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Rick Warren was on the Hugh Hewitt show today, where explained that the reason why he gave the invocation at President Obama’s Inauguration. Warren said that he wants to have Christ like ministry, and that Jesus hung out questionable people like prostitutes and tax collectors. Apparently in his mind Democrats are the prostitutes and tax collectors of America.

Here is the audio courtesy of Think Progress:

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Here is the exchange from the transcript of the Hugh Hewitt Show:

RW: No, because as much as I want…my number one goal in life is to have a Christ-like ministry, to treat people the way Jesus did. And Jesus hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors and all different kinds of people. Today, he would have hung out with Democrats…

HH: And Republicans.

RW: …and Republicans, and he would have hung out with gays and with…

HH: Illegal immigrants.

RW: …Muslims and Jews and Christians. And today, so much of the pickiness is look who he ate with, look who he associated with. And if you’re going to have a Christ-like ministry, you’re going to be criticized like Christ.

I am not sure what is more unbelievable. Is it the fact that Rick Warren would compare himself and his ministry in any way to Jesus Christ, or is that he believes that Democrats are people who are not following the word of God? There are millions of religious Democrats in this country. The only differences that I can see between the religious left and right are that the left isn’t as political and self promotional as the right. The left also isn’t as politically well organized as the religious right.

Rick Warren was trying to project a forgiving and accepting message, but he didn’t realize that most people in this country don’t view their religion through a partisan political prism. Attitudes like Rick Warren’s are why bi-partisanship is impossible to have in the United States.

When members of the right teach their followers that Democrats are not acceptable in the eyes of God, they are embedding partisanship from the pulpit. The irony of it all is that if Jesus would come back today, he would probably be a Democrat. I think Republicans like Rick Warren need to start living by his teachings instead of warping them in exchange for fame and financial gain.