Sunday, September 7, 2008

Sarah Palin and Her Religion: An Article and Video

In a New York Times article entitled, In Palin's Life and Politics, Goal to Follow God's Will, this eminent publication [all the liberal commentary that's fit to print, the saying goes] takes a look at Sarah Palin and her churchgoing ways.

I encourage you to read the article, keeping in mind that the NYT has a habit of trying to make conservatives look as bad as possible while still clinging to threads of objectivity.

Gov. Palin spent much of her life attending the Assembly of God church in her hometown of Wasilla, but in recent years has attended Wasilla Bible Church. One person interviewed, who knew the Palin family for many years, suggested that they moved because the Assembly of God church was more "extreme," practicing tongues speaking and miraculous healings.

The article also links to a youtube video of Palin addressing a group of seminary students at Wasilla Assembly of God earlier this year, which has been in the news recently. She asks prayer for a number of things, which devout Christians would recognize as worthy, important matters to pray about.

Several observations from the article:

  • She asked for spiritual advice from her former, retired pastor, when she became governor. The pastor says he thinks she followed the advice.
  • Interviews with her pastors and friends point to this conclusion, and I quote from the article: "her foundation and source of guidance is the Bible, and with it has come a conviction to be God’s servant."
  • She acknowledges that God has sent her to her place of leadership.
  • Another friend and associate from Wasilla said of her: “The churches that Sarah has attended all believe in a literal translation of the Bible....Her principal ethical and moral beliefs stem from this.”
  • This same friend also said that Gov. Palin believes in prayer and the power of prayer: “Her beliefs are firm in the power of prayer — let’s put it that way,” she said.
  • In her video presentation, only several minutes long, she asks that those assembled pray for several things, emphasizing that God's plan be accomplished.
A quote from the pastor of Wasilla Bible Church:
“I trust my people can go out with that [the ability to analyze the Bible] and they can deal with an issue such as abortion — any issue out there — whether it’s in the public arena, or in the hospital room with their relative dying of cancer, because they will be equipped with a biblical perspective that will enable them to react in that situation,” said Mr. Kroon, who described himself as “pro-life.”
Her church also baptizes by immersion.

On the video, she says, "all of that stuff [various governmental functions had been listed] doesn't do any good, if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."

It is important to note here that this article comes from the New York Times, a rather liberal paper—and she still comes across as a conservative Christian! On the youtube video you see someone who is familiar with Christianity, who feels comfortable on the stage of her former church, who speaks as one who has felt the hand of God leading her. I cannot judge her heart, but I am encouraged by what I see.

Additional information can be found at this post from 9/8/08.

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