The GOP’s national director of evangelical outreach is bailing his post, and citing mistreatment, as well as a “tone deaf attitude” from the party, in regards to Christian voters.

Chad Connelly was handpicked by Reince Priebus, and has served for the last four years as director. In an email that was circulated on Thursday, he claimed religious outreach had not been made a priority.

“The treatment I received from the new political department has been disrespectful, antagonistic and unacceptable,” Connelly wrote in an email that was obtained by The Associated Press. He added, “GOP Faith in general and me in particular, just don’t have the priority I anticipated.”

Maybe because the whole play for the Christian base is just that – a play, not a priority. Once they’ve been led to the altar of Baal, no need to keep up the game.

The RNC, however, is blowing off Connelly’s concerns and saying his departure was more a case of his shoddy performance of his duties.

“Chad failed to meet simple metrics, expectations, and responsibilities crucial to his duties at the RNC. Because of the importance of faith engagement to the RNC, it was time to move in a new direction in the department in order to expand our efforts,” said RNC political director Juston Johnson.

We can see how important it is by the embrace of an unrepentant, profane, abusive con artist and strip club owner.

At this point, I’m of the belief that the only reason to have a director of evangelical outreach in the party is to further explore how to con Christians (or those that self-identify as Christians) into shelving any actual principles and just trusting party loyalty to serve in the place of actual obedience to the Word of God.

A frustrated Connelly highlighted the importance of the nation’s faith community in the email that criticized several RNC officials by name.

“Pastors and faith leaders and people sitting in pews are THE key element in winning elections. An increase in church engagement of only a few percentage points is often the difference in victory and defeat,” Connelly wrote. “We have learned and re-learned those lessons and unfortunately, it appears that your political department would want us to learn it again.”

He wrote that he “truly was stunned at the treatment I received but mostly at the tone deaf attitude toward this voting segment” that the head of the RNC’s political department demonstrated.

Pay attention to the language. It’s not even subtle.

It’s about harnessing those Christian votes to win election. It’s not about promoting godly principles. It’s not about Christians. It’s about Christian votes. Because their motives are not in line with supporting what matters in the lives and faith of Christians, they can’t seem to get on the same page.

“I’ve lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: That God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We’ve been assured in the sacred writings that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.” – Benjamin Franklin

Mr. Franklin was right. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. The RNC, however, seem to have misconstrued this to mean they should use Christians as the stones to stack up, and Christians are letting them.