Sam Hoszwa’s June 26 letter (“They blast the pope”) praises Pope Francis for speaking out strongly to defend our Earth — the only one we have — from devastating climate changes caused mostly by human activity. I fully agree. I applaud the pope for using his bully pulpit (my definition of a papal encyclical) to link environmental degradation and moral behavior. A Christian can be called a sinner for doing things that help destroy the Earth.

One of the few things a politician can do to destroy the Earth is to deny, contrary to all scientific evidence, that the Earth is being destroyed and therefore to reject all efforts to halt the destruction. Yet this is exactly what every Republican presidential candidate is doing.

Many of them are eager to invoke Christian principles to justify their disdain for gays, immigrants, poor people, unions and just about everyone who does not fit their image of a “real” American. But when the pope speaks for the Earth because it is our home — a pro-life position if ever there was one — these same people tell him to stay out of politics. Really?

Perhaps Republican politicians should stay out of religion, or begin invoking the god they really worship — the oil and gas money heaped upon them. All honor and glory to BP and Chevron!