Why did you meet with Bashar Assad in Syria? | Big Think

TL;DR

Pastor Rick Warren visited Syria to explore the possibility of implementing his Global Peace Plan with churches there.

Transcript

you know I've often been asked about uh why I went to Assyria and I really went to ass Syria uh to Syria for two reasons first I have a neighbor who's Syrian my nextd door neighbor and he said I'd like you to come to Syria and meet my family and there are over 6,000 biblical sites in Syria so I thought this would be great I'd love to go see Syria t... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇸🇾 Rick Warren's visit to Syria was motivated by personal connections and the opportunity to explore biblical sites.
• ⛪ The main purpose of his visit was to discuss the implementation of his Global Peace Plan with churches in Syria.
• ✌️ Rick Warren met with the President of Syria to discuss education, the peace plan, and student exchange programs.
• 🤗 The controversy surrounding his visit arose from a misunderstanding of a photo op and a video found on YouTube.
• 😷 The Global Peace Plan focuses on promoting reconciliation, equipping leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation.
• ✌️ Rick Warren has sent thousands of church members to various countries to implement the peace plan.
• ✌️ The peace plan is church-based and relies on individuals dedicating their own time and resources.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Rick Warren go to Syria?

Rick Warren went to Syria to visit his neighbor's family and explore the biblical sites. He also went to discuss the implementation of his Global Peace Plan with churches there.

Q: What is Rick Warren's Global Peace Plan?

Rick Warren's Global Peace Plan focuses on five areas: promoting reconciliation, equipping leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation. It aims to bring about peace and positive change in communities.

Q: Did Rick Warren have a political motive in meeting the President of Syria?

No, Rick Warren's meeting with the President of Syria was not political. He was simply invited to meet the President during his visit and discussed education, the peace plan, and student exchange programs.

Q: Why did Rick Warren's visit to Syria become controversial?

Rick Warren's visit became controversial when the Syrian government released a statement implying that he backed their government. However, this statement was not true, and the controversy arose from a misunderstanding of a photo op and a misinterpretation of a video found on YouTube.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Pastor Rick Warren visited Syria to meet his neighbor's family and explore the 6,000 biblical sites in the country.

• He also wanted to discuss the implementation of his Global Peace Plan, which focuses on promoting reconciliation, equipping leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation.

• During his visit, he had a meeting with the President of Syria to discuss education, the peace plan, and student exchange programs.