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Rick Warren Scores Big:  First Obama/McCain Forum at Saddleback

Orginally published on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 10:43 PM
by Todd Rhoades

Perhaps you've heard this already... but Rick Warren will host both Barak Obama and John McCain at Saddleback Church for the first presidential campaign forum between the two candidates. Rick will interview both men individually for an hour each. Here's more from CNN:


What do you think?  Good move on Rick’s part?

I’d love to hear your opinion…


This post has been viewed 3167 times so far.


  There are 48 Comments:

  • Posted by Evan Blackerby

    Great work, Pastor Rick!  We all can disagree about so many things, but great job in bringing people together in order to make Christ more famous.  Christians are not just Republican or Democrat.  I care about God and care about people.  That is my political leaning. 

    Pastor Rick is very wise in his political views.  He can change the things that many of ‘our leaders’ have damaged.  He can bring people together that were torn apart by the opinions and personal decisions of many power-hungry leaders.  Christ will become more famous because of Christians actually caring about politicians and there policies alike, rather than criticizing and judging them.

  • Posted by Tyler

    I’m fine with it as long as it isn’t during the main services Sunday morning. I think this should be a completely separate event.

  • Posted by Jim U.

    It really sounds like a good event. I’d be interested in watching it.

    But my question is, Is this the job of a pastor/church?

  • Posted by Gary Sweeten

    Great thing, Rick. Be an infleuncer of all men and women. “Show an openeness to all political views in order to save some”.

  • Posted by Andy Wood

    Jim, I would say it’s the job of an ambassador, a facilitator of change. 

    I am personally excited about it because for the first time in my memory, maybe somebody will ask the questions I am interested in hearing answers to, with a different format than the made-for-TV debate format that has dominated presidential races since 1976.

    It also has the opportunity to frame both the election and the Christian church in ways that are meaningfully different WITHOUT compromising what is important to Evangelicals.  (It’s that last part that some of us aren’t convinced of yet.) But I’m pretty excited about it.

  • Posted by

    This is absolutely fantastic.  It is also great for him as a Pastor to do.  This will open the eyes of Christians and non-Christians alike.
    He is spot on with his view that Pastors should not endorse one candidate over another.  When Christians are seen as bridge builders and reconcilers then maybe the world will see more of the Christ we cherish and love.
    I am looking forward to watching these interviews.  Maybe Rick will teach the media how it should be done.

  • Posted by Peter Hamm

    “But my question is, Is this the job of a pastor/church?”

    It might be if you’re a very high-profile individual. The non-partisanship of this event is what I like best, and is a must if it is to be done in a church like this, imho.

  • Posted by phill

    This just tells us the type of influence a person of faith can have

  • Posted by Paul J.

    Mega kudos for Rick pulling this off. I especially like what he said in the interview about doing this without buzzers and rebuttals. Maybe we’ll actually get TWO POLITICIANS ANSWERING REAL QUESTIONS!!! Hopefully Rick will be able to keep them away from talking points and scripted answers...I’m looking forward to it.

  • Posted by

    we are called to be the light and salt of the world. If there is no other Christian leaders who can influence the world, then who is going to do it? of course the believer! Only Christian & church can influence the world because we have God’s presence and power live in us. Personally, I believe the church and pastor should play a role in influencing the world. So we shouldn’t ask, “is this the job of a pastor/church? but rather “how should I as a believer play a part? pray? support? ....

  • Posted by

    At the 5:40 mark, Warren says, “I think you have to distinguish between faith and worldview.”

    Then, just over a minute later, at the 6:56 mark, he says, “Faith is simply just a worldview.”

    It’s this sort of double-talk that makes me believe that when he said that he wouldn’t give them any softball questions, he was probably lying.

    --
    CS

  • Posted by

    It’s an interesting fit with this bit from the Washington Post:

    Obama’s Religion

    One overlooked item in the new WSJ-NBC poll is new evidence of growing public awareness that Barack Obama is a Christian.

    Asked open-ended (without prompts) to identify Obama’s religion, 48 percent said he held a Protestant faith, an 11 percentage point increase from March, and up from 18 percent in WSJ-NBC polling in December. Another 2 percent said he is Catholic. (Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ.)

    The percentage labeling him a Muslim in the new poll stands at 8 percent, down slightly from 13 percent four months ago. About four in 10, 39 percent, said they are not sure about his religion.

    Fox News asked the question in a decidedly different manner in their new poll, but the answers were generally similar: “Some people believe Barack Obama, despite his professed Christianity, is secretly a Muslim. Others say that is just a rumor and Obama really is a Christian as he says, and point out he’s attended a Christian church for years. What do you believe—is Obama a Muslim or a Christian?” Fifty-seven percent answered Christian, 10 percent Muslim, 5 percent volunteered some other religion and 27 percent expressed no opinion.

  • Posted by

    i think it is a great idea for rick to ask questions to the too that is running for pres. then he should put it on fox news and let everyone hear what is being said. and he should ask them some tough questions, not just the run of the mill. i do not see a problem with a high profile pastor asking them questions, we should know where they stand on a lot of questions, instead of the too trying to make the other look bad to get votes. well enough said

  • Posted by Brian L.

    CS,

    As soon as I saw the headline, I knew you’d be responding.

    I wasn’t expecting you to call RW a liar, however.

    I had a response typed out, but I felt God saying I should not stoop to that level, so I’ll just say that my heart breaks for you.  I truly mean that.

    Brian L.

  • Posted by

    My hope is that Rick will ask questions of the canditates that matter to us such as their position on abortion, or same sex marriage, issues that if promoted and made easier seem to spell doom for our nation. If the canditate are soft of moral issues, even possibly anit-Christ on moral issue, it doens’t make much differnce what their economic policies are, or their views on the Iraq or radical Islam. Righteousness still exalts a nation and sin is still a disgrace to many people. I want a leader who fears God, not one that panders to man. I hope that Rick asks questions that will bring out their true beliefs on very important matters.

  • Posted by

    Brian L:

    Perhaps I was hasty in my words there.  Allow me to explain things a little more clearly.

    Given that the forum was agreed to by both candidates, that it won’t be a town hall type forum, and that the questions will only come from Warren, in looking back on the past 50 years of political history, these types of venues typically generate little controversy and tend towards softball questions for both candidates.  As Warren said, he’s buddies with them, so I can’t see him rocking the boat or upsetting them.  I wager you’d agree with me here.

    Now, I imagine that the questions Warren will ask, in his own opinion, he would consider to be hard-hitting, tough, essential questions.  I bet that he thinks that his questions will avoid looking like slow-pitch softballs.  This is not, “lying,” as I used the word so bluntly, but badly subjective, because what one person would consider to be a “softball” could be a Nolan Ryan 104 mph fastball.

    I would echo other postings on this forum about what constitutes a hardball question.  Some examples include:

    -Both candidates being asked if they truly believe in the message of John 14:6.
    -Senator Obama being questioned about his stance on abortion in a Christian perspective.
    -Senator McCain being questioned on being ashamed of his faith, since he speaks of it so infrequently.
    -Senator McCain being questioned about the Mormon faith of Romney, if picked as a VP nomination.

    I seriously doubt that Warren will come anywhere close to these questions.  He likes being neutral and being agreeable to both sides of the aisle.

    Finishing up, when I heard Warren directly contradict himself almost inside of a minute, combined with the forum and situation, I wielded the “lying” word quickly.  That was in error.  I should have taken the time to explain myself better and extrapolate on why I did not believe him.

    --
    CS

  • Posted by Brian L.

    CS - I appreciate your explanation.

    I also need to ask for your forgiveness for the tone of my post.

    I am tired, and I needlessly allowed that to be reflected in my post.

    I am trying to make sure that my conversations, on-line or otherwise are more gentle in tone and content.

    I would be grateful for your prayers on that account.

    And I must also say that the overall tone of your posts lately has been much more gracious than in the past.  I meant to mention it before…

    Brian L.

  • Posted by

    Brian L.:

    I forgive you, my brother.  No harm done, no foul scored.  I know how fatigue can turn me into quite a bear, too.

    Thanks for the acknowledgment of my tone.  I’m trying to stay objective and adhere to truth, but balanced with love.  I do have to thank someone here for taking the time to chat with me on the phone for that one. 

    I’ll pray for you, too.

    --
    CS

  • Posted by

    I am quite leary “uncomfortable would be putting it mildly” what powers are behind him, his views, what comprised his character and influenced his integrity Personally I do not trust him in the least, I have some very uneasy feelings about him and his 20 year association with Trinity and Rev Wright, the whole black lib theology “james cone”, and some of the other associations attributed with him, Fr Flager, louis farrakhan, willima ayers, his open confession of there are many ways to Heaven, his inability of his embrace of Jesus as the one and only true savior and lord, that initself speaks volumes, his wavering or endorsement of same sex marraige, abortion etc, I will not ever vote for him “wolf in sheeps clothing” I am not a scholar however there is a passage or passages that remind “ME” that the devil masquerades as an angel of light, and is the ultimate deciecver and prowl`s like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I also recall a 3rd of the angels were cast out, what powers are behind him, whom does he owe and at what price? I do not trust this man nor his rhetoric, I am not a citizen of the world either

  • Posted by

    thomas i agree with you if he says there is other ways to heaven how can any christian in good conscious vote for a person that does not beleave our lord jesus christ. and he has been seting under wrights teaching for twenty years, he had to believe some of the hate he spewed from time to time or he would have left before he ran for president, some of these washington people take the people of the usa for fools, i have heard farrkhan spew his hate for the white people, some of the black preachers or should i say most of the black preachers would not let him in the church to speak to their flock.

  • Posted by

    If it’s true that Warren is friends with both candidates, I’d rather have questions fielded from the Saddleback congregation rather than from Warren.  Overall, I like the idea of this forum though, as I do think it will yield better answers.

  • Posted by Ed Johnson III

    Here is what I appreciate about Rick’s interview on CNN:

    He did not speak negatively of either of the candidates, especially when it came to the issue about some people’s suspicions of Barak’s faith and commitment to Jesus.

    He valued each of the candidates for being who they are.

    And there is more that I can say, but I will just leave it at that.

    Let me say, in closing, that I believe we as Christians should be careful about moving too quickly to label people who we clearly have never met, have never talked to, or have no type of relationship with.  We should be more discerning (or cautious) about taking sound bites surrounding certain issues from the media as the WHOLE truth about who a person is and what he/she stands for.

  • Posted by

    Ed, we can only go with what we hear. Even the media that is pro- Obama has writtne about some of his views which are not closely aligned with the Christian faith. Sound bites are what they are and he has plenty of opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings of his positions on subjects that matter to followers of Chirst.

  • Posted by

    DISCERNING IS EXACTLY WHAT BROUGHT ME TO THE CONCLUSION, i READ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND LISTENED TO HOLLOW “YES WE CAN” AND “CHANGE” TO WHAT? NOTHING AT ALL CLEAR CUT ABOUT THIS MAN, OTHER THAN HIS SHADOWY BACKGROUND WHICH HE EITHER DISMISSES DUE TO POLITICAL EXPEDIENCYOR THAT HE CONSIDERS US AS IN VOTERS FOOLISH AND NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY,OR WORSE MYOPIC AND UNIFORMED NOT A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD, AND AT LEAST FOR ME PART OF BEING DISCERNING “LABELING” IS SEPERATING THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF SO TO SPEAK, i PERSONALLY THINK THAT PASTOR WARREN SHOULD TAKE THEM TO TASK IN THE SENSE OF ASKING THEM POIGNANT QUESTIONS AND NOT THE TYPICAL GLAD HANDING, AFTERALL THEY ARE THE ONLY 2 RUNNING FOR THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH THAT AWESOME HONOR & PRIVELAGE COMES RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE WHO CANNOT REPRESENT THE FUNDAMENTAL CORE VALUSE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERCIANS, AND OBAMA DOES NOT FIT THAT BILL FOR “ME”

  • Posted by

    sorry about the caps, not angry or anything just noticed

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