Gay Reaction to Rick Warren

I was dismayed with the reaction of some gay activists at President-elect Obama’s choice of Rev. Rick Warren to do the invocation at his inauguration. I saw an interview on TV with one activist who said nothing by lies about Warren. Several points to consider on this:

1. The GLBT folks will have an ally in the White House. Why act up (if you’ll pardon the pun) over such a trivial matter? Let it go.

2. Warren is giving a prayer, not a lecture on homosexuality. This isn’t a cabinet appointment either, but a 30 second prayer.

3. Gays want rights, but are willing to suppress the rights of others. This is the height of intolerance, especially when you spread lies about a person. Practice what you preach.

4. While Rick Warren adheres to the clear teachings of both the Old Testament and the New regarding the practice of homosexuality, he isn’t some hate-filled zealot. He is tolerant (unlike some of the gay activists I’ve seen on TV), works on AIDS projects, and is somebody you can have dialog with.

5. Rick Warren is of the belief, as are many Christians, that all people, including GLBT, are people of worth and must be treated as such. While they may believe the practice of homosexuality is wrong according to the Holy Scriptures, that in no way diminishes a homosexual person as a creation of God. At the same time, there is a dichotomy. Because God instituted marriage as between a man and a woman, Christians can’t recognize same-sex “marriage” as a matter of conscience. Many Christians can, however, agree with a civil union, not as sanctifying a gay relationship, but purely for legal reasons. What gays and their supporters need to understand is the “people of worth vs. Scriptures” tension that Christians face. We didn’t write the Scriptures, but believe they were inspired by God. Therefore, we can’t abandon clear scriptural teachings to accommodate the gay agenda.

6. As Obama has said, we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. If you claim “tolerance” as a cardinal virtue, how about practicing it yourself? Why not take the high road and gain people’s respect, rather than taking the low road and hurt your cause?

I hope that those with agendas will conduct themselves in a more civil fashion and allow people of faith to exercise their rights to practice their religion and have free speech.