Comments on: Saddleback Church’s Presidential Civil Forum: A Harsh Spotlight

By: irish_2171

irish_2171 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:29:16 +0000

Knowing full well that I am still a sinner, I sometimes still have inclinations to jab someone I’m not particularly fond of when they’re down. Accordingly, my first inclination is to agree that I too would like to have seen Warren press for a more intellegent and revealing response. However, after pondering the notion I think as Catholics we’re better of to soak up the silence and let Obama’s lack of a qualified response speak for itself. After all, he said it and we weren’t the only ones to acknowledge his overt side-step reply.

I think an excerpt from Cheryl Dickow’s article from 08/22 “Our Jewish Roots: Silence” says a lot: “We often say that He took on human form to experience life in such a way as to be able to empathetically relate to our own experiences. He became our example for resisting temptation, to live with a humble spirit, and to show how to serve one another. He, too, became our example of the need for silence. Jesus shows how it is often in this silence that God is able to quell our aching heart and share answers to our prayers.

pax et bonum

By: Tota Tua

Tota Tua — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:33:45 +0000

David – it is in Pastor Warren’s silence that the paucity of Obama’s “pay grade” response stood out to me.

Claudia – GodSpace

By: redwallabbey

redwallabbey — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:51:04 +0000

I did enjoy Pastor Warren’s efforts to present a “civil” forum and it certainly was. Warren spoke with CNN afterward and said he got the answers he expected from both candidates and that he wanted to make follow-up questions but fo rthe sake of time and breadth of the program did not. I don’t think anyone learned anything new about the candidates except that there styles were emphasized. Obama was nuanced and shallow and McCain was straight-forward. The forum may have ultimately done more for Rick Warren and Saddleback than for either of the candidates.
That said when you look at Saddleback, think about how many of the congregation are former Catholics, that says more about being “let down by some in leadership positions in the Church who also completely abdicated their responsibilities” than any other statement.

By: MICHAEL

MICHAEL — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:47:56 +0000

I feel the discussion absolutely revealed where the candidates stand on key issues and served it’s purpose. Yes, he could have probed deeper into each question, but then the breadth of what was covered would have been limited. I came away from the evening with a much clearer picture of the moral and ethical nature of each man.

By: Bruce Roeder

Bruce Roeder — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:12:22 +0000

McCain’s performance may be completely undone (i.e., shown to be mere words, not backed up by action) if he chooses a pro-abortion politician to run as his VP.

I pray he will choose wisely.

By: mkochan

mkochan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:39:53 +0000

I think there were probing non-”antagonistic” ways to ask him to expand his answer. For example, Warren could have inquired, “Then you don’t know whether the occupant of the womb is a human being or not or when during the course of a pregnancy it comes to have that status?” If he answered affirmatively, Waren could have followed up with, “Then you acknowledge the possiblity that abortion is taking the life of an innocent human being?” If Obama kept up with the agnostic position, Warren could have inquired about the hunter who shoots not knowing whether he aims at a deer or another hunter, or the developer who orders the demolition of a building not knowing whether it is occupied by homeless people or not. He could have asked, “In other instances where a human being MIGHT be present the law requires due diligence to protect life, so if a human being might be present in the womb, why should the law not protect that life?”

These would have been perfectly acceptable, non-antagonistic questions that would have truly accomplished what Warren claimed to set out to do an allow the candidates to reveal themselves to the American people. He could have similarly probed McCain’s position on ESC research. In both instances, he would have done a much better service to the American people.

By: MICHAEL

MICHAEL — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:28:39 +0000

While I agree with you that Obama’s “above his pay grade” response is actually very alarming, I disagree with you on Pastor Warren’s lack of a challenge. I didn’t view his role in the discussion as a pastor offering and providing spiritual guidance to a member of his congregation. I viewed his role as creating an environment that was not antagonistic where voters got a chance to better know the make-up, the character of each man. I think Warren rightly took an approach that was even handed and put the spotlight on each candidate. I’m sure he could have challenged both men on vartious answers, but I’m glad he did not. In the end, I think it showed the character weakness of Obama and the strength of mCcain, hopefully soon President McCain