Annie get you gun...

It is some while since I wrote about the American presidential election. Last month John Wayne McCain chose his vice presidential running mate.

And as all the world now knows she is the hunting shooting fishing mother of 5, governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. Governor Palin is a full on Pentecostal Christian and creationist, with a clear pro life and anti abortion stance. She is a former beauty queen and has doubts about man’s responsibility for climate change.

As such she has galvanised the Christian fundamentalist wing of the Republican Party who will no doubt re affirm their support for the McCain/Palin ticket come November.

Governor Palin has been on the end of withering sarcasm from the liberal establishment but has shown no compunction in slinging the mud herself.

Nonetheless I guess that if we undertook a survey of Christian opinion especially in the States we would find that Governor Palin comes well ahead of Senator Obama. His pro choice views, tolerance of gay civil unions and membership for most of his Christian life of a Black Church in Chicago with a rabble rousing pastor appears to many to tarnish his Christian faith.

What is certain though is that the last Presidential election had another candidate with impeccable Christian credentials. I remember watching an extensive programme on TV about him just before Election Day all about his faith and the support he had from Bible believing Christians across the country.

His name. George W Bush of course. And look what a mess he and his neo con Evangelical Christian friends made of it.

Which makes me conclude the rather obvious. Some choices are not made on the basis of the candidates performance against Biblical orthodoxy however we define that. After all if I need surgery is my first question about the surgeon's knowledge and assent to the Westminster Confession or the 39 Articles?