Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Palin, Obama Religion Drama


In my last column I praised Palin and deceived you with my false opinions; please let me apologize for my erroneous beliefs. Recently in the media, controversy has arisen concerning the religious practices of Governor Sarah Palin. Being a bitter Midwesterner that clings to my guns and religion, I would like to take this opportunity to compare and contrast the religious practices of the churches of Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, as well as espouse more of my misleading opinions. CNN breaks with news of Governor Palin being Pentecostal, featuring reporters interviewing the pastor and congregation members of the Wasilla Assembly of God church. Palin was baptized and raised Catholic, eventually leaving the Catholic Church and becoming baptized into the Wasilla Assembly of God church. In an Associated Press piece, Grant Wacker, an expert in Pentecostalism at Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C, explains that “Pentecostals are seen by the public to be sectarian and uncompromising.” This is mainly because of their belief in baptism in the Holy Spirit; manifested through speaking in tongues, modern day prophesy, and faith healing. To Anderson Coopers dismay, Palin has since left the Wasilla Assembly of God church and joined Wasilla Bible church, a non-affiliated Evangelical church. When you think the church drama is over, the Associated Press releases information that Governor Palin current church partakes in “pray away the gay” movements. A blatant distortion of the truth, the Wasilla bible church is conducting gay ministries, like all other Christian churches. The goals of such ministries include “aiding parents who want to learn how to better love their sons or daughters without compromising their faith; helping people who want to better understand the many factors that can lead to someone adopting a homosexual identity; and assisting those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions and want to discover how they might also start upon the difficult path to overcoming those desires.” Senator Barack Obama was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s South Side for twenty years. Reverend Jeremiah Wright, former leader of the church, brought about controversies for Senator Obama with his infamous remark, “No, no, no, not God Bless America, God damn America. That’s in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than humans.” Trinity United Church preaches black liberation theology based on the black value system. Senator Obama has also shot himself in the foot with comments such as “And it’s not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion” and “Look, I got two daughters-9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby.”I do not understand black liberation theology, nor am I accustomed with the black value system, but as a Christian, I am taught to love my fellow man. When churches are preaching racial values over Christian values, no one benefits. For a Reverend to use the Lord’s name in vain while cursing his own country, seems counterproductive to the mission of Trinity United Church of Christ. Senator Obama must have been absent from church the Sunday Reverend Wright condemned the killing of innocent people and the treatment of our citizens as less than humans, especially with his remarks towards abortion and not wanting his daughters punished with a baby. As for Governor Palin, to each their own. Whether you’re Catholic, Baptist, or Lutheran, Christians all across America and around the world are awaiting the day we have openly devote Christians back in the White House to bring America back to its fundamental Christian values.

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