One of the Religious Right activists featured as an endorser on Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s “The Response” prayer rally website, Jennifer LeClaire of Charisma News, is furious with the criticism directed at Jindal for hosting the event.
LeClaire writes today that she is baffled by the “backlash” against the rally, insisting that criticism of Jindal is proof that the “antichrist spirits are rising” in this generation.
LeClaire is especially angry with Right Wing Watch for having “verbally crucified the governor” and violated his religious freedom by writing about his event.
I was at The Response: Baton Rouge this weekend, where thousands of believers from all walks of life and many denominations gathered together to cry out to God on behalf of a nation in crisis.
…
Crucifying Jindal
Although disappointing, it's not surprising that Jindal received heaps of criticism for his decision to host a Christian prayer rally. Protestors gathered outside the assembly center to voice their opposition. One protestor told CBN, "He shouldn't be doing it on a state campus. If they want to do that, go somewhere else."
But that was mild compared to what would come next. Right Wing Watch verbally crucified the governor, accusing him of "teaming up with anti-gay extremists and Christian-nation advocates" and "giving them credibility they do not deserve." Slate assumed The Response was "part of the rollout for Jindal's inevitable presidential run." And opednews.com claimed: "Jindal's 'Response' a No-Go Zone for Atheists, Gays, and Forms of Intelligent Life."
I could go on an [sic] on and some of the backlash is much worse than that—for calling people to come together and pray in the name of Jesus. I'm all for free speech and freedom of religion, but it seems some other religions—or the religion-less, secular humanists and atheists—are threatened by Christians who pray in the name of Jesus. That always surprises me, given they don't believe there's any God listening or answering anyway. Atheists should be glad Jindal is praying. I pray that God will encounter the hearts of atheists in an unprecedented way this year.
I think Jindal said it best when he told CBN: "You've got a group of Christians who say we want to pay money to rent a hall on LSU's campus so we can come together and pray. Do we really live in a society where that's controversial?" Unfortunately, in an age where antichrist spirits are rising, I guess we do.
