents are marching in protest of the proposition passing Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ... The march will include a candlelight vigil and starts at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave., and continues up to Main Beach. Ed Todeschini, Orange County Federal Club co-chair for the Human Rights Campaign, says that no particular organization is...

In his e-mail to his church members he writes: "For 5,000 years, every culture and every religion - not just Christianity - has defined marriage as a contract between men and women,” Warren wrote. “There is no reason to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2% of our population.” On the Saddleback site there is video of him discussing the issue, here.

Pastor Rick Warren is endorsing the effort to protect traditional marriage in California. The well-known Christian author says people in California need to vote "yes" on Proposition 8 because for "5,000 years, every culture and every religion...not just Christianity...has defined marriage as a contract between men and women." And Warren says "there is no need to change the universal, historical defintion of marriage to appease two percent of our population." As Warren puts it: "This is not a political issue -- it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about." He urges people to vote "yes" on Proposition...

He says question about when a baby is entitled to human rights is ‘tough’

September 11, 2008, 1:02 PM Report: Palin Asked Rick Warren For Advice Posted by Vaughn Ververs| Comments5 GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin called influential pastor Rick Warren earlier this week to ask for advice on how to handle the criticism that has come her way, The Hill reports. In a California radio interview, Warren said that Palin had called him to seek help in dealing with the “unfair, unjust” attacks she said she believes had been launched at her since being tapped as John McCain’s running mate. Warren recounted the conversation, saying he responded by saying, “the question I asked...

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama acknowledged Sunday that he was probably too flip when he said it was "above my pay grade" to answer a question about when is a baby entitled to human rights. Obama gave his answer last month at a nationally televised religious forum sponsored by minister Rick Warren at his megachurch in Orange County, Calif. Asked on Sunday whether the "above my pay grade" answer was too flip, Obama said: "Probably. ...What I intended to say is that, as a Christian, I have a lot of humility about understanding when does the soul enter...

Obama considered joining military, regrets abortion answer By: Mike Allen September 7, 2008 09:11 AM EST Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) says his answer about abortion at the Saddleback Church forum was “probably” too flip. During separate televised interviews last month, Pastor Rick Warren asked the two presidential candidates when a baby gets human rights. Obama replied that the question is “above my pay grade,” while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won love from the right by saying quickly, “At the moment of conception.” Now, Obama tells ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview taped for “This Week”: “What I intended to say...

All year, Sen. Obama has worked hard to win evangelical voters. They’ve run campaign ads, distributed literature about being a “committed Christian,” and offered numerous outreach events at the Democratic convention. At stake are about six million voters - moderate evangelicals who voted for George W. Bush last time but were intrigued by Sen. Obama.Several things have battered Sen. Obama’s standing with moderate evangelicals:1) His poor performance at the Saddleback candidates forum, especially (or perhaps entirely) his comment about it being “above my pay grade” to know when life begins. 2) The selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, an appealing...

John McCain has just experienced a political Trifecta garnering the coveted conservative base that is absolutely necessary for any Republican to win an election. It is the very oxygen of the party i n much the same way liberals are the core of the Democratic Party. The first win for Senator McCain that shook his slumbering base was the Saddleback Forum where his direct answers that revealed conviction and resolve stood in sharp contrast to Barack’s fumbled, arrogant, non-answer responses. So distraught was the left that=2 0they had to create an immediate spin that McCain had the answers before hand....

For your friends who missed the first showing---Fox is showing it again. Saddleback Civil Forum Encore presentation: Sat., August 30 at 8 p.m. ET FOX NEWS Pastor Rick Warren sets up the Civil Forum with Senators Barack Obama and John McCain

GAY media czar Paul Colichman's vow in yesterday's Page Six not to support Barack Obama over the candidate's opposition to same-sex marriage has other gay media bigs aflame. "By tearing up his check for Obama, he basically wrote one to McCain," Genre editor Neal Boulton told us. "I openly - no, flamingly - endorse Obama, whether he says he's for gay marriage or not. . . . I know under Obama, it will only be a matter of time until the country sees the legalization of gay marriage." James Hipps, project manager for gay-marketing firm Vibe Media, wants gays to...

PAUL Colichman, the William Randolph Hearst of the gay media, is not supporting Barack Obama for president. But that doesn't mean he's backing John McCain. "I'm a die-hard Democrat," he tells Page Six. But Colichman was also a die-hard Hillary Clinton supporter. He and Harry Thomason produced a documentary, "The Hunting of the President: The 10-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton." Colichman, 46, who owns The Advocate and Out magazines, GayWired.com, and Here, the premium cable network for gays, said he finally dealt with his disappointment over Clinton's defeat last week and came around to Obama. "I thought,...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Barack Obama confessed over a week ago that he wasn't sure when life begins and worried the question may be a little "above my pay grade." However, a majority of Americans know when human life begins and they agree with John McCain, who said the starting point is conception.Zogby International conducted the poll for WorldNetDaily and it questioned 1,099 likely voters from August 22 to 24.The survey found 59 percent believe human life begins at conception, another 16.8 percent say it happens when an unborn child can survive outside her mother's womb with medical assistance,...