It's now official ...

a coalition of Evangelical leadership has endorsed John McCain as their candidate of choice. The meeting took place in Denver and was reported in Charisma Magazine online (at http://www.charismamag.com/cms/news/archives/0702081.php) and commented on by Randall Balmer on the Religious Dispatches site (http://religiondispatches.org/Gui/Content.aspx?Page=AR&Id=356). Despite the distaste for McCain that many conservative Christians seem to have and despite the efforts Obama has made to gain inroads into the evangelical community, I never doubted that such an endorsement would come.

What is surprising to me was some of the comments made at the meeting.

** Phyllis Schlafly was quoted as saying: The alternative is so bad we must support John McCain. She went on to lament the fact that this group should have mobilized in 2001 when VP Cheney made it clear he would not seek the Presidency. First, that is not what I call a ringing endorsement of McCain. Second, I fail to see how Cheney would be such a glowing Christian candidate that he would have swept the field and gained the endorsement.

** From the Charisma article: Gary Glenn, head of the American Family Association for Michigan, said he felt conservative Christians would be more enthusiastic for McCain if he put former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on the ballot as vice president. He suggested that the group approve a motion recommending this, which would be hand carried to McCain. It was decided to have a committee approve the wording and e-mail to the participants to sign. Glenn asked for a show of hands of who would sign the document. Most of those in the group raised their hands. So, they seem to be saying, we will REALLY like you if you ask our favorite guy to the Dance.

** Rick Scarborough, founder and president of Vision America, predicted that laws would be passed that would essentially criminalize basic Christian beliefs. I do not see how Congress could pass a law that would criminalize "Love God with all you are. And, love your neighbor as yourself."

** Again from the article, More than an hour was spent listening to younger leaders tell the group that religious conservatives must be perceived "to care" about social issues and the environment to appeal to young people who are voting for the first time. This group listened to 'younger' leaders telling them to 'act like' they care about the environment and other social issues. If you read the Charisma article, you will notice that the group assembled in Denver did not even try to pretend. There were no statements about these social issues made.

** No where in the article did any of the evangelical leaders express concerns over any of the actions of the current administration. I wonder what this lack of comment may mean to John McCain who is supposedly trying to distance himself from President Bush.

Once again, I will attempt to generate some discussion. What are the issues in this Presidential campaign that you consider absolutely vital? Which of these emerge from your religous beliefs?