Two groups of pharisees are prominent within evangelicalism. These two groups seem to be enjoying a disproportionate measure of influence this election cycle. And for better or worse, they have thrown their weight behind Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee.
The first group, what I call the Pat Robertson Know-Nothings, have for years embarassed serious, thoughtful evangelicals with their inflated rhetoric and simplistic policy proscriptions. This group thinks that solo scriptura is a mode of constitutional interpretation. These folks will patiently (God bless 'em) spend an hour repeating over and over to their secular friends their reasoning that same-sex marriage is bad because the Bible says so. And San Francisco endures earthquakes because it hosts a gay pride parade.
Huckabee enthrals the Know-Nothings. They love him. And when Huck declames that his health care policy proposals follow from the Golden Rule, the Know-Nothings rush to man the phone banks. This is not to suggest that thoughtful evangelicals cannot or do not support Huck. It is to suggest that Huckabee has cornered the Know-Nothings market.
A second group of evangelical pharisees are the Jim Wallis Accomodaters. What these folks want more than anything is an invitation to the cocktail party. They love being seen with secular Liberals because (they assume) talking about poor people with the academic and cultural elite demonstrates their enlightenment. Unlike their knuckle-dragging cousins, the Theocrats, the Accomodaters care about the poor, the downtrodden, the sick, and puppies. Especially puppies.
I have been unable to locate any poll data on this, but in my (admittedly anecdotal) experience, an appreciable number of Accomodaters are backing Obama. This is a perfect fit, of course. Like the Accomodaters, Obama defies commitment to any particular set of convictions. No one knows what he believes. Sure, there's retreat from Iraq, single-payer health care, and ambiguous proposals to rob from the rich and give to the poor, but those positions are de rigueur in the Democratic party these days. What really sets Obama apart is his commitment to Hope. He is unequivocally and without reservation opposed to darkness, despair, and puppy-killing. Unlike the Theocrats. And Hillary. I suppose.
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In a cage match between the Know-Nothings and the Accomodaters I give the Know-Nothings 10-1 odds.
That said, I am not sure which group gives this evangelical more heartburn. The Know-Nothings want to deprive me of my single-malt Scotch and the Accomodaters want to strip me of the economic means to purchase that fine beverage!
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