ABC: What does Palin's faith mean for US?


Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin's long association with a non-mainstream Christian denomination has raised concerns about to what extent the church's beliefs might influence her own public policies.

Palin was a member of an Assemblies of God church in Wasilla from the age of ten until 2002, and she still appears to maintain close relations with that church, having spoken there as recently as last June. The Assemblies of God is a Pentecostal denomination, and if elected Palin -- who continues to attend a Pentecostal church in the state capital of Juneau -- would be the most highly-placed Pentecostal ever to hold public office.

ABC, which was the first network to be granted an interview by Palin after her nomination, offered a story on Sunday which promised to examine the significance of her Pentecostal background. However, what ABC actually presented appeared designed primarily to allay potential criticism of some of Pentecostals' more exotic practices and did not probe deeply into their beliefs or interview any of Palin's critics.

"Pentecostalism has been described as the evangelical experience on steroids," ABC's Dan Harris began. "Like evangelicals, Pentecostals believe the Bible is the literal word of God and that the end times are near. But Pentecostals also believe that the Holy Spirit can give you gifts, like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and divine healing."

One Pentecostal told Harris, "Speaking in tongues is a heavenly language," while another explained, "It's almost as if I am able to tap into God's heart and what he wants."

Pentecostals are sometimes derisively called "Holy Rollers" for the unrestrained physicality of their worship services, but Sarah Palin's former pastor, Tim McGraw, told ABC, "Christianity can become awful, intellectualized and cerebral, and Pentecostalism also involves physical demonstrations, emotional connection with God."

However, there are more serious concerns, not addressed by ABC, which have to do with whether Palin's Pentecostalism would lead her to conflate her personal policy objectives with what she takes to be God's will.

When Palin spoke at the Assembly of God in Wasilla last June, she described her own campaign for a natural gas pipeline by saying, "God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built." She also suggested that the Iraq war should be seen as "a task that is from God."

According to expert Margaret Poloma, Pentecostals tend to see American foreign policy in terms of "a cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil" and to regard Islam as a "diabolical religion."

In those same remarks, Palin indicated the source of her own self-assurance when she told the young Assembly of God missionaries, "God's going to tell you what is going on, and what is going to go on, and you guys are going to have that within you."

A Pentecostal professor of religion who spoke to ABC News implied that Palin might have no doubts about her readiness to run for vice-president because she believes she is the instrument of God's will. "Sarah Palin, if she was just a plain evangelical woman, would have a tough time thinking that she should be VP," Anthea Butler explained. "But a Pentecostal woman is saying, 'God's calling me, I'm going to answer that call.'"




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I don't like ABC there a pro rep operation.

Literally the end of the world - pusing for it. I keep thinking of the Left Behind Series. These people are constantly looking for the SIGNS. This church - today? Is vengence on steroids. Truly scary. I don't want her near an official office that holds any responsibility. And I feel sorry for the Alaskan people.

Full disclosure:
My sainted Grandmother was Pentecoastal but she was a very loving person, and gave me an abundance of unconditional love and was a very gifted human being and NOT cwazy. I just think it was the only church in her tiny little town. A cultural thing. And I know she knew the Bible was not literal.

And I am not religious, period. No more interrogations on my world view please.

Scary bitch