Why can't Obama just add THIS GUY to the roster right before Warren

[ruggerson]

and basically turn the entire thing around?

Let Reverend Peter J. Gomes open the inauguration and present to us our new President.







Rev. Peter John Gomes is an American preacher and theologian at Harvard University's Divinity School.

Born May 22, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, Gomes graduated from Bates College in 1965 and Harvard Divinity School in 1968. He also spent time at the University of Cambridge and is now an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, where The Gomes Lectureship is established in his name. Gomes was ordained as an American Baptist minister by the First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1968. Gomes remains a member of First Baptist and occasionally preaches there.<1> Since 1970, he has served in the Memorial Church of Harvard University; and since 1974 as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church. Gomes is a leading expert on early American religion. He currently serves as a trustee of Bates College and has been a visiting professor at Duke as well as UNC-Chapel Hill.

Widely regarded as one of America’s most distinguished preachers, Professor Gomes has fulfilled preaching and lecturing engagements throughout the United States and Great Britain. He was named Clergy of the Year in 1998 by Religion and American Life. His New York Times and national best-selling books, The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart and Sermons, the Book of Wisdom for Daily Living, were published by William Morrow & Company. He has published in total ten volumes of sermons, as well as numerous articles and papers.

His most recent work, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus, includes extensive commentary and observation on the interrelations of Church and State throughout history and particularly in recent US history. On September 15, 2008 he appeared on The Colbert Report to promote his book. During this interview, he also states that he was baptized Catholic and claims gospels are "a dime a dozen."

Gomes surprised many when he revealed in 1991 that he is gay, and has since become an advocate for wider acceptance of homosexuality in American society. However, he has stated that he has remained celibate.

A lifelong Republican, Gomes offered prayers at the inaugurals of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. However, in August 2006 he moved his registration to Democrat, supporting the gubernatorial candidacy of Deval Patrick, who would later become the first African-American elected governor of Massachusetts. (Gomes, 2006) In 2008 Henry Louis Gates featured Gomes and his family on the PBS documentary African American Lives 2. A DNA test showed that Gomes is related to the Fulani, Tikar, and Hausa peoples of West Africa. Gomes is also descended from Portuguese Jews through his paternal grandfather who was born in the Cape Verde Islands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Gomes

[IndianaJones]

1. the evangelicals might get mad about that. nt.

[QC]

2. Yes, we must not offend the evangelicals!

Wouldn't be prudent.

[IndianaJones]

3. that would defeat the whole purpose of Warren. nt.

[Divine Discontent]

4. word. eom

[sandnsea]

5. Rev Lowery is doing the benediction

If all you want is "balance", well you've got that. I don't see how the addition of another minister changes anything.

[ruggerson]

6. Because Gomes is gay

and all the tv anchors will be blaring that.

And the fundies will see a black, gay preacher make Warren look like a fool.

[sandnsea]

7. Maybe Rev Lowery will do that

in the benediction. Maybe Aretha Franklin and Elizabeth Alexander will say someting appropriate. Besides, do you think Warren is going to go on some gay bashing tirade? Chances are the two ministers would get up, say something preachy, and nothing about sexuality would even be mentioned.

[ruggerson]

8. It's not what they say

it's who they are. Gomes' presence would negate Warren. I would prefer it if Warren was just tossed off the roster and replaced. But the next best thing would be to have an incredibly respected gay Reverend speak right before Warren. It would make Warren seem like the small and ignorant man that he is.

[sandnsea]

9. I don't think most people would know

I think most people won't even know there was a controversy over Warren. That's why I wondered about how much good his presence would do.

[Lyric]

11. Oh, they'll know.

The MSM will make SURE that they know. For the next month, if Obama doesn't dis-invite that jerk, we'll hear about the "rift" between the gays and Obama on a daily basis, brought to us in high-definition TV by breathless commentators and journalists who are keen to stir shit and interview as many fundie nuts as possible in order to get the "religious perspective."

The MSM will make sure that EVERYONE knows who Rick Warren is by Inauguration Day. And that, more than anything, is the most damaging part about Obama's choice. Even if Warren doesn't say a single controversial word in his invocation, the media coverage of the controversy in the weeks before will offer him and his ilk LOTS of free publicity and airtime to bash gays to their hearts content.

Yeah--just what America needed. Another intense period of homophobic assholes on a soapbox. Nice unity there, Obama.

*sigh*

[sandnsea]

12. Most people

don't watch it. Hell, *I* don't watch it anymore. I haven't seen not one second of shit over this on teevee because I have purposely chosen not to. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Let's do something active to create change somewhere, or just forget it all and go about our personal lives and be happy. MSM is useless for either purpose.

[cboy4]

10. There are a seemingly endless number of religious figures who

would be up to the task and not offend and alientate so many Americans.

Especially loyal Democrat-voting Gay Americans.

That's for sure.