I have a theory that religious groups become politically mobilized when they feel threaten in some basic way – when they have theological skin in the game. For example, creationism is vitally important to Evangelicals; without it their entire theological system crumbles. Catholicism is not based in literal and unerring scriptures, so while they are supportive of their Evangelical brethren, they tend to distance themselves from that particular fight.

My theory seemed to break down, however when I looked at the virulence of the anti-gay movement. Evangelicals, who have been the dominant force in the Christian Right, just didn’t have enough theological skin in the game to justify 35 million dollars a campaign. It didn’t challenge their theology the way that evolution does; it doesn’t really mess with their cultural dominance the way that prayer in public schools and public displays of the Ten