James Dobson is supposed to be smart. He is a doctor, after all. However, his latest shot at Fred Thompson cries out for a response for its stupidity.

“Everyone knows he’s conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,” Dobson said of Thompson. “[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian; at least that’s my impression,” Dobson added, saying that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party’s conservative Christian base and win the GOP nomination.

Let’s see if I get this straight. Fred Thompson doesn’t exactly worship the way James Dobson would have him worship so he isn’t Christian? And this is something that should detract from his performance as President?

There is an eight-letter word that strikes me as a suitable initial response. It starts with B.

Worse, Dobson seems to have forgotten something. We have something in this country called the First Amendment, which reads as follows:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Okay, the part in bold is something that a Ph.D should not have any difficulty understanding. But Dr. Dobson does seem to do that. In any case, this is the kind of overreach that is really hurting the GOP, and hurting conservatives within the GOP.

Dobson has insinuated that Mitt Romney may not get votes from Republicans because he is Mormon (never mind that Romney’s been married to his wife for 37 years), and doesn’t seem to think that there is anything wrong with voting against someone on the basis of religion. Never mind that when gay marriage was imposed in Massachusetts, Governor Romney fought effectively and set the plate for a number of amendments protecting marriage to pass.

This is not because Romney is, at this time, my first choice for the GOP nomination. This is not because he and I are of the same religion. This isn’t because I am a fan of Fred Thompson’s acting (I’ve liked his performances, but I will freely admit that CSI and its spinoffs have trumped Law and Order in me). This is because Dr. Dobson seems to have not just a poor understanding of what we are trying to elect (to wit, a President of the United States/Commander-in-Chief, not a Pastor-in-Chief). He also seems to have no trouble sitting in moral judgment of others.

Look, Fred Thompson did a good job as a Senator. He also seems to have done well for himself as well, even if he did not make the spiritual choices that Dobson would have made. That’s called freedom, Mr. Dobson. In this country, we’re free to decide how we handle our spiritual/religious life – without government or anyone else coercing it. We’re even free to make the decision to not have religion as a major force in our lives. It used to be that such decisions were respected by many on the right, who wanted government out of their lives. What has changed since then?

Worse, Dr. Dobson, you are like Ann Coulter in a very negative sense. You are managing to reinforce many of the negative stereotypes of folks on the right with your recent shots at people. This is why a lot of Republican primary voters have gone for people like Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. They’re tired of being lectured by self-appointed commissars like you. I’m tired of it, and I am someone who agrees with the religious right on abortion and gay marriage.

And if you’re managing to get me hot under the collar, Dr. Dobson, what do you think your attitude is going to go down with those who are not of a conservative or conservative-leaning persuasion?