Phoenix Woman:

Dr. Wiley S. Drake, Southern Baptist pastor from California and apparently second in command of the Southern Baptist Convention, has been caught sending out letters to the membership of the entire SBC on church stationary telling them that god wants them to vote for Mike Huckabee. “Do what God tells you to do,” Drake continued. “I believe God has chosen Mike for such an hour, and I believe of all those running Mike Huckabee will listen to God.” On his radio show, Wiley elaborated on the theme: “Mike Huckabee is a son of God; he loves the Lord, and I believe, no matter what the constituents say or the Party says, he is a man of integrity who fears God, and in the finality of things will say, ‘Okay, God, what do you want me to do?’ And I believe he will listen to God.”

As you are no doubt aware, this sort of thing is in violation of all sorts of tax codes. Americans United for Separation of Church and State have filed a complaint with the IRS. Wiley, of course, couldn’t admit that he’d broken the law, since he appears to think that the laws governing the rest of the rabble don’t apply to him, and he couldn’t be a grown-up and own his behavior. Instead, he’s asking the Baptists of the nation to pray that members of the AUSCS are the recipients of a good old-fashioned smiting. From Americans United’s press release: Instead of responding to Americans United’s concern of illegal activity, Drake issued yesterday afternoon a plea to his supporters to join in “imprecatory prayers” (curses) every morning for Americans United and its staff.

“In light of the recent attack from the ememies (sic) of God I ask the children of God to go into action with Imprecatory Prayer,” Drake said, in an Aug. 14 press statement issued from the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park. “Especially against Americans United for Seperation (sic) of Church and State.”

Drake singled out two Americans United staff members whose names appeared as contacts on the press release. The pastor’s missive said the imprecatory prayers should “specifically target” Americans United Communications Director Joe Conn or Communications Associate Jeremy Leaming.

In a section of his press release called “How To Pray,” Drake includes a long list of biblical citations that call on God to smite enemies. For example, the alleged enemies of God “shall be judged,” “condemned,” and “his days be few….” Additionally, supporters should pray that the enemy’s “children be fatherless, and his wife a widow,” and “his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek bread also out of their desolate places.”

“Let there be none to extend mercy unto him,” Drake quoted, “Neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.”

Even though a lot of members of Americans United are devout Christians, I don’t imagine they’re overly concerned that Wiley’s vindictive bully of a Sky Fairy is going to smite them. But that he singles out individuals by name is worrisome indeed, since, as any abortion provider will tell you, there’s a solid group of fundamentalists Christians that feel entitled to take on god’s smiting powers for themselves, with not-very-supernatural guns and bombs.

I’m not holding my breath, but there it is. The entire SBC should lose its exempt status for this. And would, were we a nation of laws.