LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

An article in the Times-Herald sums up the attitude of the Far Right, now that it is in power:

Dobson also has written some choice words about another miscreant, Sen. Patrick Leahey, D-Vt.

This is the same Patrick Leahey who was on the receiving end of Vice President Dick Cheney's urging that he go do something to himself I can't print in this newspaper.

"Patrick Leahy is a God's people hater," Dobson wrote. "I don't know if he hates God, but he hates God's people."

To which Stephanopoulos said: "Now Dr. Dobson, that doesn't sound like a particularly Christian thing to say. Do you think you owe Senator Leahy an apology?"

Dobson replied: "George, you think you ought to lecture me on what a Christian is all about?"

Well, somebody should. The good doctor must have missed the Sunday school class where they teach you that you should at least respect people you decide are your enemies.

He also missed the class where they teach you not to think for God.

The danger of Dobson and his cronies is they really believe this stuff. There is no room for dissent or tolerance in their world.

They believe they have a corner on faith and patriotism. But I'm reminded the most patriotic people in World War II were the Germans, and the most patriotic Germans were the Nazis, who knew they had all the answers.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 1:18. It was Lyndon Johnson's favorite, too: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord."

Reasoning together has gone out of style. People such as Dobson just make things worse.

They perpetuate the stereotype that people of faith are intolerant, bigoted ideologues who prefer name-calling to true religion. They believe they've bought the cross and the flag and must merge them with the Republican Party.

Those who dissent are wrong. Period.

You know, unless something changes, the radical right might just give Christianity a bad name.