The Associated Press takes the attacks against Sarah Palin to the next level by saying that in her released bio Palin's religion was "obscured." The AP is suggesting that Palin's ostensibly secret religion is really Pentecostalism which, they note, is a sect that is "derided by outsiders and Bible-believers alike." So, the AP is saying here that the McCain campaign is trying to cover up Palin's past because they must somehow know that her real religion is a cult or some wacko, fringe sect.
Sarah Palin often identifies herself simply as Christian... Yet John McCain's running mate has deep roots in Pentecostalism, a spirit-filled Christian tradition that is one of the fastest growing in the world. It's often derided by outsiders and Bible-believers alike.
But for all of the AP's grave warnings about what it obviously considers wacky Pentecostalism, Palin and her hard working, middle class family have for the last 6 years belonged to the Wasilla Bible Church which is not a Pentecostal Church but describes itself as an independent evangelical church. So, even if she were raised in the Pentecostal Church -- and even if we were to be alarmed at this -- she left it behind 6 years ago. So, where is the "obscuring," where is the secretive past?
Apparently the AP is taking its cue from an overwrought HuffingtonPost entry worried that Palin's "controversial worldview" was shaped by her church. Once again, it looks like the Old Media is taking its marching orders from left-wing, extremists websites.
Contrast that with the radical racist church that Barack Obama only quit when pressure to leave it was forced upon him by his campaign for the presidency. The Palin family's move seems to be one that was free of pressure and legitimately thought out. Their's was one made in good faith, not one cynically made under duress to make a campaign look good to voters alarmed by a radical religious sect like Obama's.
Now one has to ask, does the AP really want to start bringing religion back into the campaigns with Obama's reverend Wright troubles finally starting to subside? Is Pentecostalism worse than the hate filled, racist Liberation Theology promulgated by Barack Obama's racist reverend Jeremiah Wright?
Apparently so.
The AP's report is filled with ominous sounding warnings that Palin "used traditional evangelical language" and grew up with people who are "conservative in their reading of the Bible and, often, culture."
Palin used mostly traditional evangelical language when she spoke at a June ceremony for future mission workers at the Wasilla Assembly of God.
How DARE her, eh?
And, oh, the AP feels it gets worse yet.
Her current church, Wasilla Bible Church, stresses the inerrancy of Scripture.
Imagine! A Church that thinks it's most sacred text is "inerrant"? Who da thunk it?
To its credit, Newsweek's report on the Palin's church is a bit less incendiary and even handed. But, yes, it looks more like Sarah Palin and her family belong to a church that holds to some completely mainstream and average Christian religious tenets. Hey, at least no one has ever heard Palin's preacher saying that America deserved 9/11 because its "chickens are coming home to roost" like some other candidate's preacher has been known to do.
In any case, it looks like the AP, at least, is trying to cast as much doubt on Palin's sanity via her religious choices as it can. Now, I wonder if the AP is worried over much that Obama's Paster wants God to damn America?
(Photo credit: Newsweek and Wasillabible.org)
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Churches
September 4, 2008 - 06:21 ET by MindwerkzYea, I dont think the left really wants to start talking about churches...
One thing I can say after talking to my "token" leftist friend is that they are scared to hell and really pissed about her. How dare the republican party nominate someone with republican beliefs.
Somehow I believe the left
September 4, 2008 - 06:36 ET by taterSomehow I believe the left would think that bringing up churches isn't the Wright thing to do.
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
The left is in a real panic
September 4, 2008 - 06:28 ET by ThisnThatDoes AP really want to re-open the Church discussion, after having successfully suppressed all talk about Obama's church???
I watched CNN after Palin's speech last night, and that 360-guy suggested "Doesn't Obama have all this executive experience running his campaign"? Another CNN guy immediately squashed this by pointing out "That's a discussion the Republicans would really like to have".
And finally, they interviewed another liberal who stated: "Well, if the Republicans want to diss community organizers, then bring them on". Ouch. Watch out community-organizer-hating Republicans -- we could really get slammed, there.
The Left is scraping the bottom of the barrel; they know they have been dealt a losing hand. Watch the poll numbers drop like a rock for Obama.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Sounds like the AP is ridin'
September 4, 2008 - 06:32 ET by FairlightSounds like the AP is ridin' dirty...or would that be "writin' dirty."
Fairlight
September 4, 2008 - 06:34 ET by Cool ArrowOut to an early start in the "pretty damned funny" department is Fairlight .
Rocky & Bullwinkle '08
Maybe Palin should
September 4, 2008 - 06:31 ET by motherbeltMaybe Palin should announce a "Speech on Religion."
Can'd do it motherbelt
September 4, 2008 - 06:32 ET by Cool ArrowI just can't imagine her saying "This is not the Jesus I knew"
Rocky & Bullwinkle '08
They must have been
September 4, 2008 - 07:05 ET by forestThey must have been disapointed when she didn't speak in tongues or take up serpents as part of her speech.
Picking up serpents
September 4, 2008 - 07:08 ET by Cool ArrowDidn't she cast one into the fire?
Rocky & Bullwinkle '08
up serpents as part of her
September 4, 2008 - 10:24 ET by Dan The Man 2up serpents as part of her speech - I think she actually did a fair amount of this activity. Just as Jesus called the pharacees serpents so did she call the modern day ones serpents.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Is this even newsworthy?
September 4, 2008 - 07:42 ET by pbanks7Palin used mostly traditional evangelical language when she spoke at a June ceremony for future mission workers at the Wasilla Assembly of God.
Imagine using evangelical language when speaking to......evangelicals.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe, then confirming it with a poll.
Yeah...
September 4, 2008 - 07:49 ET by Warner Todd HustonYeah, ain't it shocking!?
The MSM thinks...
September 4, 2008 - 08:35 ET by Prester John...evangelicals are space aliens from the planet Evangel. They don't understand them, they don't want to understand them, they have no concept of what makes them tick, they don't want to know what makes them tick and are therefore scared to death of them.
The MSM really does need to get out of NYC, DC and LA once in a while and see the real America.
if we're aliens, how come
September 4, 2008 - 08:56 ET by Conservative in the Artsif we're aliens, how come the MSM doesn't care what we think of th election. They were all goo-goo over all other kinds of people that are not Americans and how they would vote *ahem - should vote* for Oboo-boo (Aladin pun)
If we're aliens
September 4, 2008 - 09:05 ET by Cool ArrowIf we're aliens, why isn't Obama trying to register us to vote?
We have as much right to vote as that cemetary over there.
Hey Governor Dailey, what are we? Chopped liver?
Rocky & Bullwinkle '08
She did use a biblical
September 4, 2008 - 10:57 ET by ConservativeRexShe did use a biblical reference in her speech last night. I caught it and confirmed it with my wife. The last thing she said about going to Washington and answering to the people was, you have to do it with a "servants heart", that is biblical, and we were so proud of her.
Of course the left's religion is government and the center of their religion is Washington DC, so I understand why they are scared and confused when Sarah speaks. She's talking a foreign language to them. they look at each other and shrug their shoulders with a quizzical look on their face.
I was raised a Southern
September 4, 2008 - 09:05 ET by NeoCon JediI was raised a Southern Baptist and switched to an Assemblies of God Pentacostal church when I married a preacher's daughter. I have been to a variety of different Assemblies of God churches through my many duty stations across the country in a 23-year career in the U.S. Navy. The only thing controversial happening inside most of these churches is when the pastor goes long in his sermon and you don't get home in time for kick-off or the start of the NASCAR race.
BTW, I never heard any of those pastors damn America like BHO's pastor did. Now that's controversial.
"Named must be your fear be before banish it you can." -- Yoda
Jedi
September 4, 2008 - 09:09 ET by Cool ArrowI also married the daughterof a Pentecostal preacher. We still attend his church.
Rocky & Bullwinkle '08
Cool, my family is COC and I
September 4, 2008 - 11:00 ET by ConservativeRexCool, my family is COC and I have Baptist friends who joke with me on how our new church organ is working out! You'll know what I am refering to. lol
Neo Con
September 4, 2008 - 09:13 ET by ricklailHere's an idea. Some Sunday tell the preacher that he wished people would stop leaving their lunch bags and sandwich wrappers in the pews.
If pro is the opposite of con what is the opposite of progress? Congress!
Dupes like this AP reporter
September 4, 2008 - 09:09 ET by ricklailDupes like this AP reporter should not even be reporting on religion when he probably never darkened a church door. The only difference between the Pentacostals and Baptists is practice. Our basic beliefs are the same. In the most Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian churches, etc.certain gifts of the Holy Spirit are not practiced. So what. We, except for liberal churches, believe the Bible to be the Word of God, complete without error (innerant). At least in our churches we don't ask God to damn America.
If pro is the opposite of con what is the opposite of progress? Congress!
So now the argument has
September 4, 2008 - 10:00 ET by SnappySo now the argument has denegrated into making fun of her religion? Wasnt this country founded on principles exactly opposed to that?...and of course taxes I believe was another hot button issue to our founding fathers.....hmmmm
The most ridiculous part of
September 4, 2008 - 10:23 ET by TEThe most ridiculous part of this editorial written by Eric Gorski and Rachel Zoll of the Associated (with terrorists) Press is this conspiracy theory of theirs:
"Grant Wacker, an expert in Pentecostalism at Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., said he can understand why. He said the McCain campaign likely doesn't want Palin associated with the best-known Pentecostal to ever hold public office, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, an active member of the Assemblies of God."
"[T]he McCain campaign likely doesn't want Palin associated with the best-known Pentecostal to ever hold public office, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, ..."?
Evidence provided by Gorski and Zoll to support that conspiracy theory? Answer: None.
"Acceptable" religion
September 4, 2008 - 10:57 ET by nkviking75Without ever saying it, the MSM, and the AP in particular, has an unwritten list of religious groups that are acceptable and those that are not. If you don't belong to one of their "in" groups, you're going to be derided as a freak.
Liberals love to talk about how it's wrong to be judgmental, but they are among the worst bigots around.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Clips of Palin speaking at her church
September 4, 2008 - 14:51 ET by BaxterJPalin had some interesting things to say when she spoke to her church a few months ago.