Yes, change was quite a slogan during last year’s presidential election. I know it has began to become overused but I feel it is especially appropriate considering America not only elected the first black President but one with a non-European name.  Regardless of one’s political views, I think that is something worth celebrating.

I remember President-Elect Obama’s speech after it was announced that he had won the presidency. I enjoyed hearing that there were no red or blue states, gay or straight, black, white etc. Obama promised to be a president to all people, even those who did not vote for him.

He has tried to live up to those words by inviting Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration. Obviously this has caused a stir especially among gay and lesbian voters who, thanks to Warren’s efforts, lost their marriage rights in the state of CA during the election.

I am quite familiar with Warren even though I haven’t kept up with his efforts in quite a while now. The church I attended during my fundamentalist years (ages 12-15) had the entire congregation read his book The Purpose Driven Life. I not only read the book but I actually gave it to a cousin who does not attend church as a Christmas gift (I know. I was young and stupid. Sorry).

Unlike the older evangelists Warren gives a much sugary and sweeter tone to his message. In fact, the reason I had left the church that promoted Warren was b/c my dad started listening to Jimmy Swaggart who lambasted Warren for being “too nice” and using “quotes from pagan people in his book”.  Today I found a newsletter my parents got from the South Carolina Baptist Convention weighing in on Obama’s decision to have Warren give the invocation.

The two ministers in that article were glad that Obama was trying to reach out to those he disagreed with. However, many things in that article made me realize how truly different I have become. It talked about the “angry homosexual activists” and “traditional marriage”. Just last election I would have wholehearted agreed with them. Now I not only voted for the Democratic candidate for president and I’ve even attended a gay rights group on my campus. I hope to come farther along in my journey. I really want to learn to become gracious and kind even though I’m a long way off from that. Removing the attitude that certain groups of people are less favored in the eyes of God is change I can definitely believe in.