Rick Warren didn't try to stop Bush from TORTURING because he "doesn't deal with policy issues"

[Bluebear]

So. Proposition 8 was enough to get Warren to "deal with" as a major endorser, but stopping torture was not. Speaking out against a woman's choice is OK because "Barack brought it up".


=======


BELIEFNET- You issued a statement a couple of years ago condemning torture.


WARREN - I'm totally against torture.

BELIEFNET- Do you think this was a profound moral failing of the Bush administration?

WARREN - Well I don't know exactly how they defined torture....

BELIEFNET- John McCain thinks they did torture.

WARREN - Well, and you know what - some of the stuff I saw looking at Guantanamo looks like clearly it was torture. To me, if you torture someone, you put yourself no better than the enemy. We must maintain the moral highground. You have no right to condemn the immoral actions of others if we're doing the same thing. And we should expect that others will torture our people if we're torturing them.

BELIEFNET- Did you ever talk to President Bush to try to convince him to change his policy?

WARREN - No. No.

BELIEFNET- Why not?

WARREN -- Never got the chance. I just didn't. In fact, in the first place, I'm a pastor, and people might misunderstand - I don't deal with policy issues with Barack Obama or President Clinton or John McCain. I just don't. that's not my role. My role is to pastor these guys. As a leader I understand stress.

And even when I disagree with positions they hold, they've got plenty of political advisors. They don't need me to be a political advisor. I'm not a pundit. I'm not a politician and that's why I don't take sides. But I am a pastor. And I can deal with "how's your family doing? How's your stress level doing?"

BELIEFNET- But you said you did talk to Barack Obama about his position on abortion so why wouldn't you have talked to Bush about torture?

WARREN - I just didn't have the opportunity. It's actually... and Barack actually brought it up ...

He says torture is deeply immoral and that the Bush administration did appear to torture - but declines to describe the Bush policy as a moral failing. He says he didn't mention his views on torture because (implausibly) he didn't have the opportunity. Then he said it was inappropriate for him to raise it with Bush because he only offers spiritual support.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/12/rick-warren-and-bushs-torture.html

[Solly Mack]

1. Warren's an all-around piece of shit

[Chovexani]

2. If Jesus came back tomorrow

He would be sent to Guantanamo as a terrorist and this fuckwit would applaud it.

[gaspee]

8. just had to say

I love your sig pic. Ah - the ROG, brings back old times.

[Chovexani]

10. I fangirl him so hard

Even to this day. :)

[gaspee]

12. Back in the day

I did too - it might be time to break out the DVD's :)

[Enthusiast]

13. Yup, because Jesus would have

the appearance of a Muslim in the eyes of these mentally challenged fucks.

[babylonsister]

3. Sounds like Condi trying to convince us that no "American money" was lost to corruption in Iraq.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4668078

Why all of a sudden are you 'shocked' that this is going on? I'm shocked constantly by the fuck-ups of people who should know better.


And to you, this is a hug, not a gauntlet. :pals:

[Bluebear]

4. I am learning . . .

Don't EVER fall in love with a politician. :(


:hug:

[madrchsod]

5. warren is a grifter.....

[Senator]

6. Lame As That Is, It Still Beats Obama's "Not Grave Enough" To Impeach For Torture.

And if Weaseling Warren really does believe in a god, he has only Him (guessing not Her) to answer to for his failure.

Obama was treaty-bound as a US Gov't official to report and ACT to stop the ongoing torture and war crimes. Failure to do so is http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x251186">a war crime in itself.

Warren may easily fail the snake-oil sniff test, but Obama has and http://www.talkingimpeachment.com/blog/Hall-of-Shame-Inductee----Barak-Obama.html">continues to fail us all and our once-great nation.

---

[gaspee]

7. Snake oil salesman

Like all the other preachers out there.

[charlie]

9. Seems as long as you bring it up first

he's free to flap his gums about anything. Like the biblicality of assassination. Like "taking out" Ahmadinejad.

In two days he'll be speaking at a Muslim convention. Juan Cole will be there. Hope there's video, because Cole certainly won't let him off the hook for that one.

[ColbertWatcher]

11. What a coward. That comment is a cop-out.

Any time a religious "leader" such as himself speaks outside his church, he is trying to set policy.

This is just another example of his stealth dominionism.

Please help "Operation Make Rick Warren Eat His Words" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4680741&mesg_id=4680741 in any way you can!

Rick Warren can see a gay donut shop from his church.

[tom_paine]

14. So, Warren is a man of intense principles and courage, eh?

:sarcasm: :rofl: :puke: