With all the talk about religion in the election these days, and all the ridiculous garbage being peddled by the left-the latest pathetic lie being that Rod Parsley is John McCain’s “spiritual advisor” because he referred to him as a “spiritual advisor” (which Parsley is to plenty of people, but not so much to McCain), maybe it’s time to meet John McCain’s actual pastor.

You know, the guy he’s been listening to for fifteen years.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - John McCain’s Phoenix pastor, Dan Yeary, is a folksy patriotic Southern Baptist who opposes abortion and believes homosexuality to be a biblical sin, but says Christians have an obligation to love such sinners.

That puts Yeary, who heads the church attended for the past 15 years by the Republican presidential candidate firmly in the U.S. Southern Baptist mainstream, and in line with the Republican Party.

He offers a sharp contrast to Democratic contender Barack Obama’s former preacher Jeremiah Wright, who has stirred controversy with his fiery comments on race and America.

A sharp contrast? Yes, I’d say so.

Yeary, pastor for the 7,000-member North Phoenix Baptist Church, professes little interest in politics and prefers to focus on preaching and spiritual guidance. But McCain’s affiliation with Yeary will do him no harm in wooing support from the key Republican base of evangelical Christians.

“John and I are friends, he has called on me to minister to the family in times of challenge and difficulty,” he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

McCain, a former prisoner-of-war in Vietnam, was raised in the Episcopal Church but has been attending Yeary’s church for about 15 years. Yeary declined to comment on McCain’s reluctance to finally undergo a baptism ceremony, a key ritual of the faith.

“John and I are having continual dialogue about his spiritual pursuits,” Yeary said.

In an interview last year with InsideCatholic.com, an on-line Catholic forum devoted to issues of faith, McCain said he liked Yeary’s “message of reconciliation and redemption which I’m a great believer in.”

“And so I began attending North Phoenix Baptist church and I’m grateful for the spiritual advice and counsel that I continue to get from Pastor Dan Yeary.”

Yeary is obviously a better Christian than I am, showing sympathy and kindness toward Reverend Jeremiah Wright despite disagreement. I confess I only feel disgust when I hear Wright’s Marxist, un-Christian rage.

Yeary was sympathetic as a fellow pastor and said while he did not agree with Wright’s comments, all preachers eventually got caught in the trap of their own exuberance.

“All preachers have a tendency to overstate because our passion is so intense. But I thought Obama did a fine job in response. He preserved his friendship with his pastor while disagreeing with him,” Yeary said.

“I’m sure John McCain would probably say the same thing about me if he were asked ‘So, do you agree with everything your pastor says?’” he added with a laugh.

THAT is John McCain’s “spiritual advisor.” A man who loves his neighbor as Christians are expected to do, who bears a message of redemption and reconciliation. I’m not a Baptist, but I think I’d feel quite comfortable in that church myself. I’d guess most Christians would find that sort of church appealing.

Check out the North Phoenix Baptist “about” page. I think you’ll agree-”sharp contrast” is an apt descriptor.

My only issue with Reverend Yeary is…he’s an Auburn fan. (Now that is a sin. Roll Tide!)

 
Conservative Belle