Rick Warren supports call for Ahmadinejad assassination?

Rick Warren is an evangelical pastor in the US and author of a number of Christian books. He has attracted controversy for both his political and theological views.

Still, this is a new one. Earlier this week he appeared in a Faux News segment hosted by Sean Hannity. Here’s a clip:

Hannity: Can you talk to rogue dictators? Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust, wants to wipe Israel off the map, is seeking nuclear weapons. I think we need to take him out.

Warren: Yes.

Hannity: Am I advocating something dark, evil or something righteous?

Warren: Well, actually, the Bible says that evil cannot be negotiated with. It has to just be stopped. And I believe…

Hannity: By force?

Warren: Well, if necessary. In fact, that is the legitimate role of government. The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers. Not good-doers. Evildoers.

(Bolding mine.)

The mind boggles. One can only assume Warren has access to the DVD version of the New Testament – the one with the alternate ending where Christ, rather than peacefully submitting to Pilate, paid off a few sicarii to do the bugger in the night before.

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