Does Religious Right Support GOP more than GOD?

A Religious Right-sponsored 'Values Voter Summit' taking place in Washington, DC, this weekend is nothing but an attempt to drum up evangelical support for Republican candidates before the November elections.

Interestingly, the supposedly non-partisan event is taking place in Washington, DC, in an election year where Republicans are struggling to maintain control of Congress.

The summit is sponsored jointly by political affiliates of Focus on the Family (FOF), the Family Research Council (FRC) and other Religious Right groups. It features a line-up of GOP officeholders and presidential aspirants.

No Democrats appear among the announced speakers, and organizers such as FOF Chairman James Dobson and FRC President Tony Perkins don't seem to have spent much time getting any to come.

AgapePress, a conservative Christian news service, reported, "Perkins says he cannot help it if only Republicans support the issues that conservative Christians care about. He offers an open invitation, saying 'if there's a Democratic candidate who marches to an independent drum beat and will stand on these issues, we'd love to have them.'"

Comments like that are evidence of the meeting's partisan overtones, said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

"Dobson and his friends are desperately trying to lead the evangelical flock into the Republican fold in November," Lynn said. "They know that their power in Washington depends on maintaining GOP control of Congress." (full story)