Awesome post, Kristin, and excellent questions to ask.  As some commenters have already mentioned, it's a very destructive link (even if it is blurry) that has formed between Christians and far-right-wing politicians.  In this sense, then, we see how deep the causes of this problem truly run.  The fact that this nation supports a strict, two-party system as a means to represent the ideas of all has contributed to this polarization that sadly extends to other areas of life, including religion.

While I understand that some of you understandably object to being linked with these Christians, it is hard for the media and bloggers alike not to do so, at times.  These so-called extremists define themselves as true Christians.  You define yourselves as true Christians.  It would seem a bit presumptuous for a third party, such as Kristin, to try to separate the two and make a judgment about which Christian is the "real" one (at least, not without inserting her own view of what Christianity "should" be).  It's not fair at all, but these divisions exist inside of Christian communities--not outside of them.  The solution, then, has to come from within.

The fear-mongering is too absolutely ridiculous, as you say, Kristin.  These people are not afraid that their children will be turned into homosexuals and weirdos.  They're afraid they won't--and then, these people will have been proven wrong.  Wrong about Obama being sent by Satan himself, wrong about information being a slippery slope to evil-doing, wrong about a few liberal laws being poison for the country.  These people have allowed their own egos, their own desire to be right, to undermine the good of all.  They would rather see Obama--and the country--fail than be proven wrong.  THAT is what's sick, flawed, and evil.  Root for who you want during the elections--but once we have someone in office, the conservative voter who is truly good at heart will hope to be pleasantly surprised by how well everything goes.