Rick Warren: Aurora shooting the fault of evolution

[cleanhippie]

Cross-post from GD

The mega-church pastor of the Saddleback Church, Rick Warren, took to Twitter on Friday to express his thought about the recent shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. Warren blamed the shooting on the teaching of evolution in public science classes:

“When students are taught they are no different from animals, they act like it.”

Warren who gave the invocation at President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009 joins company with Republican Rep. Louis Gohmert. Congressman Gohmert blamed the shooting on secularism stating:

“People say... where was God in all of this? We've threatened high school graduation participations, if they use God's name, they're going to be jailed... I mean that kind of stuff. Where was God? What have we done with God? We don't want him around. I kind of like his protective hand being present.”

Gohmert’s reasoning actually reflects quite poorly on the character of his deity. According to him, God let those people die apparently because he didn’t like the U.S. Constitution. As a point of clarification, the First Amendment prevents government led prayer forced on to the people. It does not restrict high school students from praying privately at their graduation.

In the past, religious leaders who have blamed tragedies on atheism, science, and the First Amendment have been considered to be the fundamentalist fringe like Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell. Many religious believers consider Rick Warren to be more of a moderate.

http://www.examiner.com/article/rick-warren-aurora-shooting-the-fault-of-evolution

Hey, liberal/progressive DU believers, I'm talking to you here...

How about standing up and telling these ignorant bigots that have hijacked your religion to shut the fuck up? Until you do, the religious right in this country will continue to make life hell for us all. Non-believers cannot fight this alone. The ball is in your court.

[russspeakeasy]

1. So the real culprit is science ?

[cleanhippie]

2. Yep, it seems that way.

[Lil Missy]

3. It's the boson higgs particle that caused this!

[russspeakeasy]

5. damn that boson, damn that higgs !

[Smilo]

4. Warren guns are a fairly modern invention.....

I am sure if they had been around in biblical days they would have never been used as they are today /snark.

The Bible is one of the most violent, intolerant and cruel books and to think religions use this as their "go to guide".

So, Warren I am with cleanhippie - STFU and start cleaning up your church and your beliefs.

[Bluerthanblue]

6. If Warren is trying to say that God wasn't there for

the people who were killed because God isn't welcome at graduations.... then he worships one sick fucked up god.

[CanonRay]

7. Rich Warren is one sick, stupid POS.

[Enrique]

8. the shooter was "heavily involved" in his church

do we hear athiests going around blaming this tragedy on "too much God" in our society?

No, because there are no athiest equivalents to the hucksters like Rick Warren and Louis Gohmert.

[backscatter712]

9. CLAP LOUDER! And say "I believe in the fairy tales!"

Or your loving God might make more people die horribly!

Yes, I have to post the video again...

[rurallib]

10. Isn't Obama scheduled to do a TV Q&A with this idiot?

Think about it Mr. President.

[struggle4progress]

11. America, the country where everybody constantly pontificates loudly about events:

Holy shit! My neighbor's house just blew up! There he was, cleaning his carpets with gasoline, and then he stopped for a bong hit, and suddenly, like, boom!

Whoa, dude, he obviously got hit by a meteor! That sucks, but the universe is a dangerous place!
Where the fuck was the fucking fire department when we fucking needed them? This is exactly why I don't fucking believe in paying fucking taxes!
Another victim of our medieval marijuana laws! Legalize pot now!
You want to know who I blame? Obama, that's who!
Well, I guess your pervert neighbor will lay off the porn now, won't he?

&c &c

[cleanhippie]

12. Yeah, but this particular pontificator will be moderating yet another presidential Q&A on TV.

Pontificators like this should not be brought into the political process.

[Marrah_G]

14. I find that disturbing.

Just another thing I won't be viewing.

[cbayer]

15. He is setting something up and has invited them,

but I haven't found anything to indicate they have accepted.

He did this last election season, but strayed a great deal from what he said he was going to ask them.

I am hopeful that Obama will turn him down this time.

[Marrah_G]

13. Someone want to explain to me again why this guy was given a place of honor by our President?

Because I really don't understand it now and I really didn't understand it then.

[cbayer]

16. Mistake? Poorly vetted?

I am not sure, but it was a really bad call.

[skepticscott]

17. A call supported by many people here

who got all warm and fuzzy about "diversity" and "inclusiveness". This is why liberal religionists are part of the religious right problem in this country.

And gee...what group was pretty much universal in condemning the participation of a known piece of shit like Warren in ANYTHING official having to do with the country, the government or the president? Here's a hint...they weren't religious.

[cleanhippie]

20. Methinks you will not get a response.

To do so would expose the hypocrisy for what it is.

[edhopper]

18. I'd say if any single work has been behind more people

thinking they need to kill someone, it's the Bible.
I am not blaming the Bible, but it seems to be the reason a lot of sick folk ending up killing.
By the logic of people like Warren, we should ban the Bible.

[Xtian]

19. Let's Tell Rick Warren What We Think Of His Nonsense!

I started a petition on change.org about the reprehensible comments made by religious extremists regarding the shooting. Please consider signing it.
http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-pastor-rick-warren-the-tragic-shooting-in-aurora-co-was-not-an-act-of-god

[Dorian Gray]

21. Oh good god

he's an idiot.

That raised my blood pressure reading his thoughts.