It was hard to read.
Pop star Melissa Etheridge wrote a column in the Huffington Post defending pastor Rick Warren. Warren complimented her music and then she swooned – giving him a pass on his anti-gay rhetoric. The cunning preacher flattered her, she thought, but really flattened her – and the poor crooner had no idea what hit her.
In reading her well intentioned piece, I was most troubled that Melissa had not heard of Rick Warren before this dust up. He had only been on the cover of every major US news magazine. A forest worth of news stories have been written. He has been featured on every major TV show. His book has sold 20 million copies. This is not exactly a mystery man.
In her own way, she seems as out of touch as George W. Bush. Someone really ought to buy her a subscription to The New York Times for Christmas. Such ignorance from a public figure supposedly tuned into the issues of the day is rather shocking, and a bit depressing. It might explain why she came across as so naive and got rolled, simply because Warren likes to hum, “Come To My Window.”
I know Melissa means well, and I respect her. I applaud her for coming out and sharing her story. Her courage has saved lives and has brought our movement increased visibility. For this we owe her our gratitude. Plus, I enjoy her music too – and she puts on an amazing concert.
Still, I’d feel a bit better if she were more informed about the most famous author/preacher of the 21st century before she opined on the matter. The rest of us bother to do research before we open our mouths to represent the community. I expect the same level of commitment from pop stars who fancy themselves activists.
Tags: Melissa Etheridge, Rick Warren, Wayne Besen8 Comments »
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I believe Melissa it absolutly right!, there are always going to be those who hate us and no matter what action we
take the hatred and fear will still be there. but to continually pick apart Rick Warren is not going to help.
We do need to reach out (hard as that may be) and find some way to educate those who think that they know who we are. if all we do is nitpick, protest, and show intolerance ourselves that is the kharma we are sending right straight back to our community!!!. We can agree to disagree. lets remain activists, not extremists. I totally am behind what melissa etheridge said.
Comment by mark — December 23, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
“We can agree to disagree.”
If I move into your neighborhood and decide to make it my personal business to start a campaign to teach your friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers, that the good, moral and Christian thing for them to do is to think of you as a child molester and as someone who has sex with their family members, and I drone on about this day and night, making sure that I convince as many people as I can to think of you in that way, and then you start getting called fag and child molester and incest lover every time you come and go from your house, or your tires start getting slashed, or you get beat up, or worse, or your property gets vandalized, or all of the above, would you consider that to be a mere disagreement between us?
The “disagreement” with Rick Warren’ views has already been established, that’ not the issue at hand.
The issue is with the serious and very real consequences of the spreading of those views being elevated to the level of simple “disagreement.”
If someone is arbitrarily slandering and spreading hate, you don’t go out of your way to reward their harmful behavior as though it’ just a matter of opinion.
Reach out all you want, the intent is laudable, I support you and Etheridge, and I wish I could be as magnanimous. But to encourage people like Rick Warren by giving them a platform, or to be complacent about that encouragement, makes an already bad situation, worse.
And to be clear, it’ not just about this particular situation, it’ also about how this type of situation will be handled in the future. And a message needs to be sent that this is unacceptable – so that it doesn’t happen again (at least to the extent that that’ possible). Otherwise it’ guaranteed to happen again.
Rick Warren, and those like him, already cause enough needless pain and suffering.
Comment by Emproph — December 23, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
Mark,
I never cease to be amazed at people who think (however sincerely) that we can somehow find some middle ground or compromise with Evangelical/fundamentalist Christians. Doomsday will come and go; there will never be any common ground with them. They live by their religious ideology. Fundamentalism is not given to compromise; it doesn’t allow for it. You either believe in the Holy Book as interpreted for you by all-knowing preachers or you don’t.
Oh sure, they’ll “love” in their Christian fashion, which means they’ll let you live among them as the sinners that need all their help to become like them and be brought to the Lord. Beyond that, don’t expect anything approaching an acceptance of civil equality; it means nothin to them. They will fight tooth and nail, lie like hell, distort any facts to make sure that the law reflects their “values”. That means: equality be damned! Truth and reality about human sexuality, other their own heterosexuality, means nothing to them.
So reach out all you want. They’ll only see it as a constant chance to turn you to their ideals. Your arm is going to get awfully tired.
Comment by Gianni — December 24, 2008 @ 1:55 am
As much as I hate to pooh pooh the sincere and idealistic views of Mrs. Ethridge, I’m afraid those of us with a more cynical view are correct. Having been raised in the Southern Baptists church in a Conservative texas community, I know the reality of fundamentalist christianity. I truly think there are a minority of “christians” who would impose a death penalty on homosexuals if we would let it, if for no other reason than because “the bible says so”. I love my home and miss many of the people I used to call friends, but unfortunately they’re minds and hearts will never be receptive to live with us in a fair loving community. Those are sadly the chains one wears when they root themselves into dogma and cannot be cleaved from it. You see, were not fighting with logical people, we are fighting with people whose raison d’etre is their own conviction (which is of course infallible) and it gives poignant new meaning in the phrase “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” and at the end of the day, I feel sorry, because I believe clinging to dogma (though I am a christian) is simply an expression of deep insecurity and xenophobia… but hey, what do I know… there never are easy answers..
Comment by Eric — December 24, 2008 @ 2:54 am
Sorry – I wouldn’t “agree to disagree” with Charlie Manson, a small cult leader, so why would anyone expect me to “agree to disagree” with a VERY large (no pun intended) cult leader?
I especially wouldn’t “agree to disagree” with somebody who’s out to turn the world against gay people, when he himself is a shining example of one of the so-called “deadly sins” = gluttony.
Maybe gays should pressure Rick Warren and all other fat “christians” (of which there’s a countless number) to go to ‘fat camp’, beings they’re all trying to push us into “re-education camps”, or “ex-gay boot camps”.
If you’re stupid enough to follow the fox into his cave, be my guest. But don’t expect me to join you.
Don’t be stupid like Melissa Etheridge – I wonder if she’d fall for flattering lines from Hitler, too?
Comment by Scott — December 24, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
when he himself is a shining example of one of the so-called “deadly sins” = gluttony.
Scott, I was just thinking about that yesterday. First in regard to Matt Barber, but then with Rick Warren. Literal and physical examples of unrepentant gluttony.
The “Seven Deadly Sins” I think are from the Catholic Church, but there are Biblical verses addressing them as well.
The real message about gluttony has to do with non-disciplined excess – of any kind. Along those lines, excessive eating would just be an indication of such a lifestyle:
“Physical appetites are an analogy of our ability to control ourselves. If we are unable to control our eating habits, we are probably also unable to control other habits such as those of the mind (lust, covetousness, anger) and unable to keep our mouth from gossip or strife.”
–
“Maybe gays should pressure Rick Warren and all other fat “christians” (of which there’ a countless number) to go to “fat camp’, beings they’re all trying to push us into “re-education camps”, or “ex-gay boot camps”.”
To further that irony, I’d like to add that Exodus-approved “ex-gay” Joe Dallas uses the “sin” of gluttony as a comparison with homosexuality extensively in his book “The Gay Gospel: How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible.”
Chapter 2 begins with the line: “Imagine a movement whose goal was to legitimize gluttony,” and a 2 page vignette describing a world in which there is an oppressive political movement fighting to legalize bad eating habits ensues.
On the surface, the comparison is absurd, worse than that however, is the utter idiocy of the attempt — the “sin” of unhealthy eating is already legal, AND celebrated. (And while I’m at it, for the record, he also compares Same Sex Attraction with cancer, leukemia, violence and adultery.)
And all of that kind of fits with the mental laziness and emotional laxitude that the “sin” of gluttony represents.
In the case of Warren, Barber, and other anti-gay industry pigs, I think it’ mostly a sloth inducing gluttonous lust for pride. Which may or may not be characterized by over-eating.
As long as we-be beneath them, they get to feel they are better than us – without lifting a finger. The more condemned we are, the more “saved” they are.
Rick Warren, you are a fatso.
BREAKING NEWS: Gay Activist Attacks Rick Warren for Having a Weight Problem
Militant Homosexual Activist: “No, I was talking about his ego. Really, it’ in the Bible!”
___
**P.S. Sorry for the detour, but I thought it was important to clarify some of the hypocrisy we’re dealing with.
The rest of it, sheer gluttony on my part. (*wink*)
Comment by Emproph — December 25, 2008 @ 10:57 am
While I too admire Melissa, I cant help but feel that she missed a once in a lifetime moment to rise up and speak for those of us who will never have the chance to speak to Rick Warren. When the LGBT community needed an activist to speak the truth of our love and committment to one another as well as the blatant hypocricy and biggotry of the religeous right she was silent. Instead she was caught off guard by flattery and a smile. Had she spoke up on our behalf we could of had a Daniel in the lion’s den moment of truth, instead we were eaten for dinner. Not your finest moment Melissa!
Comment by Robert Kellogg — January 6, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
From his first visibility on the national stage, George Wallace deserved every fanatic diatribe, informed dissent & disparaging comment he endured, even until his death. And why? Because that misguided narcissist never adequately compensated for the blood thirsty deadly opposition he espoused against the Equal Rights of all Americans, whatever their race. Today, we have the media savvy Rick Warren denigrating gay Americans as lower-than-human 2nd class perverts whom churches must oppose in the civil realm. JFK once said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!” Rick Warren would demand of this country that it do his bidding as the price for his patriotism. When will the majority of Americans see this theocratic push for Christianist Dominion for what it is? Radical Anti-Western Islam must lick its salivating chops when it reads this self-serving Anti-Americanism for what it is: Intolerant Holier-Than-Thou bigots who would undermine our Constitution to promote their hope for Armageddon sooner than later!
Comment by Roman Fingers — January 15, 2009 @ 1:45 am