Saddleback's International Medal of P.E.A.C.E.

Word on the street is that Rick Warren is gearing up for another Civil Forum at Saddleback Church on March 6th, 2011, and gearing up to award another individual with his "annual" International Medal of PEACE that he began awarding prominent individuals in 2008.  This years recipient is Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.This is the seventh Civil Forum to be held.

It was back at the Civil Forum he had in 2008, when Rick gave out the first "International Peace Award,  George W. Bush being the first to be awarded this seemingly prestigious "award."  It is, no doubt, the kind of award that sounds admirable, maybe even to be coveted... for it is truly an honor to be awarded a medal for being a man or woman of "peace."  Peace is a wonderful thing. 
Unfortunately, Rick Warren also announced that the award to Mr. Bush, had nothing to do with the real promoting of "Peace," but rather, his work in addressing the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Yes, sad but true, the  Saddleback "International Peace Award" is given to someone, not for their efforts in the actually promoting of peace, but to individuals who "exemplify outstanding contribution toward alleviating the five global giants."  That is, alleviating the five global giants, as per the Saddleback P.E.A.C.E. Plan,  first unleashed upon the world in 2003.

The Christian Post , in sharing Warren's International Peace Award announcement, reiterated Warren's own words describing what his Plan is,  "We're going to take five letters of the Global PEACE Plan and the five global giants and talk about spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases, and illiteracy and education, said Warren.  "These are the five problems the PEACE Plan is designed to [address],"

At the unveiling of the Peace Plan, Rick first announced these "five giants" he intended to conquere with this P.E.A.C.E. plan from God. Interestingly enough one of the giants was not "corrupt leadership" as he announces today.  It was specifically, "ungoldy leaders."  Also interestingly enough, is that he was not talking about ungodly leaders in the world, he was talking about ungodly leacers in the church.  He said, (referring to and defining for his listeners who the "ungodly leaders " were, "leaders of the church who have never been to seminary." 

In other words, This particular  "evil giant." is so evil... it is even categorized with other "evils," (but not things like murder, hatred, envy and greed,) the "evils" of with poverty and disease... other "giants" he plans to conquer with his PEACE PLAN.  On the day he announced his Peace Plan to his church, and subsequently to the world, Rick Warren described these evil leaders in the church, saying,  "Not only have these leaders not gone to seminary or Bible school, they haven’t even gone to high school or primary school. They have no training whatsoever -- and yet they lead the church. This must be remedied." 

Does he read his Bible? Does he know who these apostles were and were not?

Acts 4:13-14  

When they saw the courage of Peter and John 

and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, 

they were astonished 

and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 

 But since they could see the man who had been healed 

standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

It would appear that Rick Warren simply hates those "evil"  "unschooled and ordinary men" who never attended the seminary, (like he has).... who never went to high school or primary school... who have "no training" whatsoever.  These are the one's pegged by Rick as "evil giants" to be conquered... not the murderers, child molesters and abusers of the world.  He intends to solve the problem of these evils by his purpose driven madness.... his P.E.A.C.E. Plan for the world.

In realizing his verbal mistake he subsequently has referred to this particular evil as simply being something he calls, "a lack of servant leaders,"  or as in this instance, "corrupt leadership," but in his sermon on that fateful day it was pretty clear; the second, "evil" giant he intended to mobilize people who listen to him to conquer was those who didn't need the approval of men to preach the word of God.  And while you and I might think PEACE is a very good thing to pursue, Rick Warren has some very difference concepts of what PEACE really means.... He tells us all that he thinks poverty, illness and being unable to read... even having never been educated in some school are the absolute worse of all the "evils" in the world, and that he is the man, and his plan is the plan to bring peace on earth.

So, yes, it's that time of year again...we are reading all about it in the press. It's time for the annual Saddleback  "International Peace Award;" an award to be presented by Rick Warren to some influential someone, who can draw a crowd and get good publicity for Rick.  Ultimately it's intended to bring good publicity for his P.E.A.C.E. Plan.  This time, March 2011, the lucky recipient is scheduled to be Mr.Tony Blair. 

 DISCOVER THE PEACE PLAN

from http://www.thepeaceplan.com/   (4/14/10)

Promote Reconciliation
Equip Servant Leaders
Assist The Poor
Care For The Sick
Educate The Next Generation 

The vision behind the PEACE Plan is to mobilize
Christians everywhere to address the world's 

5 GIANT PROBLEMS 

1) Spiritual Emptiness; 

 2) Corrupt  Leadership; 

3) Extreme Poverty; 

4) Pandemic Disease;
and 

5) Rampant Illiteracy. 

Each letter of PEACE is distinct
and works with the others as a "wholistic" unit. 

       ____________________________________________________________________

 Is it "spiritual lostness" or is it Spiritual Emptiness... and what kind of reconciliation does he mean.

If the battle is against "corrupt  leadership" does that mean in the church?  Does it mean political leaders?  Most importantly, does "corrupt" mean "unhealthy" ?

What is the "wholistic"  approach?  IS it different than holistic?