Liberal Media Warming Up to Warren?

The Liberal media went to code red when President-elect Barack Obama invited mega church guru Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration. But now that the media has taken a closer look at Warren, they might be warming up to him.

The Mansfield News Journal ran an Associated Press article by Rachel Zoll this weekend. It actually sounded more like a plea to liberals saying, "Don't worry comrades, he's one of us."

Zoll introduced her article by admitting that Warren was one of those who backed Prop 8 (the ban on gay marriage) in CA. But Zoll promptly qualifies it by immediately saying,

But he did so belatedly, with none of the enthusiasm he brings to fighting AIDS and illiteracy. When other conservative Christians held stadium rallies and raised tens of millions of dollars for the ballot effort, there was no sign of Warren. Neither he nor his wife, Kay, donated any of their considerable fortune to the campaign, according to public records and the Warren's spokesman

Zoll also notes that Warren's announcement to back the issue "came late on a Friday" and seemed to be "calculated for minimal impact."

If I might offer a translation at this point: "Comrades, his heart isn't really in this fight. He's just giving some play to the evangelical crowd--just like we do!"

The article goes on to say that liberals should put their fears to rest because Warren, though renowned as an evangelical superstar, "holds a different worldview than his (conservative) roots" and finds himself heavily criticized by the right. Zoll says, "Many from the Christian right don't trust him." and "Fellow evangelicals complain that he isn't nearly conservative enough." Then a scholar is brought in to help the left relax. Scott Thurmma, a prof at Hartford Seminary says, "The comments from many of the evangelicals further to the right of him are often critical for his lax stance on their passionate issues."

But wait, says Zoll, there's more! Warren also embraces traditional liberal issues! "He has spoken out against the use of torture to combat terrorism. He has joined the fight against global warming, and encouraged his wife to put his prestige and money behind helping people with AIDS." That last line wouldn't be complete without a dig at the fundamentalists "The Warrens have done so (fight AIDS) when a notable number of conservative Christians still consider the virus a punishment from God."

Zoll hears the libs crying out, "But he's still one of those Jesus Freaks!" Do not be afraid, says Zoll. I bring you good tidings of great joy, "While many religious conservatives openly condemn Islam as inherently evil, Warren reaches out to the American Muslim community. This past Saturday, he gave the keynote address at the convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, based in Los Angeles."

Still skeptical? What about the fact that he isn't a Republican, he speaks at the United Nations, he seeks to have governments fight poverty (is that socialism I hear?)?

Perhaps the ending is the clincher though. "It is no surprise that he and Obama have become friendly. Each tries to operate outside a strict liberal-conservative divide, and has risked angering his supporters to do so."

I'm not really sure when Obama has operated outside of a strict liberal sphere. But let me offer the translation of the concluding remark: Relax comrades, Obama and Warren are twins!

So, as you can clearly see, Zoll offers quite an apologia for Warren's acceptance by the liberal crowd. Indeed they should warm up to someone who, for all intensive purposes, appears to be lukewarm with regard to the things of Christ.