Monday, January 5, 2009

Rick Warren Needs to Evolve. Really?

(You can read Mary Sanchez' column here in its entirety.)

In Mary Sanchez’ op ed piece “Rick Warren Needs to Evolve”, she writes as though she knows him intimately. At least she judges him so. After all, she told us what Rick Warren fears - “America will recognize him for what he is: an old-time religionist with outdated beliefs”. Her words betray the fact that she doesn’t know the man at all.

But she also betrays her own hypocritical “religion of tolerance”, so common in our culture. The Gospel of Tolerance 1:1 says, “Live and let live. Different strokes for different folks. I’m OK, you’re OK. Whatever floats your boat. Don’t let anyone cramp your style.” Then verse 2 of the Gospel says, “But it’s kosher to be intolerant of those you deem to be intolerant. If someone disagrees with you, bash them.” Adherents to the Gospel of Tolerance, we’re told by Ms. Sanchez, are “enlightened”. The rest of us must be in the dark.

She mocks his prayer life. She belittles his strongly held belief that God has revealed His will in the Bible and that if you believe like Rick Warren you, too, are a bumpkin. She equates a moral lifestyle choice to one’s race without offering scientific evidence for the same. (But that’s “faith”, isn’t it?) She confuses Warren’s church with Warren himself, speaking of his “tax free status”. Has she seen his latest 1040? Out of one side of her mouth she declares his freedom of speech while out of the other she questions his right to pray in public and calls him a bigot.

What we have here are two preachers of two different religions: Warren and Sanchez. One says, “None of us perfect. That’s why we need God. He loves us in spite of what we do. He may not like what we do, but He loves us.” The other says, “God formulates His views of right and wrong by our enlightened and evolved humanism. And if you don’t agree with my view, you’re a bigot.” One God has established absolutes. The other goes along with the whims of the times.

I can’t help but find it humorous that President-elect Obama’s selection of Warren has met with such strong opposition from those who elected him. He’s betrayed the religion of tolerance by saying, “We’re all Americans. We don’t have to agree on everything.” And to them, that’s heresy.

7 comments:

Bob said...

Good words, Rick. Seems like anyone with a radio show, column, or blog knows what Christ's Church and His people need better than Jesus Himself.

Barb said...

I hope you'll send this post, in its entirety, to Ms. Sanchez. I wonder if she has interest in tolerating your views?

Well said, Rick.

Unknown said...

Well said!

suzannanana said...

One of your best posts!Thank you, I know there are many of us who feel the same way.

LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE...GOD'S GRACE said...

Proud to be considered a "bumpkin" any day!!

Missy said...

I am a middle of the road voter that chose Obama....for this very reason....I feel like he is open minded and willing to reach across party lines and am a bleeding heart tax spending fool when it comes to social issues affecting education, housing for the homeless, the Medicaid waiver for special needs children, our disabled America, etc. Matthew 25:31-46

I happen to love Rick Warren. I agree with alot of what he espouses, and I am not an 'outdated' old fogey. As for Ms. Sanchez................I guess everybody has a critic! Exactly what minister would have been a better choice? He has one of the best selling books in America and is very popular and recognizable. He would have been my choice.

Bill and Peggy said...

I couldn't have said it better myself. It is amazing how these "tolerance evangelists" can be so intolerant toward, what they deem, "fundamentalist". Its funny to see how worked up some of these people get. I'm not saying Rick Warren is perfect, he's human. But I think his book is one of the great books in history. I wonder if Ms. Sanchez ever read the book? Thanks for the post Rick! Peggy's on her way home now and I have been back for about a month. Happy Birthday for that grandbaby! Bill