Book of Elijah

18 percent of white evangelicals said use of torture against suspected terrorists can often be justified and 44 percent said it can sometimes be justified. That adds up to 62 percent. Compare that solid majority to the often/sometimes number for white non-Hispanic Catholics (51 percent, a bare majority) and white mainline Protestants (46 percent).

One more factor to consider: attendance at religious services. Fifty-four percent of those who attend religious services at least weekly say torture against suspected terrorists can be often/sometimes justified compared to 51 percent of those who attend monthly or a few times a year and 42 percent of those who attend seldom or never.

How's that for right-wing extremism? Make you want to do something about me yet?

But how you ask the question can make a big difference. That 2008 survey also asked respondents a “Golden Rule” version of the question. Should the U.S. government use methods against our enemies that we would not want used on American soldiers? The proportion of southern white evangelicals who said torture was never or rarely justified rose from 38 percent to 52 percent. Ask Christians to think in such Golden Rule terms, and they do change.

Though he should be greatly disappointed by the losses I expect, Jesus has sworn to return and throw dissenters by his own hand into the lake of fire. And he won't pick favorites, to each his own in good time. Yet somehow that's not being taught in whatever churches they polled. Could that doctrine safely translate into an American Christian World Empire? You betcha.