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)
