In October, The Trinity Broadcasting Network, which enters 70 million homes without knocking, will debut Gifted, a Christian version of American Idol. Apparently, American Idol wasn’t righteous enough. To create the talent-search show, the California-based Network teamed with Florida-based Wright Entertainment Group, which represents Britney Spears and ‘N Sync, to form a venture called Wright Generation. The Generation’s mission statement reads: ”It is our goal to wrap God’s message – his love – in acceptance, and in a way that blends seamlessly into ‘pop’ culture while still upholding the values we, as Christians, value most.” Good luck.

Over the summer, a bus will travel to 11 Trinity stations across the country, where auditions will be held for singers age 18-24. Two finalists will be chosen at each stop; 24 finalists will wind up in Hollywood, where they’ll perform in front of a studio audience and be evaluated by celebrity judges (Kathie Lee? Kirk Cameron?). Eight will move to the finals, where television viewers will choose a winner, whose career will be managed by Wright and Matt Crouch, son of Trinity Broadcasting’s founders. We can only hope that Christ, who is our lord and host, will host.

If you ask me, all this idol worship and choosing one performer to reign supreme over all the others seems unChristian. Christ out.

(BTW: Secular American Idol judge Paula Abdul is 42 today.)