Jan Markell

Friday was historic for LGBT Americans as President Obama signed into law a hate crimes bill that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. But some among Minnesota’s religious right didn’t receive the news warmly, saying the law will bring the wrath of God down on America, that Obama is an “anti-Christian radical” and that the bill was a plot by “homosexuals” to silence Christians.

Minneapolis pastor John Piper seems to have sprouted the idea that God sent a tornado to the Minneapolis Convention Center last Wednesday to express his displeasure that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was considering relaxing its teachings on LGBT issues. But his statement has blossomed among theologians and members of the religious right chiming in with their own answers to the question: Did God send the Minneapolis tornado because Lutherans were voting on gay issues?

Rep. Michele Bachmann returned to “Understanding the Times” with end-times pastor Jan Markell to talk about the “Criminalization of Christianity” last week. Bachmann has been a regular guest of Markell’s in the past, discussing a range of topics from homosexuality to Jesus’ return. This time, the topic was the labeling of Christians as terrorists.

Jan Markell of the end-times movement Olive Tree Ministries in Maple Grove, Minn., says a doll marketed by toy-making giant Mattel is indoctrinating children into Islam. The Little Mommy Cuddle ‘n Coo dolls are designed to make baby sounds — cooing, giggling, and baby babble. But that’s not what the Minnesota’s religious right is hearing. Listen for yourself.

Pawlenty ‘08,  plagiarism, and religious conversions?  Though we’ve seen it all before, it’s all a little different…

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