Wow, am I tired. I’ve been doing press interviews all day and I feel battered. It’s awfully hard to convey a whole book in a few minutes–let alone when the book is about your whole life and not just a few paragraphs that have become the center of a political debate happily engaged by both sides.

The strongest conservative attack against me is that I am doing this to hurt Republicans. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only didn’t I have a say in when the book was published, I didn’t really want it published now. That said, maybe this is the best time, because people are forced to deal with a central question–is politics so hurting the name of Jesus that it is counterproductive for Christians? That question is clearly touching a nerve–lots of people are discussing it even if they are just seeking to trash me.

Does that hurt? Sure. Is it surprising? No. Do I still believe what I said about the need to take a step back from politics? Absolutely. Definitely. Totally. The experiences of these past few days, including reading some of the responses to my blog posts, only convinces me further. It is a hard debate, but it is worthwhile.

This is serious business. The fact is that Christianity in America has been harmed by its association with a particular brand of politics. That to me is far more important than any of the calculations about how a particular congressional district or senate race might go.

To criticize the White House or even the president is to criticize, not to commit heresy. The issue people should be considering is whether idolizing politics is heresy.