Rick Warren got himself in hot water with the secular media by not speaking out immediately against Ugandan anti-gay laws. Foreign Policy did a short web piece titled "Rick Warren finally speaks out against Ugandan anti-gay law." They called the incident a hit on his credibility.
Rick Warren posted this video and a brief refutation of the rumors surrounding this topic.
The details aside, I only have one question. How did Rick Warren even get himself in this situation where the media is on his tail so often?
I understand that he is a big spokesperson for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa and it is his "role to speak out on moral issues" and not his "role to interfere with the politics of other nations." But the media doesn't make that distinction. Especially when you host political debates in your church and pray at presidential inaugurations. I know he said "other" nations, but getting involved in politics is getting involved in politics; in a global world, Uganda's problems become Rick Warren's problems.
The media always misconstrues things; we can all agree on that. I think Rick Warren's conclusions concerning the anti-gay laws in Uganda are correct (although I think some of his reasoning is faulty). It's the quickness of the media to get on Rick Warren that concerns me. I fear he brought at least a little of it on himself.
Foreign Policy claimed this incident hurt Rick Warren's credibility. The fact that Rick Warren had credibility with Foreign Policy to begin with is the root of the problem.
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