Rick Warren, an evangelical, megachurch pastor and the person President Obama had give the prayer at his inauguration,
told his congregration to vote their biblical values in the upcoming election. They shouldn't be apologetic for doing so nor should they vote for someone just because they like them.
"You don't need to apologize for voting for a Christian worldview
which stands up for the sanctity of life, the sanctity of sex and the
sanctity of marriage. You don't need to apologize for that because
everybody votes what they believe," Warren told thousands of Saddleback
Church attendees at the launch of a new sermon series.
The
Southern California pastor said those three issues (life, sex, marriage)
are non-negotiables for Christians. While they may disagree on the
economy or health care, what believers must be firm on is protecting the
unborn, viewing sex as holy, and protecting traditional marriage.
"If
you call yourself a Christian, you need to line up with what God says
is the original intent of all three of these things," he preached.
Warren,
a registered independent, made it clear that he has and never will
endorse a candidate for president. At the same time, he called on
Christians to make decisions based on the truth – God's Word.
Why? Because it's the "only source that will never lie to you," he said.
Both political parties released vastly different
platforms. The GOP platform supports the sanctity of human life and
traditional marriage and includes stronger anti-pornography language.
Democrats, meanwhile, support "a woman's right to make decisions
regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion," and, for
the first time ever, same-sex marriage in their platform.
In his message Sunday, Warren told Saddleback members to study the platforms of the parties.
"'Well,
I like that guy' – that's a stupid reason to vote for somebody," Warren
stated. "You need to know their worldview. Read their platforms. And
then vote your worldview."
He pointed out four anti-Christian worldviews are in play and had interesting insight into socialism - it's the result of making the government god - the government is everything and has all the answers.
He warned that there are four anti-Christian worldviews: materialism, hedonism, individualism and collectivism/socialism.
"People
who don't know God make government god," Warren said of socialism. "The
highest thing they can think of to make the world a better place is not
the church, it's not God, it's government."
"What I've discovered
is this: politics is the religion of people who don't know God," he
said to applause. "They treat it as everything. Again, there's nothing
wrong with politics; it's just not the savior."
The longtime
pastor tried to instill courage in the congregation, knowing that some
of their stances on issues are not popular with the public.
The sanctity of life, sex and marriage are "three aspects of the Christian worldview that are hated by this world," he noted.
I think he touches on the biggest problem facing Christians -- timidity or fear, lack of courage.
"Most Christians clam up and shut up because they're afraid to even stand up."
But
he reminded them that they should build their lives on Word of God and
not on the opinions of others and that they should fear God's
disapproval more than people's disapproval.
"If ever there was a
message that you need in today's culture, God would say this to you
about your faith – don't be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent,"
the Saddleback pastor said.
"Everybody else is telling you their worldview. Why should Christians cower in cowardice?"
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