About two weeks ago, I received an “action alert” from the fanatical Christian group American Family Association. It asked me to send my pastor to the following letter and pledge, with emphasis added:

Dear Pastor,

The upcoming election is the most critical in the history of our nation. The very future of our nation’s foundation is at stake. Every person will be affected. If the liberals win, then our foundation will no longer be based on the traditional Judeo-Christian morality. It will gradually but assuredly be based on an ever shifting, ever moving foundation.

In case you may think I’m a “the sky is falling” type of person, you should know: I am a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. I am an ordained United Methodist minister and have been for 44 years. I founded AFA more than 30 years ago and see the upcoming election as the most critical ever. Yes, if the liberals win you will lose some of your religious freedom and free speech rights. You will not be allowed to say certain things about a particular group. Homosexual marriage will be approved.

I cannot overemphasize the importance the Nov. 4 election. That is why I hope you will sign the Pastor’s Pledge, and forward it to fellow pastors and encourage them to sign the Pastor’s Pledge.

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

The Pastor’s Pledge

I pledge to:

1. Encourage my members to register to vote.
2. Encourage my members to study the issues.
3. Encourage my members to vote.

I’ve seen plenty of gushing praise for Sarah Palin and nasty criticism for Barack Obama from various e-mail lists of evangelical political organizations, but these alarm bells are pretty shrill. Obama is not an opponent of Christianity, nor even a real defender of the separation of church and state. So just imagine how these folks would react to a politician with a genuine understanding of and commitment to individual rights, including an absolute wall of separation between church and state. They’d go ballistic, to put it mildly.