Ugh! James Dobson has become a lot like Pat Robertson and I don't mean that as a compliment. Yesterday while speaking to U.S. News & World Report reporter Dan Gilgoff, Dobson opined about presidential hopeful Fred 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.

I don't know that much about Fred Thompson, but what little I know doesn't really give me any sense about his faith.

It is just such murky water to wade into when speculating about another person's beliefs. Sure, there are often indications. But this is the height of arrogance and presumptuousness for Dobson to make such a comment.

Ironically Dobson proclaims Newt Gingrich to be a Christian in the same article. Now I am not going to fall into the same trap as Dobson by making any judgement call about Gingrich and his beliefs. But Dobson can only be basing his judgement on external public characteristics rather than on any close knowledge and friendship with either man. So one wonders why Dobson is so quick to forgive Gingrich's adulterous past. I am certainly willing to forgive him but it is a fair question to ask whether something other than Christian charity is at play in James Dobson's proclamations here.