If the Louisiana Democratic Party has any shred of decency left, they will pull down their despicable ad and their offensive website (neither of which deserves the respect of a link), apologize to Congressman Jindal, and do something fast to salvage the quickly deteriorating reputation that a smear like this will give them in the eyes of every voter in the state of Louisiana. The ad contains one lie after another, and they surely know it. It’s beneath contempt, an insult to everyone regardless of faith, and it will spell the Louisiana Democratic Party’s own undoing.

And I call upon the two major Democratic candidates for governor to say whether they condone these lies and religious attacks made by their party and done with the aim of helping their electoral chances.

First, to the lies. Based on an article called “How Catholicism is Different” – note the sensitivity of that word different – that Bobby Jindal wrote as a young man explaining the importance of his faith’s traditions, the ad accuses him of referring to Protestant religions as “scandalous,” “depraved,” “selfish,” and “heretical.” Each claim is a lie, so let’s take them one at a time.

The article does not refer to Protestant religions as “scandalous.” The exact phrase used mentions a “scandalous series of divisions and new denominations” in the history of Christianity. Perhaps the Louisiana Democratic Party attack artists don’t understand how adjectives work, but lack of grammar would be a better failing than the lack of honesty this mischaracterization represents. Clearly the author was expressing a sentiment shared by Christians of every denomination the world over: regret over the worsening fracture and division of the world’s faith community through the centuries.

Next, it is Calvin himself – a founder of a Protestant denomination – who Jindal quoted as saying all Christians have “utterly depraved” minds and “selfish desires.” For the Louisiana Democratic Party to depict this as a direct quote by Jindal, and as one directed at Protestants as opposed to describing the fallen condition of all “individual Christians” (the exact quote), shows that maybe some minds are purposefully more “utterly depraved” than others.

Then, the word “heretical” appears no where in the text. Instead, Jindal wrote that “subjective interpretation” is something “which leads to anarchy and heresy.” But in no instance did the author call any Christian denomination “heretical.” Clearly Jindal was merely making an observation, based on his knowledge of Christianity’s history, of how subjectivism may “lead” to anarchy and heresy. Are Louisiana Democratic Party officials even aware of this? Do they dispute it? I’m wondering if they even understand the questions. I mean, I don’t expect Louisiana Democratic Party officials to be experts on Christian history, but they don’t have to flaunt their ignorance. Bobby Jindal eleven years ago demonstrated more depth than Louisiana Democratic Party “elders” apparently have today. They are in over their head, and should stop before they hurt themselves.

Finally, the attack ad claims: “In this article, Bobby Jindal doubts the morals and questions the beliefs of Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Pentecostals and other Protestant religions.” He did no such thing. In fact, just the opposite is true. For what the religious attack doesn’t tell people is that Jindal did have something to say about specific Christian denominations. Here’s what he wrote, from his two closing paragraphs:

“[T]he Catholic Church must live up to her name by incorporating the many Spirit-led movements found outside her walls. For example, the energy and fervor that animate the Baptist and Pentecostal denominations, the stirring biblical preaching of the Lutherans and Calvinists, and the liturgical solemnity of the Anglicans must find expression within Catholicism.

“I am thrilled by the recent ecumenical discussions that have resulted in Catholics and Evangelicals discovering what they have in common, in terms of both theology and morality, and as exemplified by joining to oppose abortion and other fruits of an increasingly secular society…”

Does this sound like someone who doesn’t respect other people’s religions, as the ad alleges? Of course not. Rather, through these attacks, it is the Louisiana Democratic Party itself that shows the utmost disrespect for all religious conviction by so thoroughly mischaracterizing one man’s sincere expression of his faith.

But let’s be clear about what’s going on here. While Bobby Jindal tours Louisiana meeting voters and telling them his ideas for reforming the state and improving their quality of life, the Louisiana Democratic Party is jumping up and down and screaming, and only showing that they have no ideas and nothing but contempt for voters. With no answer to Bobby Jindal on the issues, they turn pathetically to trying to paint him as some kind of extremist, but only show what desperate extremes they are willing to go to defeat him. They falsely accuse him of religious bigotry with the cynical aim of stirring it in others, and in doing so are guilty of it themselves. But the Louisiana people are better than the Louisiana Democratic Party will ever know.

It’s just a really disgusting and shameful display. And it will backfire.