Greg,
The problem is that the extreme right-wing Christians who have taken control of the Republican party are not ignorant rednecks. They are very well educated, very articulate, very intelligent people who also appear to be very power mad. They are involved in a well-funded and well-organized attempt to overthrow the Constitution and force us all to live in a theocracy. The ignorant rednecks just go along for the ride because they don't know any better than to let their passions get inflamed by divisiveness and bigotry. The really scary part is that they have perfectly nice and well-educated folks like some of the folks in this discussion going along as well. Religion is by it's very nature irrational, so if you needed the irrational support of a lot of people to gain power for yourself it would be a good tool to use.

John Peekstok