Free Republic

Ohio Televangelist Takes to Politics By Andrew Welsh-Huggins Evangelist Rod Parsley wants to gather voters as he wins souls, a mixture that’s causing a stir in the state that put President Bush back in the White House. The televangelist opposed to gay marriage and critical of Islam hopes the effort he calls Reformation Ohio will convert 1 million people to Christianity, help the poor and register 400,000 new voters. “We just seek to be a voice in the public arena,” said Parsley, who has a TV ministry seen around the country and a 12,000-member church. “For some reason, it has...

Columbus, Ohio -- A new coalition dedicated to converting thousands to Christianity and getting thousands more on voter registration lists got its start Friday with a tightly scripted rally that resembled a revival meeting. More than 1,000 people gathered outside the Statehouse for the launch of Reformation Ohio. The group, founded by the Rev. Rod Parsley, a television evangelist and pastor of the World Harvest Church in suburban Columbus, vehemently opposes gay rights, and Parsley has written that the teachings of Islam were inspired by demons. The group's formation comes after last November's election in which Christian conservatives helped pass...