Religious Hucksters for Blackwell [View All]

[BobcatJH]

Ken Blackwell, whose soul is as dark as the man is corrupt, thinks God - and some faith-based snake oil salesmen - can help him overcome his 25-point defecit to the next governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland. To that end, meet the newest group in Ohio politics:

A national coalition of Christian ministers threw down the gauntlet Monday, endorsing Secretary of State Ken Blackwell for governor and challenging an IRS crackdown on political activities by churches.

Implored by the Rev. Russell Johnson of Fairfield Christian Church in Lancaster to "show your heart," the 28 ministers calling themselves Clergy for Blackwell said they had a legal right and moral responsibility to endorse the Republican secretary over Democratic Rep. Ted Strickland. The group noted the candidates' contrasting positions on issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage and placement of the Ten Commandments in public buildings.

"I came today to make the statement that it's fundamentally right, it's historically right, it's ethically right to do what's right for Ohio and all of its citizens," said the Rev. Fred Marshall of Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus.

He accused liberal pastors of using pressure tactics "to chase their congregants to the polls as surrogates for Ted Strickland," adding, "As a citizen with one voice and one vote, I have a right and I have a responsibility to do what's right, and that is to vote. And I will vote, by the grace of God, for the honorable Kenneth J. Blackwell."

Although Strickland is an ordained minister, Johnson and Blackwell repeatedly questioned Strickland's religious convictions.

Strickland, sounding both amused and stunned, responded: "For Mr. Blackwell or his supporters to get into an argument about which one of us is more religious is so inappropriate. The two of us are running to become governor of Ohio, and there are so many issues that need to be discussed and debated: Job creation, health care, quality education, affordable college. I don't think people care which one of us is more quote, religious, close quote."

Blackwell's statements from the article should send chills down your spine:

"The public square should not be stripped or scrubbed clean of religion or faith or God," he said as the ministers nodded their approval. "We understand that the flip side of a theocracy is not the secular state. The flip side of a theocracy is religious liberty.

"I stand with you this morning as a defender, as an advocate, for religious liberty, and I will fight for the right of the nonbeliever to nonbelieve because we all have a right to be wrong."

If you think that sounds like the best choice for the next governor of Ohio, then God help us all.