From the AP wires, and posted at AOL.com, there is clear evidence of purple politics. And blurring lines often creates tension. Rick Warren has a summit on AIDS and has invited both Barack Obama (Democrat) and Sam Brownback (Republican), but Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, asks his folks to protest the event because Obama supports abortion<\/em>. From the AP wires, and posted at AOL.com, there is clear evidence of purple politics. And blurring lines often creates tension. Rick Warren has a summit on AIDS and has invited both Barack Obama (Democrat) and Sam Brownback (Republican), but Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, asks his folks to protest the event […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nMy own comment, however brief, is this: Evangelical Christians must cooperate with anyone and everyone on the AIDS issue; cooperation on AIDS does not mean agreement with the moral and theological and political stances with everyone with whom we cooperate; refusing to cooperate with someone like Obama to stamp out AIDS indicates, not careful theology, but infective ideology<\/em>.
\nPastor Defends Invitation to Obama Some Object to Democrat\u2019s Support for Abortion Rights By NEDRA PICKLER, AP WASHINGTON (Nov. 30) \u2013
\nFamed pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren on Wednesday defended his invitation to Sen. Barack Obama to speak at his church despite objections from some evangelicals who oppose the Democrat\u2019s support for abortion rights. Obama is one of nearly 60 speakers scheduled to address the second annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church beginning Thursday at Warren\u2019s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.
\nObama, who is mulling a run for president, plans to take an HIV test during his appearance Friday and encourage others to do the same. The Illinois Democrat will be joined by a potential 2008 White House rival \u2013 Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas \u2013 and is urging unity to fight AIDS despite differences on other issues.
\nConservative evangelical Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, e-mailed reporters Tuesday to protest the visit because of Obama\u2019s support of abortion rights. \u201cSenator Obama\u2019s policies represent the antithesis of biblical ethics and morality, not to mention supreme American values,\u201d Schenck wrote. Saddleback responded with a statement acknowledging \u201cstrong opposition\u201d to Obama\u2019s participation. The church said participants were invited because of their knowledge of HIV\/AIDS and that Warren, author of \u201cThe Purpose Driven Life,\u201d opposes Obama\u2019s position on abortion and other issues.
\n\u201cOur goal has been to put people together who normally won\u2019t even speak to each other,\u201d the Saddleback statement said. \u201cWe do not expect all participants in the summit discussion to agree with all of our evangelical beliefs. However, the HIV\/AIDS pandemic cannot be fought by evangelicals alone. It will take the cooperation of all \u2013 government, business, NGOs and the church.\u201d
\nObama did not respond to interview requests. But he issued a written statement saying while he respects differing views on abortion, he hopes for unity \u201cto honor the entirety of Christ\u2019s teachings by working to eradicate the scourge of AIDS, poverty and other challenges we all can agree must be met. It is that spirit which has allowed me to work together \u2013 and pray together \u2013 with some of my conservative colleagues in the Senate to make progress on a range of key issues facing America,\u201d Obama\u2019s said.
\nBrownback, who has close ties to conservative Christians, did not respond to requests for comment on the dispute. Though still in his first term in the Senate, Obama has attracted national attention for his fresh face, commanding speaking style and compelling personal story. He also has encouraged liberals to engage in religious discourse and not leave the topic to conservatives to claim as their own.
\nWhile in California, Obama also plans a Friday night appearance on \u201cThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno\u201d to promote his best-selling book, \u201cThe Audacity of Hope.\u201d As part of his consideration for a presidential run, Obama will make his first political visit to New Hampshire on Dec. 10 for a celebration of the state Democratic Party\u2019s victories in the congressional, gubernatorial and legislative races. Obama has traveled to Iowa, site of the leadoff presidential caucuses, but New Hampshire hasn\u2019t been on his itinerary. The race for the 2008 Democratic nomination is considered wide open, and at least a dozen potential contenders are weighing formal bids, including front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"