Family Research Council President Tony Perkins has warned that President Barack Obama could be planning to create a special “watch list” for Catholics and evangelical Christians to prevent them from buying guns.

On his Wednesday Washington Watch broadcast, Perkins said he was “concerned” about a bipartisan deal in the Senate that would close the so-called gun show loophole and require background checks for Internet gun sales.

ADVERTISEMENT

“This idea of background checks is very concerning given the fact that the United States military has been increasingly showing hostility toward evangelicals and Catholics as being somehow threats to national security and people that need to be watched,” Perkins opined.

“Well, what does that have to do with gun control?” he continued. “Well, what happens if all the sudden you are identified as an evangelical, Bible-believing fundamentalist and the government decides you’ve got to be put on a watch list?”

“Part of the provisions of this background check is kind of a system where if a caution comes up when they put your name in, you don’t get a chance to buy a gun.”

Earlier this month, Fox News radio host Todd Starnes reported that “U.S. Army training instructor listed Evangelical Christianity and Catholicism as examples of religious extremism.”

Although Army spokesperson George Wright told Fox News that it was an “isolated incident not condoned by the Dept. of the Army,” conspiracy theory sites like Alex Jones’ Infowars accused the Department of Homeland Security of asking local law enforcement to prepare to confiscate the guns of Christians.

ADVERTISEMENT

Listen to this audio from the Family Research Council via Right Wing Watch, broadcast April 10, 2013.

[Download audio]