Da only Bybill I reeds is Revalayshuns

This is a form of Christianity that I'll never understand.

Christians have a biblical mandate to be "good stewards of God's creation," Ms. Paynter says she told the Rev. Frank Brown, pastor of the Bellmead First Baptist Church here in the county where President Bush has his ranch. So, Texas Baptists should demand that controversial plans to build a slew of coal-fired power plants be put on hold.

Mr. Brown was not impressed. God, the pastor said, is "sovereign over his creation" and no amount of coal-burning will alter by a "millisecond" his divine plan for the world. Fighting environmental damage is "like chasing rabbits," he recalls telling her. It just distracts from core Christian duties to spread the faith and protect the unborn.

I'm not sure what's more depressing -- the incredibly narrow view of what a "core Christian duty" is, or the incredibly narrow conception of "protecting the unborn." Does it not occur to the minister that protecting the unborn might, I dunno, include making sure the world is worth living in when they emerge from their mothers?

As always on religious matters, Jerry Falwell had a sense of balance and moderation:

Shortly before his death in May, Virginia Baptist preacher the Rev. Jerry Falwell denounced the clamor over global warming as "Satan's attempt to redirect the church's primary focus."

So if any of you Christians out there thought the articles of your faith included anything other than the following: who's having sex with who, what the results of that sex are, and whether those people should be allowed to marry each other, well, Jerry Falwell wanted to set you straight, but the good Lord took him to a better place.

Of course, Falwell thought Jesus would drive an SUV. I think he'd walk. We'll see who was right when I die, I guess.