This is hardly a big deal, but did anyone else think that Rick Warren’s invocation sounded just a little bit, very slightly, to a degree hardly noticeable at all, off? I certainly don’t mean to be in any way dismissive or disparaging about such an important religious leader of ours. But while listening to Mr. Warren’s invocation, something sounded off to me. So I closed my eyes so that I could focus my attention exclusively on the tone of Mr. Warren’s voice, since that’s where the emotional truth of what anyone says invariably lies. And when I did that I was amazed and shocked to hear—just as an immediate, unprocessed impression—insincerity.
I am absolutely not suggesting that Rick Warren is insincere about anything he said; I know that’s absurd. It might have been his nerves; it might have been just me; it might have been that while delivering his invocation Mr. Warren just naturally (and certainly understandably) slipped into the Public Persona Mode that is necessarily highly developed in anyone who leads an enterprise anywhere near as megalithic as Saddleback Church. And of course there always is that slight distinction between a person’s Public Mode and their Personal, Private Mode. I’m sure that’s all it was. I was just wondering if anyone else noticed/felt it.
Hear nothing but sincerity in my voice as I ask you to join my Facebook group.
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