Here is video of Rick Warren's appearance on Larry King last night.

When Larry asks Warren about the Iowa court's repudiation of marriage, this: "I'm totally oblivious . . . not even my agenda . . ."

This strikes one as rather odd for a minister of the Gospel, for Christ clearly cared about family, marriage, and about male and female as both distinct partners in God-ordained community with eachother for life. He forgave sinners, but never tolerated sin. It's how you love people while acknowledging we live in a moral universe.

By way of contrast to some, despite being such a lovable, affable guy, a regular life-of-the-party guy, Jesus of Nazareth managed to get himself crucified. Quite purposefully, he took rather unpopular, offensive, intolerant, not-getting-on-Larry-King views on controversial matters. And the beautiful people of his day didn't like it one bit.  

So hardline was he that if you didn't maintain community with the Son of God, he promised your future would not be bright: 

Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of his father and of his holy angels. (Luke 9:26)

True enough, popular reverends get to be on Larry King, talk with presidents, oversee great big churches, pray before the kingdoms of this world, and sell lots of books. All for good causes, so really who can complain, who can question? Besides, half the money is given away to . . . well, you know the drill.

Silly Jesus. Talk about judgmental. He was one of "those" people that "hip" Christians know better than to be associated with when cameras are around. He knew about poverty -- but never let poor folk get away with demonizing those who were better off.

He knew about the hungry -- and he fed them miraculously with fish and loaves. But The Bread of Life never condemned people because they had full stomachs, big carbon footprints, and knew where their next meal was coming from. In fact, the reputed glutton and wine-drinker knew a thing about eating and drinking and celebrating. The politically correct people of his day hated him for it. Sometimes the guy hung with the scum of the earth.

He knew of course that the deeper problem wasn't that of preventing 1st century STDs, hunger, or poverty. But sin. Our great ability -- day in and day out -- to treat God as if he were some kind of pious symbol to be manipulated for political greed, religious gain, or private satisfaction. And there's that sin captured by our unending ability to treat others as so much fodder for the machine of our closed-down self-idolatry. 

Being one of "those people," intolerant Jesus managed to offend the powerful spiritual sensitives of his day. The esteemed people. The respected guides. Jesus was a guy without a press agent, and the klutz committed so many PR fumbles that the crowds turned against him and saw him nailed to a cross. Thank you, pagan faith-based office of Roman crucifixions.

If only he had been a sophisticated, nuanced evangelical squish with smiles in shirt sleeves.

But there he is. Scum of the scum of the earth. Not fit for the Green Room. Human leftovers stuck on a stick on a hill. Do you not realize how ugly, bloody, pathetic, and popular his crucifixion was? Maybe a TV preacher could have saved him. Get him a spot on cable TV, maybe a regular gig, an audience with a president. Save the world from hunger. Reimagine thine own divine self. Yeah, man, that's what I'm talkin' about. Abundant life. Oblivious.

Related:
Spineless, Silent Clergy
Francis Schaeffer: A Student's Appreciation of a Distinct Approach