God says personal life in a presidential election matters...

[cynatnite]

Barack Obama and John McCain will be grilled by Rev. Rick Warren tomorrow night at his evangelical California megachurch. Warren gave CBN an exclusive interview about the "personal" questions he's going to be asking Barack and McCain. Read an excerpt below:

It's going to get a little personal Saturday night at Saddleback Church in California. John McCain and Barack Obama will spend an hour each talking to Pastor Rick Warren at his Compassion Forum. While some think the questions will be softballs, my sense after talking to him one on one Thursday in his office is that he's going to bring out answers from the nominees that we have probably never heard before.

Watch him above talking about the character issue and how that is something McCain and Obama must address including their personal life. Transcription below:

I'm going to ask them questions about character, competence, about values, vision, virtue, about their convictions in leadership, about their experience. And I'm going to deal with their personal life - because character matters. Their personal life does matter as a leader. God says so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/15/rick-warrens-forum-to-go_n_119248.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I am so not watching that.

[TomInTib]

3. I'm with you, GPV.

Let's not watch it, together.

You, on your coast. Me, on mine.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Super, now if we can get a few others to cover the other timezones. :^D

[isentropic]

20. I'll do it for Central

:D

[cynatnite]

6. Showing off religious credentials isn't my thing so I won't be watching it either n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. I would feel differently if it was a liberal mutli-faith theological panel. I'd have some

interest in that. But I married a conservative evangelical and go to his church. We read Warren's book in adult Sunday School class. I hear enough from that crowd. I don't need an extra dose.

[TexasObserver]

14. But your avatar is Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's a campaign event. Some Americans take religion seriously. It matters to them. I find religions silly and hypocritical, but there are many points of view I find annoying and I still want my politicians to court those folks.

[cynatnite]

17. So, I can't be an atheist and admire MLK at the same time?

Elections have turned into christianity contests.

[TexasObserver]

25. Yes, but he was both religious and political.

Just as Jesus was both religious and political. He didn't get killed for religious beliefs. He got killed for offending the government.

It's possible for a person to talk about religion, even believe in it, and still be right about many political issues.

If elections HAVE turned into Christianity contests, then Thank God our candidate is a Christian. It's about winning, not driving off the cliff of insanity every four years.

[cynatnite]

30. I view religion as driving off the cliff...

and to see it given the same weight as far more important issues just turns my stomach. I agree we need to win, but I don't like this one bit.

A month ago I loved Obama and accepted his religious beliefs. Wasn't a problem until he threw it out front and center. He said he would expand faith-based funding and he's doing a debate/forum/whatever the hell it us with a pastor. Warren calls it a 'Compassionate Leader Forum'. Almost sounds like bush's compassionate conservatism crap.

It just seems like the farther this goes my excitement continues to decrease. At this rate, I'll be holding my nose when I go to the voting booth.

[TexasObserver]

32. I don't see any point in handing the religious vote to McCain by default.

If every time our nominee takes a position you wouldn't take you're going to wince, why even watch? The next 90 days is not about getting your vote or mine. It's about winning the voters who control the election.

[cynatnite]

34. Politicians always take a position I don't like...goes with the territory...

Yes, evangelicals control the election because they insist their narrow views are more important than the minority with no religion or a religion other than christianity.

Warren believes that churches are the only ones capable of solving the country's ills...not the government. With Obama wanting to expand faith based initiatives it makes me wonder if he feels the same.

I can accept a certain amount of pandering. That's politics, but this looks more like selling out than pandering.

[hisownpetard]

42. I won't watch it, either. Just the thought of it gives me the creeps.

[Sanctified]

2. It will be interesting, Rick Warren is probably the only pastor...

of a mega church who does not draw a salary from his congregation.

[cynatnite]

4. Yes, a pastor/guru is exactly who should be talking to the candidates...

rather than journalists.

:eyes:

This whole thing makes me sick. :puke:

[Sanctified]

7. Who's fault is it, Candidates could have said no.

But they want to whore themselves for votes so they agreed, don't blame the pastor for asking, blame the candidates for saying yes.

[cynatnite]

10. I blame all of them actually...

Not because of the pandering. I can tolerate it.

Sometimes it seems like elections are more about christianity contests rather than who is the best qualified. Everyone, including the religious in this country, are to blame, IMO.

[G_j]

9. journalists?

they still exist?
:shrug:

[cynatnite]

12. Hell, I'd take Chris Matthews over Warren...

at least it wouldn't be a 'I'm a better christian than you' contest if he was running it...well, for a good portion of it.

[ColbertWatcher]

11. "Their personal life does matter as a leader. God says so."

Does anyone know what God's opinion is on leaving your wife after she is no longer healthy?

How about calling your wife a c*nt?

Hating people because of their race?

Anyone? Anyone?

[Sanctified]

16. Here is what God says.

Leaving your wife. - Malachi 2:14-16

Calling your wife a c*nt. - Ephesians 5:25

Hating people because of their race. - Matthew 22:39 and Luke 10:25-37

Will be interesting if any of these are brought up during the debate, I doubt it but it would be interesting.

[Pastiche423]

43. God did not day that, man did

[LiberalFighter]

23. Why hasn't God imposed his will on the other countries?

[tannybogus]

13. I'm not going to watch it!

I'm going to pray for all of them instead. NOT!

Seriously though, I can't watch it because I can't afford a new TV.

McCain needs a bracelet that says WWWD.:yoiks:

[Swamp Rat]

15. ... what?!? ... ok.... AHEM! God just told me that Rick Warren masturbates to German schizer porn.

God also said unto me, "Do not trust Rick Warren around your children, for he feeds on their innocent souls, devouring them into his gaping maw, even without Parmesan."

So sayeth the Lord, RAmen.

[cynatnite]

18. That made my day, Swamp Rat!

:hug:

[Stardust]

39. Best one EVAH, Swamp Rat!!!

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

19. As far as evangelicals go, Warren is "better" than most.

He's nowhere near the right wing lunacy of a Dobson/Robertson/Hagee/Falwell type.

[isentropic]

21. Kinda like cancer is better than a massive stroke.

Yup.

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

22. Dunno about that.

Having watched two friends waste away from cancer in recent years, I'd opt for the massive stroke if those were the only options. If I'm gonna die, I'd rather get it over with.

[isentropic]

29. Yeah...I just meant strictly in terms of longevity. But I do take your point.

:D

[cynatnite]

24. He's close to it...

He's anti-choice, against gay marriage, believes that churches can solve cultural ills(not the govt), and that we owe our freedoms to the Judeo-Christian heritage. Warren has complained about activist judges just like the RW nutjobs do. He's said more than once he is a cultural conservative.

In between all his social justice talk is denying women the right to choose, denying gays rights and handing money over to churches to fix the country.

So, maybe he's not using the vocal hate-filled rhetoric those types use, but he does fit right in with them by having the same beliefs.

[Iggo]

26. If God said anything, it'd be on the news right?

Yeah, didn't think so.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. You'd think any self-respecting deity would have better things to do

then fuck around with the likes of politicians.

[Obamanaut]

38. Intercede in an ongoing rape or two, end world hunger, stop a

few murders - and the list could go on.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

40. Or, just lounge around the heavenly pool drinking beer.

One can only assume that to Christians (and, others) that god is stupid.

[DemoTex]

28. Bad, bad, bad for so many reasons.

I mean bad to the bone!

[peanut2010]

31. I`m not watching either

I was also wondering are we hiring a preacher or president I just don`t understand how religion has anything to do with running the country maybe I`m just stupid.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.1
==================



This week is our third quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

35. judging from the many presidential elections i have participated in,

character, ie adultery, divorce, lying and cheating only matters if you are a Dem

[PurityOfEssence]

36. God says don't eat that taco, it's got my son's face on it.

No wait, that's ME! I am him as he is me and nobody seems to know who this ghost cat is. Don't eat me! Well, unless you're catholic, then you can munch a bit on the kid here...

Fact is fact and guesses are guesses. We KNOW for a fact and have proven clinically that delusions DO exist, but nobody's ever proven that any voice of any whatever has actually happened.

Politics should be about what we can see and feel and reach some sort of consensus on, not what we "feel" and "hope" might be there in some airy whatever. Instituting and approving of religion creates an aristocracy that is not only superior but doesn't have to ever justify its actions. It's anti-democratic and monarchic by nature.

Tolerate it, yes. Embrace it, fine. Endorse it? No.

[Supersedeas]

37. and you have to wonder how far Rick Warren will walk to avoid McSkank's infidelity

[dysfunctional press]

41. theists make me...ILL.

religion is the bane of civilization, and it's intellectually retarded adherents are responsible for the vast majority of the world's problems, imho.

all the wealth and effort that goes into worshiping and "serving" a non-existent deity is utterly disgusting and shameful, and could be put to MUCH better use in making our planet and our civilization better for EVERYONE.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

44. God frowns upon men who leave their first wives because they are disabled.

And then verbally abuse their second wives in public.

At least any God I'd believe in would.

[RainDog]

45. ARROGANT ASSHOLE

how dare this man say that he knows what god wants for anyone else's life. he has no fucking clue... about a lot of things.

I am so sick of fundies in this country. I would be happy if they would all just rapture themselves and we'll figure out our problems without them constantly blocking democratic progress because of their cultish beliefs.

the diff. b/t a cult and the southern bapt. convention is the size of the congregation, and that is all.