The following article is courtesy of The Chicago Sun-Times...

Where are the viewer votes for American Idol front-runner Jordin Sparks coming from? Possibly the Christian right.

A photo that seems to show her holding a "Stop Abortion Now" sign (courtesy of her MySpace page) is making the rounds of Idol fan postings online.

Most viewers are unaware, though. In Idol fashion, no one on air ever asks Jordin about politics because the show builds up these future musical properties with cotton candy profiles. Meanwhile, anti-abortion-rights people are definitely trying to politicize Idol.

A few weeks ago, the reality competition raised $70 million for poverty charities in America and Africa.

At least one overzealous outfit attacked the show in a press release, screaming in a headline, "AMERICAN IDOL NOW FUNDING PRO-ABORTION GROUPS."

You see, two charities that benefitted were UNICEF and Save the Children, organizations that feed the most starving-to-death families around the world.

But UNICEF and Save the Children also do family planning. If potential mothers die of hunger, their someday-unborn babies won't even become pre-unborn. True believers don't want to hear that.

So now, the trio of finalists is Jordin, Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle. Horrible Blake will probably get ejected next week. Paula Abdul loves Blake. My friend Ashley says that's because Paula is sexist and stands up to dance during male performances.

This week, Paula called Blake a "contemporary rebel" for the way he beatboxed to Bee Gees songs in falsetto. That would have made him a rebel in 1983, maybe. Also a dork. But based on the old ages of songs contestants must sing, the aggregate year Idol actually takes place in is 1982, so of course Paula thinks Blake is ahead of the back-to-the-future curve.

The judges truly need to catch up. A few months ago, Blake sang "All Mixed Up," a huge 1995 MTV hit that helped sell 3 million albums for the band 311. Paula, Randy and Simon beamed at how modern it sounded, since they'd never heard it.

In other words, Paula, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell are so out of touch with modern rock from 2007 and Top 10 rock from 1995 that they think Blake's subpar beatboxing is hip to be square.

Fortunately, voters probably won't stick with Blake. Melinda and Jordin look destined for a faceoff. Melinda should win, as the only contestant who interprets fresh arrangements of old songs and sings them strong in perfect pitch.

Christian rightists ought to be pleased with Melinda. In her official Idol bio, she says if she wins the first thing she'll do is thank "Jesus and my mommy."

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.