I bet the Earth and all its critters love Christmas day. Not the religious part, particularly. But, with due respect for those of us who follow different paths, Christmas is pretty close to an international holiday. And that means as we emerge into the sun on Christmas day, the place is quieter than any other day of the year. You can almost hear the planet sigh.

Thanks to last weekend’s “Values Voters” Summit, I am learning that I am not an ordinary gay American. Apparently I am Darth Vader: evil, out to destroy the Republic, and a threat to public health.

Gosh — preachers who have no problem railing about marriage equality and racial issues suddenly fall mute when they ponder preaching about the current economic mess. Can you say “Veal Pen Preacher”? Sure you can . . .

Add in a duplicitous visiting scholar from the Heritage Foundation who thinks Jesus preached predatory capitalism as the way of salvation, and you’ve got a nasty combination.

Whatever your thoughts on religion, that combination is truly toxic.

Governor Perry is making this into a national spectacular. He is inviting Governors from every state to come fast and pray. Shoot it to me straight Jesus. Should I take part?”

America has a Credulity Crisis. It’s not that we have too little of it, it’s that we have way too much, and a credulity glut is the last thing a democracy needs.

Bryan Fischer, the director of Issue Analysis and Public Policy at the American Family Association, proudly smites Gene Cranick (the man whose house burned down while firefighters stood by watching, because he had not paid $75 for fire protection), and then is astonished that even conservatives would challenge his twisted religious justifications. Maybe Fischer ought to read some more of his Bible, because right now, he sounds less like Jesus and more like the Pharisees with whom Jesus often clashed. Them, and Ayn Rand.

Glenn Beck’s various endeavors are so superficial and insincere it’s difficult to understand those who fall for his scams. America, of course, has a long tradition of hucksterism. We are a credulous folk, ready to believe in any old snake oil despite the fact that they always fail.

While one Colorado clergyman is fighting his arrest for possession of pot (claiming his status as clergy in the Ministry of THC allows for sacramental reefer use), a pastor in California is up in arms over the NAACP’s support of the November ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use.

“After the November 2004 Presidential election I was deeply disturbed that America had put the Bush Administration back in office. I began to feel a call to enter the public debate on spirituality and morals more explicitly as a Preacher of Liberal Religion.”