Has Obama Turned His Back on Gays?

President-elect Barack Obama's decision to invite Southern California megachurch Pastor Rick Warren to give the opening invocation at his inauguration on January 20 has sparked an avalanche of criticism from LGBT activists and elected officials - as well as from other liberal and left-leaning Democrats - who have characterized the decision as a slap in the face of gay Americans, a naïve effort to woo Christian evangelists, or both.

Still, other famous gay and lesbian voices, including rocker Melissa Etheridge, have embraced Obama's decision, while, from the other end of the spectrum, some are questioning why religious leaders of any stripe should take part in a civic event of such moment.


In the week since inaugural planners announced Obama's choice of Warren, the mainstream media has shorthanded the problem the gay community has with the popular pastor - whose book "The Purpose-Driven Life" was a huge bestseller - by saying he opposes marriage equality for same-sex couples. Just about the only additional detail press accounts have bothered to mention is his active support for California's Proposition 8.

In fact, Warren's views on homosexuality are considerably more troublesome than simple opposition to legal equality for same-sex couples. In a video interview December 15 on Beliefnet.com, a faith-based Internet site owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, Warren explained his opposition to same-sex marriage by saying, "I am opposed to having a brother and a sister be together and call that a marriage. I am opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that a marriage. I am opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that a marriage." Asked by the Beliefnet correspondent whether he believes "those are equivalent to gays getting married," Warren responded, "Oh, I do."

In a December 19 interview with Ann Curry of "Dateline NBC," Warren said, "I've had many gay friends tell me, 'Well, Rick, why shouldn't I have multiple sexual partners, it's the natural thing to do.' Well just because it seems natural doesn't mean it's best for you or society. I'm naturally inclined to have sex with every beautiful woman I see, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.... I think that's part of maturity. I think it's part of delayed gratification. I think it's part of character." Read More