Rev.Wrong

Since this is a political year in which guilt by association is fair game; And since Barack’s former pastor has been the constant grist of the last two months of the media cycle, can we please give equal time to the colorful cadre of religious charlatans that John McCain elects to share the stage with? For instance, Rev Rod Parsley of Columbus’ World Harvest megachurch. He has some very interesting thoughts on American history and our national duty to slay the infidels. All this guy needs is a limp and cave.

Righting Wright

We’ve heard the pundits. The politicians. And Joe six-pack. Now a young pastor takes a look at what can be learned from the Jeremiah Wright controversy.

McCain closes the gap

In a recent poll, John McCain has closed the 10-point gap between himself and Barack Obama. Now, if he can only close the gap with himself.

Pass the hat, brother

This is Kenneth Copeland. He is a televangelist currently under investigation by the US Congress. He is also the guy that Mike Huckabee recently called to help him raise money for his presidential campaign. Now, if there is one thing Kenneth Copeland is good at, it’s separating people from their hard-earned money. In fact, he is so good at this, he is…well…under investigation. But that’s okay, because if Brother Copeland stratches Brother Huckabee’s back, he will return the favor. Wink. Wink. Hallelujah! Nudge. Nudge. Amen! So after a very good night of primaries and caucus victories, Meet the Press’ Tim Russert quizzed the GOP presidential hopeful over this curious arrangement. And millions of viewers got to watch former Governor Huckabee squirm. The liberal media. God bless, ‘em!

The other Moral Majority

Jerry Falwell is gone. The religious right has learned to speak in code. And Elvis has left the building. So these days, most of the moralizing is coming from the equally self-righteous anti-war left. Take Michael Moore’s recent remarks on Larry King Live that, because of his Roman Catholic upbringing, he could not bring himself to vote for Hillary Clinton. Her vote for the war is a total deal breaker. A vote for Hillary simply goes against conscience. Apparently, Catholic Latino voters aren’t taking their faith as seriously as Mr. Moore. And apparently, the religious left has learned a thing or two from the religious right. You know, like the part about Hillary Clinton being…um… evil.

WWJC?

“Who would Jesus choose?” That was the question posed to Evangelical Christian college students in a survey fielded by Relevant Magazine. The majority answered, “Barack Obama.” Clearly, these college kids didn’t realized Jesus is a Republican. Or worse yet, the last seven years has got the Master crossing party lines. Either way, I find it all fascinating. And all I can say is, I sure hope He is registered.

Now what?

Two big wins for John McCain. Two back-to-back victories for Romney. And Hillary Clinton is kicking butt and taking names. So what do we know for sure? In the Democratic camp, it is clearly down to a two-way race. If Clinton ekes out a victory in South Carolina, Obama can start crafting his concession speech and a shot at the V.P. slot. The GOP is more up in the air. Clearly, Thompson is a bridesmaid. Ron Paul can decide between a Libertarian run or writing a book on How to Run a World-class Government on Two Dollars a Day. The Giuliani strategy remains an intriguing gamble. And it is pretty clear that Romney has the Mormon vote. The rest, I confess, is a bit hazy. It wasn’t all that long ago that John McCain’s campaign was dead in the water. And there is plenty of time in politics for him to fall and rise again. One thing, however, has to be troubling. McCain’s narrow victories have been with a rag-tag confederation of Republican moderates, independents and the religiously lukewarm. The traditional Republican mainstay of the abortion-hating, illegal hard-lining, born-again church-goers seem to favor a Huckabee candidacy and they, on the whole, have always been a bit leery of McCain and his maverick ways. I mean, the man opposes torture; Can this fellow really be trusted? Winning over the base of the GOP means not alienating this powerful block. Can McCain do it? Well, he’s just won over the people that knocked him out of the running eight years ago. So, anything is possible.

Man Crush

Andrew Sullivan is a complicated guy. Gay, Roman Catholic and a politically conservative libertarian. Right. It makes my head explode, too. And his recent article in The Atlantic further complicates this man. Because his take on Obama is not only fascinating, it’s practically idolatrous. And maybe a little gay. Read it and see what you think.

New Hampshire 1996

Quick! Name these two guys. Now tell me which one prevailed in the ‘96 New Hampshire primary. Wrong! Not Bob Dole. Pat Buchanan. I know! How weird is that?! The point is New Hampshire is not all that predictable. Nor is it all that projectible. In the end, Bob Dole got the GOP nomination. And Buchanan wasn’t even allowed to speak at that year’s Republican Convention. All this is to say that a Huckabee win in New Hampshire is not all that far-fetched. Sure, it isn’t an Evangelical stronghold. But they do have an appetite for conservative ideas; and the immigration hot potato is less likely to hurt Huckabee this far north. So if Huckabee wins in New Hampshire? Well, it pretty much guarantees him nothing. I mean, just ask Pat Buchanan.

The Zeitgeist Conspiracy

Zeitgeist the Movie–– coming to a computer near you. It’s a 2-hour YouTube extravaganza all about how 9/11 is a shadowy government conspiracy. And how Christianity is nothing more than a rehashing of Egyptian astrology. And how Jesus is simply a retread of the Sun god Horus. The net-net of “movie” is that the Man (be he the Roman Emperor Constantine, the Illuminati, or the Federal Reserve) is ingeniously conspiring to keep us down. Among his methods are myth-based religions, human suffering and a group of clever Masons. When does Lara Croft come in and save the world? But I digress. Which is why I love the Internet. The crazies get equal time. I can blog that Muhammad was really a sock puppet and upload a video warning that implanted microchips are the apocalyptic mark of the Beast. And the crazies beget more crazies. And those crazies get followers. And those followers beget more fear and suspicion. Why, it almost sounds like a …what’s the word?…Conspiracy. Freaky!