Irony murdered by Southern Baptist leader's comments about Palin

You might not have heard, but the Republicans are set to nominate a controversial figure tonight.

John McCain's team didn't vet Sarah Palin properly, and so now they're having to answer all manner of uncomfortable questions about the Alaska governor's support for Alaskan independence (!), her alleged abuses of power, and her daughter's unwed pregnancy.

Palin's got backup, though, including support from Dr. Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention. He said that criticisms of Gov. Palin are rooted in sexism. This is a lot like having Swamp Thing dis your deodorant.

Shall I quote the Baptist Faith and Message, the doctrinal document that Dr. Land advocated?

"The husband and wife are of equal worth before God. Both bear God's Image but each in differing ways. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect and to lead his family. A wife is to submit graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being "in the image of God" as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his "helper" in managing their household and nurturing the next generation."

Sure, you can be governor -- as long as you submit to your husband like Brock Lesnar submits in a UFC fight.

Don't think this is another tired post bashing religion, though. My aim is to bash one particular sexist prick, and by extension point out how bigots and ideologues try to hijack churches to serve their own agenda.

Check out the side-by-side comparison of the Baptist Faith & Message doctrine, which tracks how the church has gotten more politicized.

Note that there's none of this sexist horseshit until the 1998 amendment. As insecure men like Dr. Land became threatened by women, they reached back for anything they could to undermine gender equity -- and moved church policy further from that of the guy who once washed prostitutes' feet.

Don't think the hawks have hijacked the doves here? Check out the doctrinal difference between the 1925 and 2000 documents:

1925: "We urge Christian people throughout the world to pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace, and to oppose everything likely to provoke war."

2000: "Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace."

Hmmm. I wonder what changed in the Bible's attitude toward provoking war. Were the gospels superceded by pre-emptive war doctrine? That spinning sound you hear is an underground St. Augustine.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Dick Land is a full-blown fourth wave feminist. Let's find out. Can one of you intrepid reporters with access to him ask what he thinks of equal pay for equal work?