Rick Warren - The New National Preacher

Sunday, 21 December 2008, 8:24 pm
Article: Michael Collins

Rick Warren - The New National Preacher

Rev. Billy Graham and replacement, Rev. Rick Warren
Images: left, right

He's "Davos People"

Michael Collins

Rick Warren's selection to open the upcoming inauguration created a well justified scandal given his appallingly bigoted views on gay marriage. Equating that institution with both incest and pedophilia shows a total lack of judgment and compassion. This should make him unacceptable for civilized company, not to mention the opening act of the 44th Presidential Inauguration.

Taking a broader look at Warren and his rapid rise to prominence, however, the choice seems logical. Warren has been cultivated as the new Billy Graham, the right wing preacher who ratified the actions of the leaders that he blesses as God's representative. Since the Eisenhower presidency, Graham legitimized every war and military incursion by "visiting" the White House, praying for the current president, and conferring "Godliness" on them. Graham would then go public after the prayer event and say kind things about the president, every president.

Billy Graham even went along with President Nixon's prolonged anti Jewish remarks during a recorded 1972 conversation by saying, "This stranglehold (of Jews) has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain." Chicago Tribune, Feb. 28, 2002

For years now, we've been absent the once familiar figure of spiritual bag man. Graham has taken his leave of public life and his son Franklin is too bitter for broad public consumption.

Ugly Talk

On at least four issues, Warren has let loose with some very unspiritual views. He referred to the removal of Terri Shiavo's feeding tube as "an atrocity worse than Nazism" even thought the woman was in a "persistent vegetative state" with no hope of recovery..

But that wasn't enough for America's preacher to be. Interviewed by Chris Matthews on "Hardball," Warren couldn't resist leveling a baseless personal attack on Terri Shiavo's husband Michael for removing his wife's life support based on clear medical evidence of an absence of life functions:

Matthews: "So why is he doing this, do you think?

Warren: "I have no idea. Well, I don't know. There's 1,000 reasons could you speculate. What if she came back out of the-out of this state and had something to say that he didn't want said?" MSNBC.Com, Mar. 23, 2005

He didn't "know" but Warren couldn't resist attacking Shiavo's husband who was suffering at the time and faced with an awful choice. The choice between silence, compassion, and attack seemed easily resolved for Rev. Warren.

On Hannity and Colmes, Warren endorsed Hannity's suggestion that "we" need to kill the current Iranian President: "Warren agreed, saying that stopping evil 'is the legitimate role of government. The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers.'" Think Progress

Warren also refers to proponents of legalized abortion as "holocaust deniers."

The most recent ugly rhetoric from Warren came just a few days ago. It was captured on video tape:

Rick Warren: "I'm opposed to having a brother and sister be together and call that a marriage, I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage.

Interviewer: "You think those are equivalent to gays getting married.

RW: "Oh, I do." Newsday, Dec. 18, 2008 (2:08)

In 2008, Newsweek named Warren as one of the "15 People Who Make America Great." Shortly after Warren made the remarks about Terri Shaivo, Time Magazine named him to "The Time 100" most "influential people in the world today" Apr. 10, 2005. There have been other accolades but, like Newsweek's, they fail to mention these very ugly and perhaps ultimately revealing remarks.

The Blessing of the World Economic Forum at Davos: Rick's Debut

He was an invited speaker at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. This is the locked down gathering of the "globalization" elite who created and maintain the current state of economic chaos. Davos is isolated, very expensive, and totally off limits. The elite attendees and those who serve them are the only outsiders.

High priest of the "war of civilizations", Prof. Samuel P. Huntington of Harvard, says that "Davos people control virtually all international institutions, many of the world's governments and the bulk of the world's economic and military capabilities" (LA Times, Jan. 21, 2007)

What better place for America's preacher in chief.

Davos, Switzerland, where the rich and powerful meet, bring in some celebrities, and talk about running the world. (Left to right: Tony Blair, Bono, Jolie, George Soros)

"Davos people" meet without the nuisance of dealing with demonstrators who show up at G-8 and other gatherings of the global elite. (Images: top cc - bottom link)

Despite his undiplomatic endorsement of "taking out" the President of Iran and the personal cruelty of the remarks he directed towards Terri Shaivo's husband in his moment of extreme grief, Warren was installed as an international leader by the fun loving crowd at the World Economic Forum. His presence on the stage with world financial and political leaders was justified by his position as it was outlined in the Davos program.

Rick Warren
Author, Saddleback Church, USA

Philanthropist, theologian, and global strategist ... Lecturer, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard ... Member: Council on Foreign Relations; Pacific Council on International Policy, Originator of global PEACE initiative to promote reconciliation, equip ethical leaders, assist poor, care for sick, and educate next generation ... People Who Make America Great, Newsweek (2006) America's Most Influential Pastor, The Economist (2007)

The Davos attendees may have been sending a message to more than just the Iranian president: get in line or watch out. There's a new preacher in town.

Here we find Warren pontificating to the assembled elite on a panel with the war enabling Tony Blair and others.

Tony Blair, 2nd from right. Rick Warren, the man who would have the President of Iran killed, speaking, far right. (Image cc )

So Rick's a made man, a key fixture in the world elite, and "the cooler" for a potentially rowdy constituency. He's assuming that unofficial national role begun in 1952, the national preacher; an empty job to be filled shortly.

Why wouldn't they pick him to warm up the crowd at the Inauguration? It's his job.

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