It's not just wrong. It's dangerous. Every time homophobia is left unchallenged, it sends the message to people struggling with their identity that there's something fundamentally wrong with them. It's heartbreaking, it's frightening, and it's flat out dangerous.

And while I can't come up with any satisfying justification for Obama inviting Rick Warren to the Inauguration, the fact is that Rick Warren will still be preaching intolerance, hate and ignorance whether he goes to the Inauguration or not.

But here's the thing. Whenever Warren is pushed to discuss his views on homosexuality- whether in a friendly forum like Beliefnet or a more critical setting like Larry King Live, he demonstrates that his views are harmful and seriously out of step with reality.

Which is why we at the Courage Campaign think it's high time for him to put up or shut up. Does he have the courage and the chops to debate Rev. Eric Lee about gay marriage? Sign the petition challenging him to make his case and let's find out.

If you don't know Rev. Lee yet, all I can say is...Bring it Rev. Warren. Let's just see what you've got.

Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed our members about our challenge, highlighting some of Warren's recent outrageous statements in the process:

"I'm opposed to redefinition of a 5,000 year definition of marriage. I'm opposed to having a brother and sister being together and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage." -- Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, December 15, 2008

Incest. Pedophilia. Polygamy.

When Pastor Rick Warren was asked to clarify this statement -- if he actually equates same-sex marriage with incest, pedophilia and polygamy -- his answer was direct and unequivocal: "Oh, I do."

That didn't stop President-elect Barack Obama from choosing Pastor Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration -- an appalling mistake that will forever tarnish our country's celebration of Obama's historic ascendance to the White House.

While President-elect Obama has chosen to ignore the troubling beliefs of the man who will spiritually usher in his presidency, Californians can not ignore Rick Warren and his Saddleback Church followers, based in Orange County.

We can not ignore Rick Warren's fervent support for Proposition 8 or his mobilization of thousands of evangelical Christians to enshrine discrimination into our state constitution.

Harvey Milk did not ignore John Briggs in 1978, when Briggs sought to pass Proposition 6 -- the infamous "Briggs Initiative" that attempted to ban gay and lesbian teachers, and anyone who supported them, from our California's public schools. Milk challenged Briggs to debates across the state.

And we're not going to ignore Rick Warren. That's why we're asking you to give Pastor Warren a new invitation -- a Courage Campaign invitation to a public debate on same-sex marriage with Reverend Eric Lee, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Greater Los Angeles.

It's time to challenge Rick Warren to an open, honest debate about same-sex marriage. Click here now to join us, by signing your name to our invitation to Rev. Warren to debate Rev. Eric Lee. On December 24, the Courage Campaign will deliver your signatures to Pastor Warren at the Saddleback Church in Orange County:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RickWarrenDebate

You may not know Rev. Eric Lee. But you should.

Rev. Eric Lee is a courageous leader on marriage equality in the faith community and in the African American community. Representing the SCLC, founded by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Lee expressed his strong opposition to Prop 8 in October by taking a stand with the Courage Campaign against the Mormon Church's heavy involvement in the Prop 8 campaign.

Now, Rev. Lee is taking a stand again, challenging Pastor Warren to a debate about Prop 8 and same-sex marriage.

Rev. Eric Lee needs your support to challenge Rev. Rick Warren to debate Prop 8 and explain Warren's comparison of same-sex marriage to incest, pedophilia and polygamy. Please sign here -- and ask your friends to gather as many signatures as possible -- before December 24:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RickWarrenDebate

Thank you for everything you are doing to restore marriage equality and push for progressive change in California.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

P.S. To repeal Prop 8, and change California forever, we need to change the conversation.

You can change the conversation by signing this invitation to Rick Warren and forwarding this message to your friends today. The more signatures we gather, the more likely Rick Warren's views on same-sex marriage will be challenged, this time by another man of faith. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 24:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RickWarrenDebate