Many on the far left are beside themselves because Barack Obama selected well-known pastor Rick Warren to give his inaugural invocation.  But they’re not the only ones howling at the moon – Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake took a swipe at Warren this week, saying that God is going to punish the author of The Purpose Driven Life, among other books, for speaking at President-elect Obama’s inauguration.

Sigh.  It’s kooks like this Wiley character that give Christianity – and Christians – a bad name.  Judge not, Mr. Drake…

From the Orange County Register:

Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake bashed Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren this week, saying “God will punish” Warren for agreeing to give the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration next month.

“I pray He is kind to you in this punishment that is coming,” Drake wrote in a widely-released e-mail. In it, the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park pastor criticizes Warren’s “recent plan to invoke the presence of almighty God on this evil illegal alien,” a reference to Obama.

This is wrong on so many levels it’s difficult to pick one to start with.  Well, when in doubt, just start typing.

One, presuming to know the will of God is a dangerous business.  Not a good idea, particularly when slandering another man of the cloth who is well-known for advancing the cause of Christianity.

Two, embarrassing the Christian faith by sending back-biting emails about another pastor and filing ridiculous lawsuits is not a recommended way of making converts or ministering to the lost.  All it does is make the job that much harder for others.

Three, even if Barack Obama’s papers were found not to be in order, do you seriously believe that the Supreme Court would even consider nullifying his election?  It’s unthinkable, yet Drake is still pursuing the idea as if it had either merit or a desirable outcome.

Four, Barack Obama is no more evil than I am.  This is not the best possible endorsement, I realize; however, it will have to do.  Nothing good can possibly come from Drake’s childish name-calling.  It’s a humiliation on him, certainly, but also casts a shadow over the beliefs and intentions of Christians everywhere as regards Mr. Obama.  He is our president now and it’s time to get on board with that inescapable fact.  Certainly he’s more worthy of that office than Mr. Drake, to name but one.

I have no fear that Barack Obama’s presidency will be held back even for an instant by the likes of Wiley Drake or his mirror images on the far left.  Nor should it be.  Fools should not be suffered, whether gladly or otherwise, and Obama should continue to push ahead with his centrist policies in spite of them.