This is hardly a big deal, but did anyone else think that Rick Warren’s invocation sounded just a little bit, very slightly, to a degree hardly noticeable at all, off? I certainly don’t mean to be in any way dismissive or disparaging about such an important religious leader of ours. But while listening to Mr. Warren’s invocation, something sounded off to me. So I closed my eyes so that I could focus my attention exclusively on the tone of Mr. Warren’s voice, since that’s where the emotional truth of what anyone says invariably lies. And when I did that I was amazed and shocked to hear—just as an immediate, unprocessed impression—insincerity.
I am absolutely not suggesting that Rick Warren is insincere about anything he said; I know that’s absurd. It might have been his nerves; it might have been just me; it might have been that while delivering his invocation Mr. Warren just naturally (and certainly understandably) slipped into the Public Persona Mode that is necessarily highly developed in anyone who leads an enterprise anywhere near as megalithic as Saddleback Church. And of course there always is that slight distinction between a person’s Public Mode and their Personal, Private Mode. I’m sure that’s all it was. I was just wondering if anyone else noticed/felt it.
Hear nothing but sincerity in my voice as I ask you to join my Facebook group.
Just out: UNFAIR: Why the “Christian” View of Gays Doesn’t Work (softcover edition; Kindle edition; NookBook edition). You’re invited to check out my Facebook page, and my group Unfundamentalist Christians, the motto of which is “Above all, love.”
![John Shore on The Huffington Post](http://johnshore.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/huffpost.jpg?w=120 "John Shore on The Huffington Post\")
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One thing I noticed was that at the end he named Jesus a couple different ways, including Isa… which is the islamic name for Jesus. Why????
He also seemed to give the impression that Jesus was just one way to the Father.
I don’t even understand how someone could view those lines, which come from an old song, as racist anyway. It’s just silly.
Yeah, it’s just such a burden to be white in America.
Could you please go be a complete dick in someone else’s blog?
I meant Reverend Lowery.
Most people probably know this, but the beautiful beginning of Rev. Lowery's benediction was a verse from the African-American national anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing":
"God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand — true to thee, O God, and true to our native land."
And the end of the benediction starts with "For all the saints, who from their labors rest," and that's the first line in the hymn "For All the Saints" (How/Williams), but I can't find a reference for the rest.
Does anyone know if this part is original to Rev. Lowery?
"[...] work for that day when black will not be asked to get 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."
For what it is worth, I thought yesterday's FOX News article expressed my sentiments exactly regarding Rev. Warren's "display"! Obama endorsed this? All I can say is, it sure sucks to be a white person these days.
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/01/21/dese…
Will: Thanks for asking, but I'm afraid an analysis that detailed is a tad beyond what my workload can just now accomodate.
I'm not fond of Rick Warren's communication style either.
John, could you comment on the content of both prayers — Warren and Lowery? I'd be interested to know which lines hit you positively or negatively.
I would assume that if Rick Warren had said to the powers that be that he would be praying from the heart and not making a prepared speech that they wouldn't be so keen on that. My guess is that they required something be prepared and approved. I don't know much about him so I can't say that I heard anything different than his norm but my guess is that he has the final word on what he talks about when he is on his own turf.
Well, I suppose in a way I am passing judgment on what I believe happened, but I'm not judging Mr. Warren for it. Oh, how to explain… I don't think Rick should be punished. I don't think that all of the people who have been helped by him should feel less of him if it were the case. I don't think that God should feel slighted. I think that praying in front of millions, in front of hundreds of millions on TV and streaming on line, is a heavy burden to carry. I think that you'd have to be a superhuman not to be swayed by that and not to be concerned that you may cause injury to your ministry or the man who asked you to come, and I think that in the same situation I may well have not done any better. Especially if I was unsettled and questioning about the whole situation, which I think Rick Warren may reasonably have been.
So while I have passed judgment on the circumstance, I've nothing but compassion for the man. I hope that clears things up?
(And what an honor to be a well-liked blogger! I like your blog, too!)
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