Now, I think it's fair for the Church to have positions on issues. I'm also cool with the Church having a diversity of opinions represented. What's not cool is dishonest rhetorical assasination. I'm pretty sure there's something about bearing false witness in the Bible, and I'm also pretty sure the Bible generally comes down against such behavior.

For a people who're so damn interested in faith influencing politcs, Christians tend to ignore the fact that their faith should influence their rhetoric, too. Funnily enough, it seems like people of faith often resort to dirty politics to get the job done--and then, they think the ends justify the means.

Fundamentally, that, to me, is the way faith should influence politics. It's not getting the WHOLE Church on board with a political perspective, it's not getting the government to come down on 'our' side of the issues. It's all about honesty. Faith should influence the very way we play the game of politics. Anything less...would be uncivilised.

[via a badchristian blog, emphasis mine]