Huckabee: Using the Lord's name in vain?

Thousands of years ago, God handed down to Moses a couple of tablets which displayed His Ten Commandments. One of them exhorts us never to use the Lord God's Name in vain.

This discussion isn't about using the GD phrase when you've hit your finger with a hammer while hanging a picture or utilizing the Lord's name when expressing your discomfort sitting on the front porch in the hot sun on a still, humid afternoon.

That mysterious "moving" cross
Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist preacher, knows better, yet he did it anyway.

A powerful, not-so-subliminal message in the form of a cross glows behind GOP candidate Mike Huckabee as he delivers last week's "Christmas message" via political advertisement. The first time I saw the commercial, I wasn't sure how I felt. I didn't want to believe that the cross imagery was intentional. I've decided here's what happened: The cameraman starts with the predictable upper right shot (which the human eye perceives first), then it slowly moves lower-middle and left. To say it was coincidental insults every professional production designer's, director's and cameraman's intelligence.

A prideful, defensive Huckabee then answers his critics flippantly: "...and later we'll be sending secret signals to other Christians...be sure and watch for them...to say that it was intentional is ridiculous...if you play the ad backwards, it says, 'Paul is dead. Paul is dead.'..."

In other words, "Kiss my holy butt."

This is one example of how divisive religious arguments break our unity and democratic purpose. Preachers, imams, rabbis, monks and others would do America a favor by opting out of our democratic politics. Render unto Caesar, and all that.

Thanks for the read.