McCain's pastor a sharp contrast to Obama's

[babsbunny]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080322/pl_nm/usa_politics_mccain_pastor_dc_2

By Ed Stoddard
1 hour, 6 minutes ago



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.

Obama had been seen by some analysts as having an edge over McCain on issues of faith because of his adult conversion experience and his ease in talking about his faith. But his own preacher has proven a political liability.

In a country where religion and politics often mix, 25 percent of American adults count themselves as evangelical Christians, giving them huge influence as the country heads to the November 4 presidential election to succeed President George W. Bush.

McCain draws some support from this group but many conservative Christians are uneasy with him because of his support for stem-cell research and his past criticism of leaders in the movement.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Well, at least they talked about him, but I would prefer he had

been put under the same microscope as Wright.

[Yavapai]

2. Must be the same pastor of sen. Larry Craig,

He sure seems to love the hell out of them thar homosexuals...

Oh, wait! Only those in the next stall.