The Question: John McCain's spiritual guide, televangelist Rod Parsley, calls Islam a "false religion" that should be "destroyed." Should McCain renounce Parsley? Will Islam be an issue in this year's U.S. presidential election?

Let me see if I have this straight. Numerous Islamic leaders advocate killing Jews (who they blame for everything from AIDS to 9/11) and Christians (who they call "cross worshippers" and "infidels"). They state their intention to wipe out those faiths. They claim they have a mandate from Allah to do this. And we're worried when one American preacher says Islam must be wiped out? The American preacher isn't recruiting homicide bombers. No one is going to "wipe out" any of the world's three great religions. It's been tried before. The Romans tried to eradicate Christianity and the Nazis attempted to eliminate Jews. These are things of the Spirit, not politics. As Martin Luther wrote: "The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still. His Kingdom is forever."

If McCain were a member of Rod Parsley's church, that might be another matter as it was for Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But anyone can endorse (or oppose) anyone else. As for whether Islam will be an issue in the presidential race, it seems to be for Muslims as they recruit candidates for office and mobilize to vote probably as a block and mostly for the Democratic nominee, so why shouldn't it be an issue for the rest of us who are not Muslim?