Well, I wish he'd picked an ordinary pastor, not Right-Wing Rockstar Gay-hater Guy. There's accomodating and there's being a sucker. Like I can't imagine McCain winning and inviting a Wiccan moon-priestess for our benefit.

That's my question, though -- is he the radical fringe (and, therefore, not representative of a large chunk of people)? And who would be a better choice for that side of the aisle?

(Actual questions, not rhetorical. I'm asking, not making a point.)

And it does a disservice to the many sane conservatives out there to imply that reaching across the aisle means bypassing them entirely in favor of the radical fringe.

So much this.

Like I can't imagine McCain winning and inviting a Wiccan moon-priestess for our benefit.

Yeah, but McCain was running on the hope of vast untapped reserves on the far right. So his whole pitch was "yucky lefties -- don't we hate 'em?"

That's my question, though -- is he the radical fringe (and, therefore, not representative of a large chunk of people)?

I don't think he is. He makes *my* blood run cold, because I spent 4 years in a church like his (though not 20,000 members; try 60). But I'm not the average American. I think that the average American sees him, his mega-church, and gazillion books, as totally mainstream.

t edit These mega-churches, in their warehouse-like facilites, like Saddleback and Mars Hill, are really the big thing in Christian churches now.

And I think that a lot of people attend them but don't agree with everything the pastor/church says. Which doesn't make Warren's bigotry *right,* but it makes me understand how people can see him as mainstream.

That's my question, though -- is he the radical fringe

Yeah, I'm kind of thinking the fringe makes up a big chunk of the blanket. Or else the blanket has come unraveled.

And who would be a better choice for that side of the aisle?

Honestly, I have no idea. I'm an atheist Jew living in New York City - my exposure to the religious right is pretty limited to the news and the blogosphere, which means loudmouth crazies. But there must be someone!

I think that the average American sees him, his mega-church, and gazillion books, as totally mainstream.

Sadly, I also think this is probably true.

Political disagreement is different than hate speech. There are plenty of people on the political right who have not publically equated homosexuality with bestiality and abortion rights to the Holocaust. And it does a disservice to the many sane conservatives out there to imply that reaching across the aisle means bypassing them entirely in favor of the radical fringe.

So much this. Thank you for articulating it so well, Jessica.

True, Emily. I can't help feeling though that trying to accomodate everyone is why "we" get our butts kicked all the time. Because we don't want to say anything against anyone's culture even when it's filled with poison. But if that's the biggest gripe I ever have with him, I'll build a statue.

And I think that a lot of people attend them but don't agree with everything the pastor/church says. Which doesn't make Warren's bigotry *right,* but it makes me understand how people can see him as mainstream.

Yeah, definitely this. I know lots of people in the church who are bigoted, but I know lots who are really, truly not. And I know even more who would not be if they had a chance to get to know people.

I definitely don't agree with everything my church says, not even close.