Ever since it was announced that Rev. Gene Robinson would be participating in the Inaugural festivities, Religious Right leaders, many of whom were initially thrilled when they found out that Rick Warren was to be involved, have become decidedly less thrilled about the whole thing.
As we've noted previously, Tony Perkins called it a move "designed to placate angry liberals" while Bill Donohue complained that "Obama has chosen a man who offends Catholics as much as he does Protestants. If that’s his idea of inclusion, he can keep it. " Peter LaBarbara called it "an affront to faithful Christians and religious defenders of morality everywhere" and Matt Barber saw it as a betrayal of Christian voters.
Now, as Inauguration Day approaches, others are jumping on the bandwagon and revving up the radical rhetoric, with Rick Scarborough calling it a blatant "slap in the face":
Bishop Gene Robinson is supposed to help unite the country? Give me a break ... For Christians, THIS invitation was a slap in the face. Bishop Robinson’s choices are completely against the Bible he supposedly represents. The sin of homosexuality is rebellion against God’s Holy Word. It is one of the most tragic of the lies that Satan perpetrates on the human race ...Let’s also remember to pray for our new president. That God will change his heart on the issue of homosexuality. That he will see it for what it is: a sin and an affront to the God on whom this nation was founded. That he will have the courage not to be swayed by an outspoken, belligerent minority. That he will have enough fear of a Holy God that he will stand boldly and courageously for what is right.
Never one to be outdone, Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission is telling parents not to let their children watch what will be the "most perverted [inauguration] in our nation’s history" and warns that God just might destroy the nation's capital because of it:
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the President of the United States is going to be historic for many reasons, not all of them good. Obama’s inauguration may help move race relations forward in America, but Obama’s inaugural events are a major step backwards for historic Christian values. CADC must issue this WARNING message: Don’t let your children watch!
National events ought to unify and elevate the nation by celebrating what is virtuous, such as God and patriotism. Obama is making a terrible mistake by polluting his inaugural events with sexual sin. Some one ought to remind him that he wasn’t elected mayor of Sodom.
Barack Obama’s inauguration will have the dubious distinction of being the most perverted in our nation’s history ... In order to be consistent in using this kind of reasoning, Obama ought to have a stripper lead off the inaugural parade followed by the Hell’s Angel’s Motorcycle Drill Team followed by the Crips Precision Handgun Corp. and the Transvestite Fashion Police. Just because something exists in society does not mean it is good and is to be paraded in front of everyone, especially children.
On this historic occasion of the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, I must unfortunately recommend that you keep the kids away from the TV and pray that God will not rain fire and brimstone down on Washington DC.
