The obligatory “gay bishop to deliver invocation at inaugural event” post
posted at 3:21 pm on January 12, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Supposedly he was booked long before l’affaire Warren roiled the nutroots and Team Barry simply forgot to mention it until now. Ahem.
Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay civil rights organization, said in a statement that the choice was “encouraging.”
“Bishop Robinson models what prayer should be — spiritual reflection put into action for justice,” Solmonese said. “It is encouraging that the president-elect has chosen this spiritual hero, and that should remain our focus today.”…
An Obama source said: “Robinson was in the plans before the complaints about Rick Warren. Many skeptics will read this as a direct reaction to the Warren criticism — but it’s just not so.”
Also appearing at the event: Bono, Jamie Foxx, and Shakira, among others, although whether the biggest celebrity in the world will himself be making a cameo is as yet unclear.
David Brody thinks this might undo some of the goodwill Obama earned with Christian conservatives by tapping Warren for the inauguration. I’m skeptical.
If you line up ten Evangelicals on the street, my guess is that eight of them would say it doesn’t surprise them that Obama would choose an openly gay Bishop to deliver an invocation like this. But this cuts both ways to a degree. Obama took heat from the left on Warren and will no doubt take heat from the right on this pick. It’s a tough position for Obama to be in. He wants to reach out to all Americans but in the process he’s probably going to tick off a lot of people of faith. When you pick a controversial gay bishop that has been in the headlines for years and has come to symbolize gay rights (for some), it’s bound to get under the skin of conservative minded Evangelicals, many of whom may be ready to cut Obama some slack.
Exit question: 20 percent of evangelicals will be surprised to find a liberal Democrat endorsing a gay bishop? The reason picking Warren was shocking, I thought, was because they expected him to pick people like Robinson in the first place. Besides, no one in America believes The One’s sincerely against gay marriage. Why would this come as some sort of revelation?
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The Messiah has no spine.
Labamigo on January 12, 2009 at 3:24 PM
I believe Obama did pick Robinson first. But then his people said he best create a cover, so he then picked Warren, announced Warren first–knowing there would be a backlash among his people, and he could “fix it” by announcing Robinson next and take credit for “listening to his critics.”
In the end, it was all staged.
Enoxo on January 12, 2009 at 3:24 PM
Nothing about Democrats surprises me anymore.
newton on January 12, 2009 at 3:24 PM
Beats me, Allah.
latinchic on January 12, 2009 at 3:25 PM
What’s an inaugural event? A party? So, why does one need an invocation? This is so corny.
Blake on January 12, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Who cares? Just another thing for Christians to get their panties in a wad.
Ian on January 12, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Who cares? Who didn’t think the ultra liberal president elect would have all sorts of ultra liberal people around him to celebrate?
myrenovations on January 12, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Is Bishop Robinson going to exhibit his devotion to the Messiah during the inauguration?
If so, he’ll have to stand in line behind the Washington Press Corps and ol’ Barack is going to be too raw to perform his marital duties on the missus after the inaugural ball.
NoDonkey on January 12, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Most overhyped inaugural evah!
JammieWearingFool on January 12, 2009 at 3:27 PM
True dat Ian. So tedious and predictable.
dakine on January 12, 2009 at 3:27 PM
When do they roll out the Golden Calf?
Or are they saving that for the huge May Day parade?
viking01 on January 12, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Liberal so-called Christians always call for justice, but conservative Christians thank God for his mercy & grace. We understand that justice demands that homosexuality–as well as every other sin–be punished.
jgapinoy on January 12, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Let’s be outraged!
frankj on January 12, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Thank you for modeling that for us.
jgapinoy on January 12, 2009 at 3:31 PM
If that were true, he wouldn’t even have given lip service to it. I’m sure he only surprised a few, 20% sounds reasonable enough considering how many Christians jumped on the Obama bandwagon this year.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Where’s Rev Wright?
jgapinoy on January 12, 2009 at 3:33 PM
If that’s a “Christian”, I’m a block of concrete.
Splashman on January 12, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Gay Bishop is an oxymoron.
BKennedy on January 12, 2009 at 3:35 PM
He’s the “Uniter.”
So of course, he picked the most controversial Christian clergyperson as one of the ministers participating in the festivies.
Lefty logic in action!
cs89 on January 12, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Oh..oh, mocking God is not cool….and no way to start
a Presidency…..
dec5 on January 12, 2009 at 3:36 PM
FIFY.
BKennedy on January 12, 2009 at 3:38 PM
I still don’t care.
rbj on January 12, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Of course it was in the plans…
1. Bring out Warren… he’ll accept because he’s a whore…
2. Coordinate media campaign to demonize him… personalize the struggle… yadda
3. Bring out the divorced alcoholic queen…
4. Obama comes out clean and cool… bringing everyone together by getting everyone agitated but looking to him to lead…
Watch the pattern, it will happen over and over again…
I can smell a coordinated media campaign a mile away… i can’t find it now but there was a quote on huffpo from linda douglas that pretty much let it out of the bag…
ninjapirate on January 12, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Hey, a little somethin’ for everybody.
Tzetzes on January 12, 2009 at 3:42 PM
How nice.
wise_man on January 12, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Hey, this reflects Obama’s brave new world. He will promote healing and unity by standing for nothing.
ProfessorMiao on January 12, 2009 at 3:44 PM
This is so…………
……………. teh Ghey!
Seven Percent Solution on January 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Haggard is back?
Noneya on January 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Nothing wrong with a gay bishop. Nobody has to go to his church, and many in fact left. His “prayer” means nothing to those who don’t belong to his church.
Obama picking him has nothing to do with religion. He’s picking Hollyweirds, so why not Robinson?
If my pot-smoking, maggot-infested brother-in-law wants to have his buds call him a Bishop, and manages to get himself invited to Bambi’s coming-out party, more power to him.
Personally, I’d like to see them all, Bambi included, in drag, and follow the event with a roman orgy. If this guy’s gonna give us bread and circuses, get a move-on. Cue the columns.
JiangxiDad on January 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Hmm this conversation is quite shallow and pedantic.
Ian on January 12, 2009 at 3:46 PM
In the true politician, when politics conflicts with personal religion, ethics, or morality of the politician, the three latter conveniently evaporate.
unclesmrgol on January 12, 2009 at 3:47 PM
I think Robinson being a bishop is ridiculous also, but the fact is both halves of this country doesn’t want to be in the same room as the other half. I won’t be easy for anyone to govern this country.
pedestrian on January 12, 2009 at 3:48 PM
I’m sorry but why is it ok to mock my faith? Why are we not demanding a gay Muslim cleric? They simply stone homosexuals!
Oh yea, my faith is from the actual real live God! So you feel free to mock…
sabbott on January 12, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Just heard Obama plans on closing Gitmo next week. wtf
umm…where’s he sending the terrorists?
becki51758 on January 12, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Well, good for Obama! I know my current positive feelings about Obama are going to be crushed once he gets around to socializing the economy and surrendering to muslim agressors, but I’ve decided to support him up to January 20th, 2009.
thuja on January 12, 2009 at 3:50 PM
they’re attending the inaugural. don’t want to leave anyone out.
JiangxiDad on January 12, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Wow… wonder how the Moslems are going to take this one…
Law of unintended consequence…. they threw a shoe at Bush… will it be Rocks at Bambi?
Romeo13 on January 12, 2009 at 3:50 PM
As a conservative, Evangelical Christian let me say to my brethren… stop acting surprised or offended at the notion of a pro-infanticide Democrat asking some gay guy with a backward collar to pray at his party. Like we didn’t know this was part of the package (pun not intended)?
His theology should offend you as much as his lifestyle.
Drop the pretense and get to work at the grassroots level trying to get low tax, free market Constitutional Republicans elected in 2010.
mankai on January 12, 2009 at 3:52 PM
He caved. This is not starting good but my expectations were low to begin with.
Not just this but in total I’m starting to feel ill at ease with the direction of the country.
FireBlogger on January 12, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Word.
The Race Card on January 12, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Can’t believe anyone would be surprised. Does anyone remember earl(ier) in the campaign where there was an uproar from the gays about Donnie McClurkin being at Obama events? Well, what did Barry do? Invited a gay religious person in a sort of teh ghey Fairness Doctrine.
I cannot wait to see his (black) Christian apologists try to explain this one. I know plenty.
Dubn8tr on January 12, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Just how many years were you in a coma?
NoDonkey on January 12, 2009 at 3:53 PM
And you’re contributing so much to it, it’s amazing the rest of us couldn’t get it going with the Christian bashing.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 3:55 PM
How about a bi-Rabbi to give the post post post diatribe.
Then we can have the transsexual chorale from Trinidad, Co. do the hosannas.
Kuffar on January 12, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Naw, they won’t throw anything but now at least they know he tilts with the wind. None of the other other superpowers parade their gays and they are not about to start.
*I don’t consider Britain a great superpower any longer.
FireBlogger on January 12, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Can we just out Obama as an atheist already?
Oh, man. He tries to channel the classic Christian moves-you-to-tears style (and sometimes it’s just ludicrous: ‘O God’?), but he then he couples it with Hallmark card theology/sentiment about being there for his daughters. I am literally nauseated by the blatantly political tomfoolery; “bless us with anger at discrimination.” How about “Bless us with a quick death, or at least an escape from this guy, O Rock of Ages!”
emailnuevo on January 12, 2009 at 3:57 PM
I want back in
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 3:58 PM
I consider myself an eternal optimist but the situation is finally wearing on me my friend.
FireBlogger on January 12, 2009 at 4:00 PM
I’m half suprised he didn’t pick good old Uncle Wright. Who cares which minister Obama picks? He will be praying for Obama – conservatives probably have had their own guy on speed dial since the election.
katiejane on January 12, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Just wait until Obama names a gay man as secretary of the Navy. I can’t wait to see how some of the bigots here react to that. Heh, heh, heh.
paul006 on January 12, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Did Rick Warren come out of the closet? Or it is a surprise revelation from James Dobson?
Mr. Joe on January 12, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Eventually he comes off as believing and standing for nothing. Heh, this we knew it may be a shock to those that voted for him.
Theworldisnotenough on January 12, 2009 at 4:04 PM
This is a man who was having homosexual relations while still being married…so he was sodomizing fornicator, or fornicating sodomizer, either way not what I would have called “bishop material”…normally I would say you can’t have it both ways…
Yes a real “model” for all bishops to follow…and a real “model” for all men to follow
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:05 PM
So did he throw Rick Warren under the crowded bus ? Or is he going to have both?
It’s getting confusing.
stenwin77 on January 12, 2009 at 4:06 PM
He’ll get caught teabagging the cabin boy and fired soon enough.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 4:06 PM
He’ll have to get rid of “don’t ask, don’t tell” first which is seeming less and less likely (though I wouldn’t be surprised either way).
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Heh. I sense family tension at holiday meals.
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Don’t do it Barack. Don’t appoint a gay Sec of Navy. Not because I care, everyone knows many in the Navy act like Glenn Greenwald at Carnival. And I am sure Mr. White is more than qualified.
But because I do not want to face hearing “In the Navy” anymore than I have to. It is bad enough having to suffer through that and YMCA at weddings and Bar Mitvahs.
Mr. Joe on January 12, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Robinson might be “the most controversial Christian in the world”, but, heh, Obama is a secularist. It’s all theatre, for these loones, or the others. This boy king plays his court with ease, to the amusement of some, and the detriment of freedom, little by little. This part is just a tiny one.
Entelechy on January 12, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Did Rick Warren or James Dobson come out of the closet? What did I miss?
Mr. Joe on January 12, 2009 at 4:09 PM
I am guessing LimeyGeek you are a Howard Stern Tea Bag Balsac fan.
Mr. Joe on January 12, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Episcopal churches have a lot of lee way in how services are celebrated. Some are very charismatic in flavor and very evangelical in approach to the faith. On the opposite end there are those that are very far left and leftist principles and behaviors are reflected in the day to day life of the Church. Most are in between these two. What they do have in common is the Book of Common Prayer, ALL of them. How this is interpreted and used within a service(or mass if you will)is subject to some interpretation but the ritual and words are pretty well set by the BCP(Bk of Cm Pray). It’s church life outside of the BCP which determines which way a particlar Parish leans. It’s this flexibility and freedom of choice that makes the Episcopal Church appealing to me and most of its adherents. If one does not like the attitudes in one Parish, one looks for another that appeals more. So, to to put Episcopalians into one box or mind set does not begin to describe the realities of the situation. As for a dying religion….you would not notice in my Parish which is growing steadily.
jeanie on January 12, 2009 at 4:13 PM
No, he won’t. The Navy secretary is a civilian, not subject to DADT.
paul006 on January 12, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Are you kidding? Obama will do nothing to endanger reeelection, nothing. This gay Bishop is just peace offering to keep the gays off of his back. Change!
Theworldisnotenough on January 12, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Looking forward to it. He’s probably better qualified than Panetta and I’m sure he’ll not be able to resist the temptation to go into detail about his private life, if don’t ask, don’t tell gets deep sixed. What could be better? Juicy bedroom tidbits made public and clothing/grooming tips for the rank and file squids.
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Nope. Never heard him.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Why does every news story about Obama sound like it came directly from the Onion News Network? Reality is really starting to imitate comedy now.
“Obama is having the first Bi-Sexual,paraplegic,dyslexic,autistic,polytheistic,amputee give the invocation today”
portlandon on January 12, 2009 at 4:16 PM
If you think anything having to do with gays ranks even in the top 30 things you should be worrying about with this guy in office, not to mention an unrestricted moonbat Congress rifling legislation across his desk (expect Reid to invoke the Nuclear Option at the first sign of serious opposition), your priorities are in desperate need of review.
Blacklake on January 12, 2009 at 4:17 PM
Robinson is a good symbol for the course that Obama has set for us. The Episcopal Church has cracked up becuase of Robinson ordination. The two largest and most active churches in the denomination, Truro and the Falls Church, in Virginia have left, four dioceses and a host of parishes nationwide are also gone. The national church is bankrupt and living off its capital. Robinson is an agent of destruction not unity.
Had Robinson been merely gay his ordination might not have engendered a schism however the circumstances of his coming out of the closet should have foreclosed the active ministry to him. He was married and had small children who he abandoned for his male partner. Had he been straight he never would have been elected as bishop for those reasons alone. His election was an in-your-face action by the Episcopal gay lobby. They thought that the traditionalists would cave just like they have on virtually every other issue. They were wrong and now the Episcopal Church is heading for extinction.
jerryofva on January 12, 2009 at 4:17 PM
If each congregation can make their own rules, then what is the sense of having a denomination?
I would think that a sodomizing fornicator would pretty much disqualify anyone from having leadership in a Christian church…I guess it shows that the bible is not held to a very high standard in the Episcopal church.
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:18 PM
“Beating the bishop” suddenly takes on an even less savory connotation.
NoDonkey on January 12, 2009 at 4:20 PM
This is the one thing I give him great credit for. If I were him, I’d be thinking that if the assholes want to give me a palace and a kingdom, who am I to turn them down. :)
I don’t despise him. I despise those who handed him the throne.
JiangxiDad on January 12, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Not quite fair to say the he “..abandoned his wife and children”. He did not and they are among his staunchest supporters. Left his marriage, yes–but turned his back on his family or they on him is simply not so.
jeanie on January 12, 2009 at 4:21 PM
I don’t care about the personal lives of political figures – I’m just disgusted that so unholy a man is judged worthy of delivering a prayer for the President of the United States at so important a forum. Note that it’s the same spot where MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Separation of Church and State, and all that rot, you see.
Damian G. on January 12, 2009 at 4:22 PM
jeanie on January 12, 2009 at 4:21 PM
No, he still abandoned them. His family merely consented to his adultery, which makes the situation worse.
Damian G. on January 12, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Very well put…this isn’t “just a gay man”, but a man who cheated on his wife, and abandoned her and his kids, because he couldn’t control his animalistic desires.
As one of our gay posters stated, “you can’t expect men to control their urges”…um yes you can, they do it all the time, it is called self control. That’s one of the differences between animals and man…
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Wow…. just wow… had not heard that one yet…
I really don’t care how the “bigots” on this board will respond, but as a Retired Navy Senior Enlisted? Retention will plummet.
And OH MY GOD… the jokes they will get from the other services… of course, the Marines are technicly part of the Navy… so….
Romeo13 on January 12, 2009 at 4:24 PM
And how many abused women have said “Oh, it’s okay, he does it all the time, he didn’t mean it”…
The fact is he left his wife and children for another relationship, that alone would disqualify any other…he was a sodomizer and fornicator, is that correct?
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Ah. Never mind then.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 4:25 PM
So speaks the man who started us off with unthinking insults.
MarkTheGreat on January 12, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Given the purple anger gay rights activists have had over Warren’s inclusion in the inauguration, I’d say the odds are at least 50-50 that Robinson will throw some bon mot into his invocation that will directly bring up the gay marriage issue, and force Obama and his staff to have to immediately deal with the issue, just the way Clinton got stuck with gays in the military immediately after he took office.
The special interests believe Obama is theirs and was bought and paid for during the election, with the unwritten agreement that there would be payback once he was in office. Barack and his staff may want to go slow to avoid the same problems Clinton had in 1993, but too many of his supporters aren’t going to take the long view, and it’s going to make for an interesting first few months in office.
jon1979 on January 12, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Heh. I suppose one should stay out of bars where jarheads congregate with other branches of the military? Or at least get a back table?
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Each congregation can not “make it’s own rules”–the Book of Common Prayer pretty much determines that each Parish, in its ritual, is nearly exactly like another. What does vary from Parish to Parish is the homily or sermon you might hear, the kinds of parishoner supported groups that are available, the music that might be preferred, inter-actions with the community might vary considerably, the kinds of and aura of any Bible classes that might be available, how much politics is allowed to be expressed by outside speakers and so forth. This is where the different tones of each Parish is expressed. As for an actual spoken ritual, I and any Episcopalian can walk into any E. Church, including Anglican, and be assured that they will know the service and the responses and the order of worship and will know that the BCP sits in the pew should they need it. Over the years the BCP has been changed and revised some, but is still basically the prayer book of my childhood(and I’m not young!!)LOL
jeanie on January 12, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I would pay good money to get Rev. Wright to deliver the invocation…I mean, you could put that on pay-per-view. In terms of sheer stupidity, it would probably rival anything John Belushi’s character said in Animal House. And it would set the perfect tone for the Obama administration…and it would represent them a lot more honestly. Bring in the Rev!
austinnelly on January 12, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Evidently, Bishop Robinson decided he could ignore Leviticus 20:13. I knew Barry would have to start appeasing the Left. He is not as skilled at pretending to be a Moderate as Bubba was.
kingsjester on January 12, 2009 at 4:36 PM
It appears that his relationship with his ex-wife and children is better than Giuliani’s. It would also seem plausible that his wife didn’t want to remain married to a man was gay.
dedalus on January 12, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Much of Leviticus and Exodus are ignored by Christians.
dedalus on January 12, 2009 at 4:38 PM
The jokes begin…..
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 4:39 PM
I would react by saying it looks like taking it up the Hershey Highway is pretty much this guy’s only qualification. Not that there’s anything wrong with that . . .
What does this guy’s “experience” have to do with the Navy? Florence Nightengale here is a great guy and all for that, but anyone who’s been in the Navy for more than 30 days knows more about the Navy’s mission than this guy does.
But then, whoever made the argument that Obama’s qualifications go beyond being black?
NoDonkey on January 12, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Thank goodness Shakira will be there. Otherwise it was gonna be an ugly scene.
jediwebdude on January 12, 2009 at 4:40 PM
right2bright: Not going to go there. Can only tell you that it’s common knowledge here in NH that he and his wife agreed that their marriage should end and so it did, very amicably. While he was not my choice for Bishop, I intend to criticize him only for the damage his acceptance as NH Bishop has cause the Anglican Communion as a whole.
jeanie on January 12, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Just be patient. Wright will make an appearence at some point when Barry needs his flank secured. It won’t be right away.
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Certainly, and those who want to talk about homosexuality really need to stop quoting it.
Though, to be fair, it is also addressed in the New Testament, and few Christians ignore things there.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 4:44 PM
He could have a secretary position for each of the Village People…
Felipe: Secretary of Interior
Alex: Secretary of Defense
Eric: Secretary of Transportation
Jeff: Secretary of the Agriculture
David: Secretary of Labor
Ray: Secretary of Homeland Security
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Yup Yup. You are right on both points.
dedalus on January 12, 2009 at 4:46 PM
That is the dumbest point ever. Rudy Giuliani is just as much an adulterer as Robinson. Keep unrelated politics out of this.
And the wife is not the only one who matters here. He breached a sacred union in order to be with someone else – which is a sin regardless of the new partner’s sex – and he left his children.
It is irrelevant if the mortal parties all consent. What matters is that God’s Law has been violated many times over.
Damian G. on January 12, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Let there be Prada?
- The Cat
MirCat on January 12, 2009 at 4:47 PM
All I can say, is that he couldn’t control his urges, hardly what the standards for a Bishop is, and hardly what any “Church” should tolerate let alone place in a position of power.
Glad his wife thinks that cheating on her is okay, and a great example for the children.
As I stated, one of the differences between man and animal is that man should be able to control his “urges”.
I hope you husband can do that, as I would think most every wife would hope that…apparently some don’t care.
right2bright on January 12, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Yet another reason to turn the TV off… What a farce.
newton on January 12, 2009 at 4:50 PM
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