Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake speaking for the 15% who still think GW Bush is doing a heck of a job, has promoted legislation prohibiting anyone but southern white people from running for office. "It says right here in the bible no N***gers needed in any public office." said Drake. He then got in his time machine an traveled back to 1922 to research some definitive political posturing.

It's an Obama-nation before God.

There. All fixed.

so.... what? can we expect a lightning bolt to strike rick warren while he's giving the invocation?

i'd sure like to buy a dvd of that!

Warren at least allows progressives to say their piece as he did during the Saddleback appearance. This brings progressive proposals to conservative ears for the first time.

I suspect that's the goal. It's a fine thing to make the Democratic / humanity tent a little bigger if it's to include people who have always opposed progressivism because they've simply never had opportunity to hear about it outside of a source that ridicules it in the same breath (think of straw man arguments set up by Rush O'Hannity)

Warren could be a serious wedge (and help) if he doesn't mind that some of his followers end up disagreeing with him. Will he turn against open-mindedness and the truth when he discovers it isn't profiting him? Might he be accidentally converted and bring some conservatives towards center in the process?

If so, kudos for Obama's political instincts, He may be thinking that Warren is the weak link in the religious right's ball and chain.

I remember reading a while back an expose from one of Robertson's disgruntled former insiders where he noted that he had never seen Robertson read the Bible, but he was always had a Fortune or Money magazine in his hand. As to his recent Bush "fatigue", how do you think Robertson's portfolio is looking these days?

In speaking for God, Pastor Drake has catapulted himself to the forefront of American theologians. His novel interpretation of scripture (Describing Obama as an "evil illegal alien" couldn't possibly just be a reflection of his politics and bigotry) reflects insights about African-Americans, inaugurations, and abominations that generations of Bible scholars have completely missed.
Or, he might be just another crazy fucking cracker with his collar on backwards.

So, is this blog the "devil machine" or what?

Shouldn't pastor Drake be getting a letter from the IRS, for actively promoting a political agenda?

If he lost his tax exempt status would that shut him up?

I watch Rachel Maddow as much as I can, but I must say on this story, Rachel has made her first big mistake! Pres.-elect Obama continues to show his political savvy, and your post Mr. Benen reinforces the mastery of Obama's choice as a measure of sobriety in the midst of what has been for eight years kool-aid drinking madness.

I come from a very conservative family history, and I have witnessed the harangues from the likes of Pastor Drake disguised as sincere worship. This thread of religious bigotry is alive and did well under the likes of Pres. Bush. By choosing Rick Warren to give the invocation, Obama is calling his hand as to where he stands in the big Christian tent - with the Drakes or with the decency Christianity can offer.

I believe Warren will offer us a very open invocation, and as a result, force evangelicals of all intensities to evaluate their inner spirits and change their outlook on their faith and others in their communities.

In the words of no late great 20th century philosopher - why can't we all just get along - I think Pres.-elect Obama is paving a political pathway that can work to achieve such a crystallizing thought. I mean, no matter our political leanings, what have each of us done to be a bit more civil to others.

Obama's point in the making! -Kevo

So, is this blog the "devil machine" or what?

O dear. Duncan hasn't heard the news: All liberals are demonic. Pass it on...

If he lost his tax exempt status would that shut him up?

Cockroaches and Christians. They're never going away.

It should be noted at this time that Wiley is the "Imprecatory Prayer" guy that wanted everyone to pray for the destruction of certain "satanic" groups and the untimely death of certain individuals. Unfortunately, no one has stepped up to shoot that holier-than-thou rat-bastard yet, so we'll just have to keep censoring what the kids read on the 'tubes for a while longer....

Good ol' Wiley just got done being investigated by the IRS, if memory serves. He got let off the hook for using his church radio station to endorse a candidate. (Believe it was the Huckster.) Barry Lynn from AU sent in the complaint, which led to the famous imprecatory prayer debacle. So Obama better watch out; Wiley and Co. will be calling on god to infest the White House with frogs or something. Oh, and that's "former VP candidate Wiley Drake" to us heathan liberals- this joker was Alan Keyes' running mate last month.

Drake called Obama an "evil illegal alien," and warned Warren, "God will not wink at this.... It's an abomination before God and God's going to deal with that."

Just more evidence that religion makes people crazy. I steer clear of it. I have no need for invisible ghosts in the sky to love me and protect me from an imaginary demon* itching to throw me into a lake of fire because I don't believe in invisible ghosts in the sky.

Pure insanity. People believe that crap because they're afraid of death, and so must invent an imaginary afterlife to calm their fears. It's an incredible waste of time and effort that could be better spent helping to create a heaven on Earth.

(*My screen name does not stem from a belief in demons, but because I used to own a Dodge Demon. Sort of like a Plymouth Duster. Owning that car solidified my opinion that the slant six is the best automotive engine ever built. If you forget to check the oil, no worries. It'll run without it for quite a while, as will the Subaru boxer engine. Speaking from experience.)

Pat robertson thinks bush gets a C- on the handling on the recent economy? Clearly the theft of 700 billion dollars rates either an A+ or an F depending on your perspective.

The heck with the IRS - where's "Homeland" Security when we need it?

"About 42 percent of Americans polled by Gallup in September, October, November, and into December said that they had attended church weekly or almost every week"

What a crock!

This is far greater than the number of Americans who drive to work. Considering the great majority of Americans are Christians for whom church is on Sunday, if 42% actually went to services, we would see traffic jams on Sunday mornings that are worse than weekday rush hour.

Instead, Sunday mornings are among the lowest-traffic times of the week.

I'd say the number was actually closer to 10%.

I saw a piece on CNN or another news show this week that also asserted more people are attending church due to the horrifying economic times. The pastors interviewed seemed actually happy (their numbers are up).

I didn't question it, as I think Obama was right--people do tend to cling to --or look to--that which initially brings relief (like religion) when they feel anxious and bitter and afraid or otherwise compromised (depressed).

Not that it really helps diminish the source of the problem. But religion and it's rituals can be a powerful placebo in times of peril.

I've read there's also an increase in drug/alcohol abuse and over-eating of recent due to the worsening economy. Don't know if it's true or how the studies are conducted, but it doesn't seem that preposterous to me.

The whole Warren/Drake issue highlights a rule I have in politics. If everyone's mad at you, you're either doing something really right or really wrong. A year ago, I would have said Obama was making a really big mistake with Warren. But since then, every time I thought Obama was making a big mistake, it turned out fine for Obama. He obviously knows something I don't. I'm afraid to criticize him now.

in regards to church attendance going up... The worse the economy is, the more people need help. People know that churches will help out; hence the increased attendance numbers.

Yes, that's definitely part of the reason--churches do help out with food, clothing, shelter and other basic necessities like paying someone's utility bills. But that's just one practical and tangible reason. Some don't require membership or attendance for these things. Some don't provide these things much at all.

You also see attendance go up as folks feel increasingly helpless and hopeless. They sing, they pray and they come together and in this way they likely do feel better and less alone.

Hope is restored. At least for a period of time.

Pastor Drake has done the Democrats a very good thing. Bring on the crazy bigots--the crazier, the better.

Of course this is why it would be stupid for Obama to rescind his offer to Pastor Warren--it would only add power and energy to the fundies' agenda at a time when Obama's popularity is at an all time high.

I still don't like the Pastor Warren choice, and his record should be exposed. But dis-inviting him would be adding insult to injury.

Definitely one for the TWIG... Can the godless go to heaven?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/opinion/27blow.html?ref=opinion

How can anyone even care much less give credence to anything this Billionaire Christian hypocrite whose repressed rage would leave him foaming at the mouth at the mere mention that he could be completely wrong about anything. Talk about fleecing the flock...screw this maggot and the Jeebus he rode in on. One of the stupidest and most ignorant men on the planet that all the money in the world can't hide.

Pastor Wiley Drake is filled with God's hate and condemnation...you know, the things his son came to teach us. They come to teach us who to hate and who to condemn...God's word as written by Italians speaking Greek.

Wiley "Coyote" Drake versus Barack "The Roadrunner" Obama.

Of course, one could see Wiley "Coyote" Drake's statement as being a death-threat against Barack "The Roadrunner" Obama since invoking God nowadays is just "evangelical-speak" for calling on all the right-wing militia racist crazies to do something dastardly and al Qaedaish.

Beep. Beep.

***Posted by: toowearyforoutrage on December 27, 2008 at 10:59 AM

Sorry TW but the internet is beating him to it. Evangelicals have lost half of their 'vote republican and not godless dems' followers and they now consider themselves liberal evangelicals...which includes a majority of Catholics(just mention "no abortions" and I'll vote for you even if you kill my other children and do nothing about stopping abortions but talk).

Warren was not a smart move...it is a payback. Warren will not effect any change among those who already hate Obama and liberals. That is coming from other Evangelicals that Obama could have given a voice to and those Warren represents will get the same amount of exposure to liberal progressive views as they ever had. Saddleback was a joke...having a presidential debate in a mega-church...moderated by a preacher who openly and knowingly lied to the national audience...nationally broadcast. Yes, that really describes secular America doesn't it? My Obama right or wrong people say some of the strangest things to keep from saying Obama made a boo-boo.

Yeah...because of this Warren will now go back and change all those mistaken conservative closed minded evangelicals to be more progressive. Without Warren most people probably wouldn't have even listened or watched the Inauguration or heard all the progressive ideas that will be presented.

Too bad all those white supremacist evangelical minister were booked huh? You know, the ones who say blacks cannot marry whites as well as gays can't marry. Blacks were cursed by god and must live lives of atonement for being born black just like gays for being born gay. Well at least we get half of it with Warren.

"And radical Southern Baptist Pastor Drake..."

Please, calling this nutcase a "radical" is an insult to radicals.

There are two different sources of information on church attendance: pastors say attendance is up, congregants say it's not. Perhaps there are reasons for one or the other source to be less than accurate....

"* And radical Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake lashed out at Pastor Rick Warren..."

And just to think St. John McCain abandoned his Episcopalianism (just too gay right now I suppose) to call himself a Baptist. [Not to actually BECOME a Baptist by adult baptism however.]

"I believe Warren will offer us a very open invocation, and as a result, force evangelicals of all intensities to evaluate their inner spirits and change their outlook on their faith and others in their communities."

From your mouth to God's ear to Warren's ear.

I'm nervous about Warren. I thought the Saddleback duo interview was a gotcha moment. But I am not Christian, so maybe my appreciation was skewed.

Reminds me of when I had a conversation with an Obama phone-bank worker. I was certain Obama needed to put Clinton on the ticket, but the worker (who thought a lot of people didn't want to see another Clinton in the White House right now) "talked me down" (as Rachel would say) with one simple statement.

"I trust Obama to do the right thing."

And so, with so many gay friends and relatives (who are friends, too) that I was mighty POd by the Warren invitation, I just close my eyes to the negatives and repeat my new mantra "I trust Obama to do the right thing."

D Pecan's comment "where is Homeland Security when you need it" made me think "where is the Secret Service when you need it?"

People who made jokes about Bush were investigated. After Jan 20, I expect to see the Secret Service showing up at the door of ALL the a$$holes who call Obama a terrorist, etc. including the "Good Reverend."

"This scrutiny of Obama's church attendance strikes me as wildly misplaced." And a little hypocritical, too, maybe?

Where was the scrutiny of the church attendance of the man who went to war on the message from God, Dim Son?

Interesting post. I don't really like to say how I feel about this religious thing, but I guess I will.

Thanks to the GOP, I am no longer interested in religion anymore. I believe this is just a way to prey on the weak, and to, for the most part control people.

Just look at some of the terrorists, some believe when they get to heaven they will have HOW MANY VIRGINS?

As I have said before, people need to look and investigate their ministers-

To become a minister, you can have a criminal record. You don't have to have a degree is psychology, sociology, yet, you can counsel people on marriage, personal problems, or any of life's problems.

This is after all, a money-making business. So, with this in mind, how do you know your minister doesn't himself have a history of psychiatric problems? How do you know he's not a convicted felon?

As far as I'm concerned, I do not give the church money for donations. Why give a church money, property - these ministers could care less about the public. They parade around in their luxury cars, private jets - yachts, expensive jewelry, expensive clothes, and take vacation in expensive Caribbean homes. Yes, some of these things are donated. However, why don't they sell these things and give to the needy? They won't because they are greedy.

If I see someone in need I help them when I can, so there's no need for me to give the church a damn dime.

So again, why do I need to go to church to listen to these guys try to brain wash me. These guys are like politicians - they are power hungry, they can't rule the world (just yet), but they can rule their members. Why do you think, in the end, having people committ suicide - saying God told him to tell them to do this. Yet, they prevent others from committing suicide (when life's got them down) by saying God will punish them for this.

They tell you not to hate others and love your neighbors - unless they are black?

I get the Rick Warren/Obama teamup message to be "God says Kill Fags", his teamup with Big Coal as "choke on this, you'll be paying for it" and his teamup with Big War profiteers for escalation in Afghanistan is "permanent war for permanant profits".
And he thinks this is "change"?
This Constitutional Republic has been reduced to a democracy. Sadly the American people have a pathetic sense of character assessment. Again.
Lied to again. What are the odds.
ARRRGGGHH!!!!

I think we need a shout-off between the Ayatollahs in the US vs the Ayatollahs in Iran/Iraq/Saudi Arabia, et al.

I think ours will beat the pants off theirs. USA is number 1!

what ever became of the separation doctrine? jefferson rolls in his grave.

and BTW, we can all thank FDR for introducing the ritual invocation at the inauguration..................... he first did it in 1933.

They tell you not to hate others and love your neighbors - unless they are black?

Or gay or lesbian. Or atheist or agnostic. Or of a different religious affiliation. Or from another country than America.

For a suitably restrictive definition of "love", "others", and "neighbors". Not valid where prohibited. Your mileage may vary. If anal leakage persists, discontinue use immediately.