A Prayer for Most Americans

I (sort of) understand why the inauguration of the President of the United States begins with a prayer. Ninety-two percent of Americans believe in a God of some form, and while I do not include myself in that overwhelming majority, I do recognize that prayers comfort people and I am happy when those around me are comforted. Like when old people watch Regis and when young people eat Happy Meals.

Inaugural invocations are generally palatable for even the most fervent atheists. A generic God is humbly asked to bring peace and civility to an imperfect world and to protect the man who has been called upon to protect an entire nation. You'd have to be a real asshole to get in the way of that.

And yet...Reverend Rick Warren made me feel like a real asshole yesterday. And not just because he recently compared my desire to get gay married to that of an incestuous, polygamous, pedophile.

No, really, he did:

"...I'm opposed to the redefinition of a five-thousand-year definition of marriage. I'm opposed to having a brother and sister be together and call that marriage. I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that a marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage."

That's some good, moral shit there, Reverend Rick.

But no, that's not what made me feel like a real asshole yesterday. I felt like a real asshole yesterday because I couldn't unabashedly celebrate Barack Obama's inauguration, and I desperately wanted to do so. I could not do so because Reverend Rick seemed to be praying for everyone except me.

"We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility..." unless you are gay and want to get married.

"Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity..." as long as that humility, integrity, and generosity is not bestowed upon homosexuals who want to get married.

"Help us, oh God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all..." Did I say 'all'? Shit. I didn't mean 'all' at all. I meant 'justice for all who play by the silly, ever-changing, fantastical, archaic rules to which I subscribe.'

No, I am not overreacting.

The "Word of God" continues to drench every facet of American government. The "Word of God" has ostracized entire demographics of devoted citizens, including me. "The Word of God" continues to justify Islamic extremists' insistence that we are currently engaged in a "holy war." (How else is the inaugural recitation of the Lord's Prayer to be received in rural Afghan villages?)

If our new president is truly devoted to change, he will separate, once and for all, the sloppy, congealed mess that is Church and State. He will allow us to shed unsolicited religious ideology which suffocates us like a dirty, wet t-shirt -- unjustly emphasizing imaginary inadequacies and insufficiencies.

Let goodness and morality and kindness be pursued here and now, be enjoyed here and now, be loved here in now, be rewarded here and now - rather than in some far-off, unknown, other-wordly chamber.

Only then will Reverend Rick's prayer "to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all" be adequately answered.

Comments

[mercury613]

AMEN! (Speaking figuratively, of course.)

I, too, wanted so much to celebrate Obama's inauguration, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It's like someone throwing a lavish dinner party and serving Velveeta on moldy bread as an appetizer; no matter how good everything else is, the bad taste in your mouth lingers.

You're not overreacting.

[davism97]

The religious right and the neo-cons became BFFs and look what it's done to our country over the last 8 years.

If that doesn't settle the fabricated church-state controversy in our country then nothing ever will.

dogma == ignorance
reason == knowledge

[mercury613]

Dogma also == control, which is why Republicans started playing kissy-face with the religious right in the first place.

[itmaybetoolate]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wanted to enjoy the inauguration but could not. It is hard to believe in equality for all when an avowed bigot is chosen to represent the "soul" of the nation. All I could think about was the fact that the president, for some reason, felt it necessary to honor a bigot on this day of all days. I will never understand it, and I will never forget it.

[SD Indy]

I will never forget either; however, IF he repeals DADT and DOMA (or at least adds LGBT as a protected class under the Civil Rights Act), I could find it within myself to forgive. The reason I said if he adds us to the CRA it would allow us to challenge EVERY state and federal statute that discriminates based on sexual orientation. This would include but not be limited to both DADT and DOMA. It would almost force the courts, including SCOTUS hear the cases and overturn every discriminatory policy currently in place.

[itmaybetoolate]

I agree with your comments totally. I need to see some concrete actions begin taken before I am ready to believe that his promise of equality includes the GLBT community.

[Robby2000]

Dude, you are totally overreacting. What's up with all the italicized commentary of YOUR thoughts on what he was saying? He's a Christian Pastor that doesn't support gay marriage. Go figure. Perhaps you should move on before people get tired of the whining.

When new leaders on the left are calling for cooperation and civility between those that disagree, and when leaders on the right (like Rick Warren) are calling for the same, I think you might need to find something else to do with your time than write these hate pieces.

Something new is coming and there won't be a place for the left hate sites huffingtonpost.comm, dailykos.com) or the right wing hate radio (Rush Limbaugh). Bush is gone. It's time to work together. We have real issues to deal with like AIDS, poverty, education, peace, and prosperity for everyone. WE ALL AGREE ON THESE THINGS. So enough with the hate and bickering. How about the 80% of us in the middle of the ideological spectrum get busy working on these things that really matter and we can leave you fringe players to your complaining? I like it!

[itmaybetoolate]

If you believe that the denial of civil rights to any group of American citizens doesn't "really matter," then you cannot call yourself a true American. Sixty years ago people like you were happy to deny civil rights to people like the president.

[darkpragmatist]

the literal definition of sodomy is any sex act other than vaginal intercourse between a man and a woman, so the funny thing is that many of these religions nutcases that run around railing against it are actually sodomites themselves. for example, the sodomy laws in mississippi include oral sex.

[TJCole]

Jesus said: "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's..!"

Sadly as far as our politicians are concerned, Jesus didn't know what He was talking about, and nothing has changed in 2,000 really 6,000 years...

[jkrash]

Right on, Brian.

Ebule--

The fact of the matter is that the evangelical nonsense Pastor Rick subscribes to does indeed damn homosexuals to an eternity of hellfire.

When you get down to its core, the rejection of equal rights for gays is entirely based upon homophobia, which is perpetuated by people like Rick Warren.

[tskogseth]

I caught one line that I hope he used about himself as well as everyone else:

"When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the Earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us."

That is the reason I hope you are overreacting. But I am not convinced that you are. I was concerned with the choice of pastor Warren, but I thought he did a pretty good job. Of course, even in the quote I included above, there is a caveat. The respect they deserve.

I can just hope that what I heard - without noticing the caveat until I saw it in writing - is what he will live by.

[itmaybetoolate]

His performance doesn't matter. He could have given the best prayer ever delivered, but it doesn't change the fact that he is an avowed bigot and he was honored by the new president. What about that is hard to understand?

[sdskelton03]

Sure looks to me like you were putting words into his mouth and then getting pissed off by them.

I good hike to a nice vista is great for the soul. It sounds like you might need one.

[Eblue]

"No, I am not overreacti­ng."

Yes, you are.

See how I did that? I even left it on a separate line to invoke strong feelings of emotion. It's entirely possible to be opposed to someone's viewpoints yet wish them well. He never said "I think all homosexuals should burn in a pot of righteous fire!" (If he did, well, then, he's a bigger idiot than I thought). Being a person means being opposed to some ideas and in favor of others. Being a good person (and to some extent, spiritual/­religious/­Christian) means being opposed to ideas but still wishing well on others.

[itmaybetoolate]

I don't care what he favors or doesn't favor. I do care that he actively worked to take away the right to marry from gays and lesbians. That is not "wishing well on others."

[mercury613]

Does "wishing well" include praising a religious leader who advocates imprisoning people for being gay?

No, he's not overreacting.

[TommyMcCarthy]

"advocates imprisoning people for being gay"......­..........­..who does? Warren?

Please explain
tm