While she pronounced his prayer as a "good job" for being generally non-offensive and inclusive-sounding, Newsweek's Lisa Miller -- who earlier this month suggested ditching inaugural prayers altogether -- was nagged by the "lingering question" that "remains" from the way evangelical pastor Rick Warren closed his inauguration ceremony invocation in the name of Jesus:
Warren's conservative theology teaches him that there is one path to God, and that is Jesus. So when he wraps his great big arms around Muslims and Jews (and homosexuals), does he really believe there's hope for us? Or is he just being nice?
Miller, as a religion reporter, should know better. Yes -- the evangelical Christian would answer -- there is hope for everyone who puts his or her hope in Christ alone, and that's why preachers like Rick Warren preach the Gospel of salvation in Christ alone. They truly believe it, and as such, it's not nice to keep the good news of salvation and peace with God to one's self for fear of the niceness cops of the media world.
It is sincerely believing that and then acting on that belief to evangelize non-Christians that is, in its truest form, "nice" for evangelical Christians, who believe to die apart from faith in Christ is to face God's eternal judgment with no hope for mercy.
Of course, as our archive on Lisa Miller shows, the Newsweek reporter tends to view truth as malleable and subjective, not fixed and objective, as religious conservatives tend to view God and how He reveals truth in Scripture (emphasis mine):
Shortly after dismissing the Bible as archaic and "lukewarm" on marriage, Newsweek's Lisa Miller waxed poetic about it as a "powerful" "living document", essentially suggesting that religious conservatives who consider Scripture to be the inerrant, eternally true decrees of God Himself have a lower view of the Bible than religious liberals:
Biblical literalists will disagree, but the Bible is a living document, powerful for more than 2,000 years because its truths speak to us even as we change through history. In that light, Scripture gives us no good reason why gays and lesbians should not be (civilly and religiously) married—and a number of excellent reasons why they should.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
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Religious reporter?
January 21, 2009 - 14:21 ET by thebutlerdiditWell, she has been shown to be a frickin' nut, already. I just have to know. though, Ken, did she have any comment on Joseph Lowery's racist and offensive screed?
Bringing the government in to run Wall Street is like saying, "Dad burned the dinner, let's get the dog to cook." PJ O'Rourke
Tsk, tsk, Lisa...you broke rule #1.
January 21, 2009 - 14:28 ET by dborschjr68Rule #1:
Sola Scriptura.
The Word never changes to reflect modern society, as it does not need to. Modern society needs to change to reflect the Word. Please find me any reference in the Scriptures that gives excellent reasons for homosexuals to be civilly or religiously married, if you would.
Silly woman, seeking to mold Heaven into your ideal. Tsk, tsk... You would have better luck trying to light a wet match in the middle of a hurricane.
Liberate tutume ex inferis, liberal puppets.
"In that light, Scripture
January 21, 2009 - 14:44 ET by MightyMouth"In that light, Scripture gives us no good reason why gays and lesbians should not be (civilly and religiously) married—and a number of excellent reasons why they should"
Oh really? What would those "excellent" reasons be?
What it does say, in book one on page one:
Speaking to Adam and Eve:
"God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it."
I know I know, not everyone who gets married, marries to have children. But at least there is the chance God could override their disobedience :-)
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Verbal Plenary Inspiration
January 21, 2009 - 16:32 ET by CapeCodScottSimple def. From God's Mouth to the Author's Ear. Evangelicals believe in the inerrant word of God in the Bible.
Lisa, Evangelicals are big on HOPE, in fact I think God's people here pro-hope even before Pres. Obama:
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
I hope that's may answer some of your "lingering questions".
And Rick Warren was just following God's instruction as to how we are to pray to Him, it is in His Son's Name...Jesus
www.ScottOnCapeCod.com
"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation"... until they get fed-up enough to finally say something about it!
I'm Beginning to Understand Liberals
January 21, 2009 - 16:54 ET by deerjerkydaveI've been trying to figure out how liberals think the way they do. I first have to force myself to think like a 5 year old who views the world in a few basic absolutes. For example, they want world peace. For them, the only pathway to world peace comes through absolute tolerance. Tolerance of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, etc etc etc you name it. But they take that tolerance to such an extreme absolute level that even morality must be eliminated since by its very nature it discriminates against people who make choices that would be deemed as "wrong." This explains their aversion to religion, and Christianity in particular. They would prefer it if religion would cease all together.
When Rick Warren gets up and prays in the name of Jesus liberals cringe in embarassment because it discriminates against non Christians and is viewed as a road block to world peace.
djdave
January 21, 2009 - 17:16 ET by choselife3xYou'll love this.
http://m.youtube.com...
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
"While she pronounced his
January 21, 2009 - 18:54 ET by Pross"While she pronounced his prayer as a "good job" for being generally non-offensive and inclusive-sounding"
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
Rev. Lowery, Jan 20th 2009
Yeah, lets light a fire under Warren's a$$ though...how dare you say "in the name of Jesus Christ!"
Just please slap yourself Ms. Miller.
What she and Obama and the world do not like . . .
January 21, 2009 - 19:09 ET by CKA in Red State USA. . . is that the Word of God hasn't changed, ain't gonna change -- no matter how much they all would like to create their own gospels to fit their needs.
IMO, the Lord God -- the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, including Jesus the Messiah -- is shaking American Christianity now, as well as America, to find who believes in Him or who will believe in Him, and who has the stones to stand for Him.
Pretend-Christian Obama and those like him who subscribe to the racist, apostate gospel called Black Liberation theology, in which he and Michelle are steeped, and all other secular gospels exemplify those who think they can do better than God.
As for the Bible being a living document, it is. But it's life comes from the Lord Jehovah, the great I Am That I Am. And as Book of Hebrews says of the Christ: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."
That's too much of a declaration for someone such as Miller. Even, really, for apparently a lot of people claiming to be Christians.
But whatever, the Word of God will not change.
And that is what drives the secular humanists, the moral relativists, the moral agnostics and atheists crazy and angers them so: They cannot drag God down to their level, try as they might.
BTW: As for conservative Christians, well, Miller and her ilk can use that term. They might as well say Orthodox Christians, be they Catholic or Protestant.
They can mock or say whatever, though, but they will find that there is a remnant of Christians on this Earth who will not bend, regardless of what is said about them or done to them.
Libspeak
January 21, 2009 - 23:48 ET by nkviking75Libspeak: Inclusive [religious edition] -- 1. All non-Christian religions maintain their doctrine and don't budge an inch, especially when offensive to Christians (see radical Islam); 2. Christians must abandon Jesus claim that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
No doubt Lisa also agrees
January 22, 2009 - 18:06 ET by Rhymes With RightThat at some point we more advanced and modern human will recognize that the clear words of scripture commanding "Thou shalt not commit adultery" have come to mean, in that living document, "Screw anyone you want without commitment -- sex is fun!"
Blogging at rhymeswithright.mu.nu