Respect in Diversity is a Good Thing

Much adieu has been made about Rick Warren being asked to pray the invocation at President Obama's inauguration. Some celebrities, our brain trust!?!?, have even protested, suggesting that they would turn their back to the dais when Warren prays.

We now we have heard the prayer. Some media outlets have suggested that while the prayer was fairly ecumenical, it was still "overtly Christian." Well..... of course! Not because a "Christian" prayer is the only prayer that should be prayed, but because Rick Warren is... a Christian.

If a Muslim is invited to pray I expect them to pray based on their tradition. If a person is Jewish I expect them to pray from their Hebrew tradition. We (all of us conservatives, liberals, Christians, atheists, agnostics, and anyone from any tradition) really need to get past being offended when someone is being true to their culture, ethnicity and spiritual tradition. All that I request would be respect, but even if I wouldn't be offered respect as someone is being true to their tradition, I would still offer it to them!

The prayers at the inauguration were diverse and each person who lead them seemed to be respectful in their offerings, and that includes the prayer lead by Rick Warren.

It's important to understand how God views people's choices. He offers Himself to us, but He does NOT force Himself on anyone. In this freedom we carry the entire weight of our choices. And for those of us who are Jesus followers we are to RESPECT God's offer of choice. Rather than offer judgment on people's choices we should be examples of what the biblical figure, Paul, referred to as a more excellent way (the way of love described in 1 Corinthians 13).

I'm not surprised when people (both Christian and non-Christians) require others to be tolerant, while at the same time refusing to offer tolerance to others. But that inconsistency in others will not turn me into an intolerant person. Jesus offered people another way, and allowed them to choose. We should do the same.

Kurt!