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On a Mission From God

Examining Sarah Palin’s ties to the Christian Right

By Chip Berlet and Esther Kaplan

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was the star of the Christian Right’s 2008 Values Voter Summit in mid-September, even though she was a last minute no-show. The Republican vice presidential candidate’s name was tossed around frequently to euphoric applause at the event in Washington, D.C., while the few mentions of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) drew only polite claps. Topping the… return to article

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    “Does Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin merely ask God for guidance, or does she believe she is carrying out divine will?”

    Maybe she’s from so far out in the sticks that she hasn’t caught on that the evangelical movement is sinking back into the primordial muck.

    Maybe she’s hopelessly, pathetically full of shit.


    FREE AMERICA

    REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY

    China Posted by mschlee on Oct 29, 2008 at 5:27 AM

    Its churches are known for a lively and energetic style of worship. They also tend to be, like Ashcroft, theologically conservative and doctrinaire. Its followers have typically been “born again” as adults and are infused by the Holy Spirit during worship, manifested through dancing or speaking in tongues. They also tend to uphold rigorous traditional moral standards in the face of what they see as a sinful world, believe God’s will is revealed to believers through prayer and signs, insist on the importance of prophecy, and view the Bible as the literal word of God.

    Sounds just about like Zero’s church and pastor Williams, without the virulently anti-American elements.

    United States Posted by scorp on Nov 2, 2008 at 7:07 AM

    Excellent posting.  Thank you. 

    And while I realize that most people feel that the threat is over as of 4 November, I think it is important to consider that the KKK was at its peak during the Great Depression.  Couple that with the fact that the Bush Administration took the time and effort (not to mention your tax dollars) to defend their more radical followers from proper scrutiny and you find yourself asking some very serious questions about what is really lurking in wait for an Obama presidency in the not-so-distant future.

    What am I talking about?  Examples include (but sadly are not limited to) the following: The assassinations of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy are no longer classified as terrorist incidents (the Neo-Cons consider the victims “leftists”) and the Ku Klux Klan has been rehabilitated (they are now credited with having carried out ZERO terrorist incidents).  Outrageous?  Of course.  But given the dramatic piece of fiction that got us into Iraq, are we really surprised? 

    Which brings us back to Sarah Palin and her ilk.  In a world of fiction, one needs a female star.  Sarah Palin is that star.  And like all real stars, substance isn’t as important as a good script and an expensive make-over.  Especially when your audience is a lynch-mob.

    United States Posted by Infokronea on Nov 8, 2008 at 3:22 AM

    And when will the authors explore Barack Obama?  Chip is with SPLC and my spring newsletter from them in 2007 informed me Rev. James Meeks was among the 10 leading black religious voices in the anti-gay movement.

    I find it appalling that Meeks was not an issue to Chip or the Southern Poverty Law Center.  On the latter, I have taken my money elsewhere.

    It’s awfully nice to have a so-called ‘left’ that agrees to silence themselves for you to get into office.  No idea how Barack managed that trick but I voted for Cynthia McKinney.

    United States Posted by Heather Milam on Nov 19, 2008 at 5:40 PM

    I’m actually agnostic, but somehow I’m way more comfortable with, and admiring of, honest professions of varying Christian faith,  than I am with the kind of religious hijacking for political “social justice” reasons practiced by Mr. Obama’s former Pastor and mentor.  Not to mention the kind of educational hijacking practiced by Obama’s “family friend” Bill Ayers.

    I find it far more poisonous and dangerous to use the power of the pulpit to engender hate and resentment toward anyone rich or white, than it might be to warn of Christ’s coming, speak in tongues to fellow worshippers or even heaven forbid, whisper to each other “hey, we should probably vote Republican, don’t you think?” 

    Obama says he’s against gay marriage and abortion, hey, just like those dangerous Pentecostals.  Trouble is, he’s not being honest about it.  At least Palin & Co. are.

    United States Posted by Natalie on Nov 22, 2008 at 5:05 AM
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