Add a Second Invocation

Given that there is little to no chance that Barack Obama will disinvite Rick Warren from delivering the invocation at his inauguration, let me make a simple request: instead of having Warren deliver the invocation let him deliver an invocation. Let Obama really allow a diversity of views to be heard - after Warren prays in the name of his very restrictive Jesus, let's hear from someone who is neither Christian, nor straight, nor male.

Let's actually hear some religious diversity up on the podium. And not just because some of us are deeply insulted or because we happen to find Warren's theology as repugnant as others found the Reverend Wright's.

It's because Warren believes that he knows the truth. And he is more than willing to impose that "truth" - his theology - upon non-believers.

This is not only about gays. Just as Wright campaigned against basic civil equity for gays on the basis of his reading of a text that has no authority for secularists, Hindus, Buddhists, and others, so he would impose - by law - his restrictive "Christian" antipathy to abortion upon all who believe in reproductive freedom.

It's about having a man invoke Jesus who believes Jews are going to hell.

His "truth" does not encompass the world, and so it has no relevance to me.

But there are plenty of sincerely religious leaders who don't pretend to the truth, who only admit to knowing a truth.

They are the religious leaders who can speak to all of us, whether we believe in Jesus, Jahveh, Shiva, or no god at all.

Simply having two invocations would itself demonstrate the difference between believing a truth and the truth.

Hearing a deity invoked who is not Jesus would itself be healing. Having a female religious leader would itself be a reminder that not all pulpits are restricted to males. The need to have a gay religious figure who could rescue this inauguration from the stain of gay hatred which tainted election night is more than obvious.

Happily, this country has plenty of lesbian rabbis. I suspect that there are other non-Christian faiths with gay women leaders. Let any one of them be heard.

Comments

[paragrafH]

That is SUCH a good idea. I don't know what it would take to get it rolling, but if there's anyone with the right influence out there who could whisper the right words into the right ears, please do. I think it's really the only way to rescue OUR inauguration from being THEIR inauguration.