Even though Osama Bin Laden murdered thousands of Americans, the Obama administration respected his dead body under Muslim tradition. Out of diplomatic respect, President Obama has bowed to a Saudi King and a Japanese Emperor. He’s even worn turbans, ethnic robes, and Japanese kimonos.

Yet Obama shows total disrespect to millions of Americans by transforming Pope Francis’ White House visit into a politicized cattle call for gay and pro-abortion activists. Why does Obama support other cultures and countries, yet scorns millions of believers in Christ at home? Why does Obama go to extremes to accommodate Muslim terrorists but shows nothing but disdain for Christians?

The Catholic Church is unapologetically pro-life. As the Pope has said, “Human life is always sacred … not as a matter of faith, but of reason and science!” The Catholic Church is also pro-marriage. When the issue emerged in his native Argentina, Pope Francis blasted same-sex marriage as a “destructive pretension against the plan of God.”

Why then does the Obama White House invite crude critics of the Catholic Church and its teachings to welcome the Pope to America for the first time?

It’s all petty, partisan politics. Exploiting the Pope for cheap political points at the expense of millions of Americans and Catholics around the world is a shameless new low for this Administration. This classless stunt is disrespectful and disgraceful.

A White House invitation for this event would be a tremendous honor for countless Americans. From Seattle to Saratoga, Birmingham to Boston, long lines of Americans would form to greet the leader of the Catholic Church.

But instead of extending this special honor to an American Catholic who would cherish it forever, Obama chose to advance his agenda, appease his base, and deliver a crass political message, even if it meant indecency.

Welcoming a pro-life, pro-marriage leader at the White House with a crowd of abortion and gay rights activists is as classy as hosting an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with an open bar. President Obama should be ashamed of himself.

But it runs much deeper. As the head of the Catholic League said, this White House is “the least friendly administration to religion in history.” In fact, this administration supports the criminalization of Christianity in America. Last month, Kentucky jailed a Christian county clerk for simply following the law and her religious convictions. Our tax dollars still bankroll Planned Parenthood, which harvests human organs and performs 320,000 abortions per year. The assault against life, traditional marriage, and Christianity is a daily battle.

I welcome the Pope to America and offer my apologies to him that our president will not offer him the warm, respectful welcome he deserves.

I am not a Catholic, but as a Christian and as an American, I believe the Pope deserves much better. And so do the American people.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is a Republican presidential candidate.