I know. It's a gesture.  He won't be setting policy.  Obama wants to reach out to the various groups in our country.  I get that, I like that about Obama.  But the choice of Rick Warren disappoints.  At first I rationalized it and while not pleased wasn't really perturbed either.  But after learning a bit more about Warren I've become disappointed.  He is not a moderate, he is a far right winger.  His support for AIDS relief and climate control does not make him a moderate, just more palatable.  He is staunchly anti-gay.  Rachel Maddow reported today, as have some blogs, that the Saddleback Church's website states that "unrepentant gays" are unwelcome.  Unrepentant, for who but a sinner should need to repent for their evil deeds, the dirty deed of romantically loving someone of the same gender.  Rick Warren is bigoted. He openly and loudly discriminates against the minority gay community.  If his church openly rejected a racial minority he would not be given the honor of giving the invocation for President-elect Obama's inauguration.  But it's OK, because it's only the gays.

The problem is not that Obama has discussions with Warren, that he listens to him or that they might play golf.  The issue is that he has bestowed a great honor  upon  Rick Warren.  He has elevated Warren's stature and amplified his voice.  There are multitudes of holy men who emulate tolerance, who welcome those who are different and offer them teachings of Christ.  Rick Warren is not one of them. 

I know, LisB, we WON!  It is fabulous, I am so happy and I should STFU.  I will be thrilled by the inauguration and I know my eyes won't be dry.  But when the event begins and our eyes turn to God it will be a representative of intolerance who will be leading the prayer.  In choosing Warren for this prestigious ceremony Obama has cast a shadow on the joy of the inauguration for an entire minority group.  He could easily have chosen someone who would not make anyone feel excluded.  I believe Obama to be a tolerant man and his inauguration will be a joyous event for a majority of Americans, myself included.  But I'm disapointed that some will feel unnecessarily offended.