Why we’re going to Saddleback
To answer a question from my friend Pastor Dan, FPL is cosponsoring the August 16 Saddleback Forum to give the candidates another opportunity to talk to religious voters about the issues and their beliefs, and to do so in a way that furthers our effort to expand the values debate in American politics. As happened at the Compassion Forum (about which I appreciate Dan’s kind words), the extended format and questions from a faith perspective will enable a dialogue that breaks free of the binary, soundbite-driven noise we’re used to seeing on tv in an election year. Given some of the highlights of this year’s traditional “debates”, the Saddleback Forum would be a welcome change even if it were a 59-minute campaign commercial. And it won’t be.
What it will be is a substantive discussion of topics addressed in the Compassion Forum, such as climate change and AIDS and poverty and principles of leadership.
Whether Rick Warren is a liberal or a conservative or something in between is beside the point. As Dan says, one can point to Rick’s conservative positions on some issues and his more progressive views on others. That’s part of what recommends him and Saddleback as host — he’s active on compassion issues and is not a reliable and traditional partisan. If he were, no way would both candidates agree to participate. Further recommending Rick is his reach beyond the evangelical community — selling 20 million books entails crossing denominational lines. (FWIW, I’ve talked to three mainline pastors today who spoke of The Purpose Driven Life’s popularity in their circles.)
From our end, promoting an event that reflects and furthers the changing values debate is an end in itself, but talk about who could benefit from it is also a useful exercise. Dan mentions a recent Pew Poll showing that mainliners, Catholics and evangelicals are all viable targets this year. McCain trails Bush’s numbers by at least 4 points among all three groups, Obama is 7 points behind Kerry with Catholics but tied with his evangelical and mainline numbers, and the percentages of “don’t know”‘s has tripled among evangelicals and Catholics and doubled among mainliners. If the campaigns weren’t looking for ways to win over these undecideds, they wouldn’t be doing their jobs. Cosponsoring an event that gives them an opportunity to do so by addressing compassion issues like AIDS, climate change, human rights and poverty is a great way to help change the values debate, and we’re excited to do so.
As fans of both Dans, I appreciate your words here. The cause of social justice is expanding in Rick Warren’ audience and this forum – like the last – helps politically mainstream the aforementioned key compassion issues.
I think it is a great idea to go to Saddleback. It is much easier to complain about progress than to work hard and come together despite opposition.
How credible can Obama’s current religious statements be, when they follow a 20 year track record as a disciple of radical leaders like Wright, Farakan, Moss, and Phleiiger? Since Obama has done virtually nothing as a senator, is being a community organizer enough of a qualification to be President of the United States? Instead of listening to Obama’s words, we should look at his deeds, which are pretty empty. When you compare Obama’ resume to McCain’s, with decades in the military, and decades in the senate, it’s obvious that Obama is merely an empty suit, who will say, or do anything to get elected.