Rick Warren Does the Gay Rights Shuffle

In the wake of gay rights activists taking President-elect Barack Obama to task for including Yes on 8 mouthpiece Rick Warren in his inauguration, the Saddleback Community Church pastor has taken to the web to explain his position on gay rights.

Warren said in a video to his church that he does not equate gay relationships with incest or pedophilia, but opposes redefining marriage just as any conservative Christian would.

He said the invitation to the inauguration was intended to show that people with opposing views don’t have to demonize each other. He also said that just because he opposes redefining marriage doesn’t mean that he is anti-gay.

"I have in no way ever taught that homosexuality is the same thing as a forced relationship between an adult and a child, or between siblings," Warren said. "I was trying to point out I'm not opposed to gays having their partnership. I'm opposed to gays using the term marriage for their relationship."

The video replaced a brief article on the Bible and homosexuality that was posted on Saddlebackfamily.com. That church article had said that gays "unwilling to repent of their homosexual lifestyle would not be accepted" as members.

In response to calls from the gay community that Warren be removed from the inauguration, Obama said that he remains a “fierce advocate” of equal rights for the LGBT community.