Regarding your article in the recent PGN [“Inauguration rev. draws ire” Dec. 26, 2008-Jan.1, 2009] your statement that Pastor Rick Warren “has been a strong opponent of the LGBT community” is not accurate.
You should know:
In 2002, Kay Warren, Rick’s wife, came to a new level of awareness and became (in her words) “seriously disturbed” by the suffering of the millions infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, certainly an LGBT community issue. Up until this time, most Christian communities had admonished HIV/AIDS as “that gay disease,” and Kay was the first major figure to reverse that position very publicly (www.rickwarrennews.com/bio_kwarren.htm).
In 2005, in support of that position, Saddleback began its annual Global Summit on AIDS and The Church. By inviting Obama at that time, they took major criticism for inviting a pro-choice politician to speak, much like Obama is taking now for his selection of Warren for the inauguration.
Also, addressing pandemic disease (such as HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa) is a fundamental element of the P.E.A.C.E. plan that came out of Kay Warren’s position.
Ever heard of a book called “The Purpose Driven Life”? The Warrens give away 90 percent of their income from such efforts (30 million sold and counting) and live on 10 percent, much of that monetary support going to church efforts to support such plans to fight HIV/AIDS.
True — on this issue of marriage, Warren differs with the opinion that you and a minority of America hold, and feels that 5,000 years of marriage being defined by all cultures and religions as between one man and one woman should remain.
This is a freedom-of-speech issue, so why should Warren be held as “hate spewing” (cartoon on page 11) because his view differs from your own?
In case you missed it, at the Civil Forum on The Presidency that Warren hosted before the election, President-elect Obama stated he also believed marriage should be between one man and one woman. You forgot to mention that, so maybe that can be your next piece.
Keep writing — I enjoyed your article.
David Nelson
Los Angeles
Two things - sorry for any confusion, but the pseudo-quote "the gay disease" was me paraphrasing the previous view of the Christian community on HIV/AIDS, not a quote from Kay Warren, if that's what was implied.
Also, the site on Kay Warren's website site is correct (cut/paste if you have to):
www.rickwarrennews.com/bio_kwarren.htm
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