In reviewing the morning headlines I see a link on the Military Headlines on my iGoogle page. It reads: Palin: Iraq War a ‘Task From God’. I immediately had to read this. Palin was asked to speak at the graduation ceremony this past June of the Wasilla Assembly of God, her one time church. Once I read the article I needed to know more. I found another article at the Huffington Post that dug a little deeper. I have two things to say about this. One. If in fact, this “war” is a ‘Task from God’, then why are troops that dont believe forced to fight it? I know there are many agnostic, athiest, pagan, wiccan, NRP, etc people in the military. Why do they have to fight and possibly give up their lives for this new age “crusade” if that is what you are going to call it Ms. Palin? Being a former Lutheran that attended church/ youth group/ choir/ bible studies regularly through my childhood and young adult life, I know that some people will feel that way. My younger sister who attends the same church that I used to told me recently that she has heard all types of things about the election lately. One was: the only vote is a Republican vote. Or: people who think vote Repbulican. I had to resist the urge to laugh in her face. I dont know if those are her personal beliefs, or if she was just teling me what she has heard. She is a young 17, and doesnt really know anything about politics yet. Anyways, I dont want to come across as a bible-basher, because Im not. Sure Ive lost my way on this path of faith, but I dont think that its acceptable to bring this amount of relgion into politics. But I think for Ms. Palin to make this statement is pretty bold.
Second, if this really is what Sarah Palin believes, then I think we will be much worse off than we are now should McCain / Palin get elected. Are we in fact moving back to the Puritanical times? Palin’s former pastor has commented that all people who criticize George W Bush will go to hell, that all people that voted for Kerry in 2004 will go to hell. Ooops, looks like Im 2 for 2. While I know that Ms. Palin did not directly say these comments, and in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright incident, I am not quick to say damn her for this. But I have to wonder… these are the words of the Pastor of the Church she attended from age 12 until 2002. Im sure that he / the church itself has had some influence on her positions.
In the same speech where she spoke about how the war was a ‘Task from God’ she also asked the students to pray for a $30 billion gas pipeline to be built in Alaska. Hmm… mighty convenient to pray for what you want. From my memory, you are supposed to pray for God’s will to be done, and ask God: if it is your will… NOT to pray for your own selfish wants.
Okay, rant over.
I’m an atheist, so religion being bandied about in politics – and both parties are guilty of it – makes me uncomfortable, to say the least.
But here’s what really confuses me: Why don’t people who really believe in god/the Bible/the Koran/etc. stand up and call politicians out when they make a mockery of their deeply held beliefs? If religion is an important part of someone’s life, then this shabby treatment of cheesy patriotic faith would be offensive to them, I would think.
You are right, it makes me uncomfortable as well. D is an athiest, and Im more agnostic. Both parties put too much effort into proving how “religious” they are. It really drives me nuts.
I think that people dont call the politicians out on it, because some people turn a blind eye. They elect them, and think they are wonderful, so they dont want to admit they were wrong.