Does McCain Know Any Non-Bigoted People on the Religious Right?

It doesn't seem like it. TPM has a story today on McCain referring to an Ohio megachurch minister by the name of Rod Parsley as a "spiritual adviser." In itself, that's fine. As the case of Eliot Spitzer demonstrates, prominent male politicians need all the spiritual advice they can get to keep it in their pants. But Rev. Parsley also claims that the U. S. has a historical mission to destroy Islam.

I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.

I don't know why. The hundreds of millions of wealthy Europeans who live just fine without religion in their lives are much more of a threat to American Christianity than Islam. Because we view Islam as the enemy, fighting Islam is something that invigorates Christianity. But the Europeans are killing Christianity through lack of interest in religion altogether.

But then again, perhaps Rev. Parsley is trying to "guide" Sen. McCain into a major military assault on Switzerland and other countries with low rates of church attendance.