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 Rick Warren decried what he calls a lack of civility in the presidential race.
August 23rd, 2012
06:12 PM ET
Rick Warren cancels presidential forum; mixed explanations as to whyBy Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editors (CNN) - High-profile pastor Rick Warren has called off plans for a presidential forum that he said was scheduled to include both major party candidates, but there are conflicting accounts about why the event was canceled. Warren told the Orange County Register that he was nixing his "civil forum" because of the toxic political climate. "It would be hypocritical to pretend civility for one evening only to have the name-calling return the next day," Warren told the newspaper in an article published Wednesday. But sources close to President Barack Obama's and Mitt Romney's political campaigns challenged that explanation, saying the event was canceled because of a lack of interest from the respective campaigns. "As I understand it, Pastor Warren received tepid responses from both camps well before the supposed 'cancellation,'" said a senior Democratic strategist in contact with the Obama campaign. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter "It appears that the event was canceled because neither the Romney nor Obama campaigns thought it was in their interest to do," the strategist continued, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a delicate political matter. A source close to the Romney campaign said that the former Massachusetts governor hadn't planned on attending Warren's event: “We were never going, ever. We offered to do a video.” A source close to Warren who worked on the event planning disputed the offer of a video from Romney’s campaign, ”considering the unique live, long-form Q & A format of the civil forum, obviously, video representation would have been impossible and was never discussed.” The source said, “presumably the individual who responded on behalf of Gov. Romney confused Pastor Warren’s conversations with top campaign officials about that event with the exclusive five-minute plenary video that both he and President Obama provided at the request of Saddleback Church for a Global Health and HIV/AIDS Summit that Rick and Kay Warren co-hosted with several other ministry organizations at Georgetown University on July 25.” During the 2008 election, Warren played host to both major party candidates at his Saddleback Church in Southern California, in what he called Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency. Warren told the Orange County Register this week that this year's civil forum had been scheduled to take place this week and that there was interest from both campaigns and from the media. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories "[T]he TV networks were eager to cover it again since it garnered one of the largest viewing audiences of that election," Warren said. "I talked with both campaigns about the possibility of doing it again, and they were both favorable to participating." Warren's spokesman declined an interview request on Thursday, referring reporters to the Orange County Register. At the 2008 forum, Obama and Republican presidential John McCain fielded questions one at a time from the pastor on Saddleback's stage in front of 5,000 people and a nationally televised audience. "We’ve got to learn to disagree without demonizing each other, and we need to restore civility in our civil discourse and that’s the goal of the Saddleback Civil Forum,” Warren said in the statement after the event. This week, Warren seemed to criticize both campaigns. "The forums are meant to be a place where people of goodwill can seriously disagree on significant issues without being disagreeable or resorting to personal attack and name-calling," he told the Register. "But that is not the climate of today's campaign." "I've never seen more irresponsible personal attacks, mean-spirited slander and flat-out dishonest attack ads, and I don't expect that tone to change before the election," Warren said. Warren also said a larger issue cast a shadow over the event: religious freedom. "There are widespread attempts to redefine the First Amendment to simply mean 'You are free to believe anything at your place of worship but you are not free to practice your conscience elsewhere,' " Warren told the Register, saying he was planning a forum on religious liberty for next month. Warren used the issue to take special aim at Obama. When asked by the Register what he thought of the candidates views on religious liberties he said, "President Obama's policies clearly show what he values, and I have told him that I adamantly disagree with those particular policies." In February, Warren joined a chorus of Catholic leaders who denounced the administration over the implementation of a policy that required health insurers to provide no-cost contraception coverage to employees, even those working for Catholic hospitals and colleges. "I'm not a Catholic," Warren, a Southern Baptist, wrote on his Twitter feed, "but I stand in 100% solidarity with my brothers & sisters to practice their belief against govt pressure." Most evangelical and conservative Christians from Protestant backgrounds do not oppose the use of contraceptives, as official Catholic teaching does. The issue for those groups was what they saw as a threat to religious liberty. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Scheduling conflict with the Tom Arnold look-alike contest?
unkind words accomplishes alot
Hmmm...
I've been watching this Christian Trainwreck that America has become for a long time, there has long been a special Evangelical Version of Christianity at work in American since at least the 1980's, it became really popular with the advent of the Televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart and the like, its called the "Prosperity Gospel"
In the 1970's it looked like America, and indeed the world, was leaving Christianity behind, most of europe is now around 48% non-religious, whereas the USA took a different turn in the late 1970's. Sometime in the late 1990's, Christianity peaked in the the USA at around 89%, in the interim of the 1980 election and the present the GOP elected many Oil Lobby and Wall Street senators under the pretext of their anti-abortion creds.
Did "Prosperity" come? Did worshipping Jeebus produce "Prosperity" ?
Well, the numbers say it all, America and the prosperity of Middle Class Americans is in DECLINE. The founding fathers knew it, religion is a tool of the wealthy to get the people to do what is in the best interest of THE WEALTHY.
Prosperity came alright, but to just 1% of the People...
Now you know how it works...
You are amazing and you have it all figured out. Maybe you should be our savior.
nothing better tear down something you obviously have no clue about...that doesn't make you right
For a better understanding how Rick Warren deceives the members of his church and what spirit he serves (Luke 9:55) we invite you to read the article ‘Rick Warren – pastor of Saddleback Church’, ‘Barack Obama – President of the United States of America’, ‘Mormon Church – Cult and Spiritual Harlot’ and ‘Can Christianity or Any Other Religion Save You?’ listed on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca
All of the other pages and articles explain how and by whom this whole world has been deceived as confirmed in Revelation 12:9.
@avg:"Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
again where is anything your claiming in that verse? atleast if you're going to site scripture use something easier interrpted to fit your meaning.
Gee, The wwebsite listed just happens to take you directly to the promotional page for this gentlemans book! How convienient. It says nothing about Rev. Warren.. Just sayin!!
Rick Is Warren Out.
Rick Warren who supports a Republican Agenda does not want to have the Mormon question brought to the forefront of his party. Most evangelicals believe Latter Day Saints not to be "real Christians"....however they hate President Obama more.
Best not bring the subject of religion up this time around.
There is a larger and actually, biblical, perspective to all of this that needs to be considered. http://www.carolegold.com/2012/08/20/bible-election-2012/
good grief...
Don Lemon just talked about how the two main parties aren't seriously talking about issues. Why not have interviews with all
parties, including the Green Party Jill Stein?
WORD = GOP Association
Old People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Sick People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Poor People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Female People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Non-white People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Non-christian People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Unemployed People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Gay People = Glob of cells that we don't care about. Let them die.
Glob of cells in a womb = Something we PRETEND to care about just to get votes.
That covers covers it pretty well.
Democrat Libertine Word Association: "We don't even want to contemplate the humanity of the unborn. Therefore if human life at it's most innocent and vulernable is not cared about, then human life itself is not relevant which makes nonsense out the entire Democrat Libertine Agenda)"
"We would rather pay taxes to take care of the elderly and feed the poor than get up off our lazy @asses to take care of them outselves. Then, in true Libertine style, blame someone else. "
.
@prime number
I don't think you know what a word as.sociation test is.
@prime: yeah i wouldn't mind paying a bit more taxes if it will take care of the elderly, or the struggling families with children.
my thing is no one has a right to strip anyone else of their rights; meaning women right to choose, same gender marriage.
yeah and as long as we are on the TAX topic, tell rich folks to pay their fair share. i know i paid 32% of my wages in 2010, mittens only paid 14% or something like that? now i understand to repubs that's fair but not in my book.
Perfect! That just about sums it up!
Again, a religious writer avoids the topic of Mormons being inclusive of Islam and instructed not to 'take sides' in the Israeli/non-Israeli conflict. But Mitt's advocating for a Jewish state? Backing a bombing of Iran on behalf of a false Zion? Hold Mitt accountable for something for Pete's sake, Rick Warren. But its all, 'basic faith' and the (domestic) human struggle and avoiding the Cat bulldozers invading homesteads when inside CBS' Jewish Ulster. Too bad because the topic needs ink considering FOX NEWS has stamped Mitt, good-as-Evangelical. It makes Salt Lake look like errand boys for Tel Aviv. Rick Warren now too.
Greetings. Everyone is cordially invited to visit – thestarofkaduri.com
This is why the GOP is in Trouble!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmigBOhYTns
The hurricane that will disrupt the GOP convention is an act of God. It is a warning to America. If you elect a Mormon as president, God will have his revenge on the United States. Mitt Romney is the false prophet the Bible warns us about.
Donner party of four, er three, er two, er one ... no table needed the Donner party has already eaten.
Donner & Blitzen, there is no God and therefore no retribution regardless of who is elected.
donner: oooh.....god's retribution.....scary. well, for those who believe in such drivel.
FROM THE ARTICLE:
" "We’ve got to learn to disagree without (***demonizing***) each other, and we need to restore civility in our civil discourse and that’s the goal of the Saddleback Civil Forum,” 😯
Hmmm.... Interesting choice of words from the evangelical preacher. Isn't that what they do is 'demonize' people who disagree ? Or claim they are possessed by a 'demon' or 'satan' ? You know, 'warriors for Jesus' against Satan's minions, etc...
Oh, the irony.
Peace...
can you show evidence of Rick Warren demonizing any one?
@Bill Deacon
Probably... if I wanted to go through every writing, interview, sermon, etc...
My point, Bill... and I think you know this, is... that many Christians do "Demonize" people. Anything that is anti-Christian, or considered a "sin" is often used as an example.
Peace...
Prayer has been shown to have no effect on what was prayed for. Critical examination of statements before they are accepted is essential to a healthy mind.
For a better understanding of the spirit that Rick Warren serves (Luke 9:55) we invite you to read the article ‘Rick Warren – pastor of Saddleback Church’, ‘Barack Obama – President of the United States of America’, ‘Mormon Church – Cult and Spiritual Harlot’ and ‘Can Christianity or Any Other Religion Save You?’ listed on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca
All of the other pages and articles explain how and by whom this whole world has been deceived as confirmed in Revelation 12:9.
If your website is so great, why do you need to steal free advertising ?
Midwest Rail
Thank you for your compliment on the website but we are sorry you are offended that we use this forum to spread our message of 'truth' (John 14:17).
Just directing people to the right place. Please read the article CNN Belief Blog – Sign of the Times on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca.
Matthew 6:26; 10:8. Freely we have received and freely we give.
Report abuse on AvdBerg linkspam. CNN does remove these spammers if enough of us complain.
Sue
Our message remains the same.
Ye must repent and turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan (whose power you are under) unto God (Acts 26:18).
AvdBerg
Your quote implies that all who do not believe as you do are in league with Satan, and therefore acting evil, right? How is this kind of speech any less "hateful" than that of those who call believers "stupid"?
@AvdBerg
This reminds me of the pamphlets that televangelists have sold over the airways for the price of full novels since the 60s. The only difference is that the characters have changed from Soviets and Kennedys to more modern ones. In 50 years our cheesy pastors may be preaching that Canada is the new power in league with Satan. Where will you be then, EH?
cq
That is correct!! That is why the religious authorites, the political powers and the people of this world crucified my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as He preached the same message, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive (John 14:17).
Franklin,
Televangelists and the pastors you refer to are false apostles and false Christ that deceive the people of this world (Matthew 24:24; 2 Cor. 11:13).
We invite you to read the article 'False Apostles and False Christs' listed on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca
AvdBerg
So. Jesus' message was one of "hate"?
How are we to know that your little website contains the actual truth? Lots of people claim having the truth, even the Mormons. How do we know that John 14:17 isn't actually defending the Mormon, Catholic, Jewish, or even Atheist claims to having the truth?
" Just directing people to the right place. " No. You're stealing.
cq
Seek, and ye shall find (Matthew 7:8).
" Thou shalt not steal. " Seems that The Ten Commandments have lost their relevance among modern faux Christians.
IceBerg, Satan does not exist anymore than unicorns and leprechauns exist.
I'm not following this...
You say it was both campaigns that weren't interested and then only quote sources as to why Romney's camp didn't want anything to do with it.
Why did the Obama campaign find it not in their interest?
read and you will see the same comments from Obama's camp...just like the politicians to point the finger at someone else and you fell right into it
Prayer changes things*
I will gladly pray for a miracle!!!!
Yes, I will pray that you will be released from the sin of "trolling".
Two amazing Truths that are never trolling, atheism is useless and God is available. God bless
Prayer changes nothing!
Prayer does not; you are such a LIAR. You have NO proof it changes anything! A great example of prayer proven not to work is the Christians in jail because prayer didn't work and their children died. For example: Susan Grady, who relied on prayer to heal her son. Nine-year-old Aaron Grady died and Susan Grady was arrested.
An article in the Journal of Pediatrics examined the deaths of 172 children from families who relied upon faith healing from 1975 to 1995. They concluded that four out of five ill children, who died under the care of faith healers or being left to prayer only, would most likely have survived if they had received medical care.
The statistical studies from the nineteenth century and the three CCU studies on prayer are quite consistent with the fact that humanity is wasting a huge amount of time on a procedure that simply doesn’t work. Nonetheless, faith in prayer is so pervasive and deeply rooted, you can be sure believers will continue to devise future studies in a desperate effort to confirm their beliefs! ~
Rick Worn Out.
Allah, all praise be unto Him, actually has both male and female genitalia (how could it be otherwise?). Ibrahim knew this and was ashamed of Allah, all praise be unto Him, and began the lie that so many believe today that Allah, all praise be unto Him, is somehow male. Nothing of the sort! Self-copulation, practiced by those truly made in the image of Allah, all praise be unto Him, has always been the right and good practice of all who have been faithful to Him from the beginning. All should pray fervently that the sons of Ibrahim should turn away from Ibrahim's lie and self-copulate to the glory of Allah, all praise be unto Him.
For a better understanding of the spirit that Rick Warren serves (Luke 9:55) we invite you to read the article ‘Rick Warren – pastor of Saddleback Church’, ‘Barack Obama – President of the United States of America’ and ‘Mormon Church – Cult and Spiritual Harlot’, listed on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca
All of the other pages and articles explain how and by whom this whole world has been deceived as confirmed in Revelation 12:9.
Mohammed was a false prophet riddled with syphilis in his later years. So STFU!