Fear of God

There is a well-known Christian hymn that begins "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." As someone who looks to the precision of word selection to reveal the most accurate meaning, the word "know" in this context is of critical importance. Aside from the rhyme, the sentiment could have been "this I think" or "this I believe", but "know" really conveys the certitude that is the hallmark of fundamentalist Christianity. As a person of faith who believes somewhat differently, I would have to go with "think" or "believe" and continue to ask questions in a search for deeper understanding and knowledge. But the unwavering faith in their absolute truth that belongs to evangelicals (and was, in my mind, at the core of getting George W. Bush elected president twice) is incredibly powerful. And it's the reason why Sarah Palin is a brilliant choice as John McCain's running mate.

At first, I reacted to the announcement with equal parts disbelief and dismissiveness, as did so many others who were expecting a VP candidate to shore up the McCain ticket with attributes that spoke to the issues of the economy, foreign policy and experience. Was McCain just picking a woman to appeal to whatever disenfranchised Hillary Clinton voters were still out there and looking for another candidate that was capable of giving live birth? The short answer appears to me to be that Palin's gender was only the tip of this Alaskan iceberg. It has been widely acknowledged that evangelicals (euphemistically called "social conservatives") were reluctant to throw their support behind John McCain. Now with Palin on the ticket, despite the fact that most of us know virtually nothing about her, campaign contributions are reportedly flooding in. Why and from whom? Well, what we do know is that Palin and her husband have a 4 month old baby with Down's Syndrome and that her unwed 17 year old daughter is 5 months pregnant and plans to keep the baby. Should such personal information be kept apart from the political process? Absolutely. Is it reasonable to think it ever will be? No. Unlike some folks, I actually believe that the information about Sarah Palin's daughter did come out in the vetting process and that it was determined to be a positive to this campaign, not a negative. And even if it didn't come out in the vetting, certainly Sarah Palin knew about the pregnancy when she accepted McCain's invitation to join the ticket and was therefore prepared to expose her family to this level of scrutiny. Palin and her family are being applauded for continuing with the pregnancy as she was heralded for her bravery in proceeding with the birth of her developmentally disabled child. But if and when those decisions are not matters of choice but of law, families less fortunate than the Palins will be burdened for the rest of their lives by those that would legislate according to their religious beliefs. And therein lies the wedge issue that I believe will now overshadow the economy and the war in Iraq for the rest of the campaign. And once again the Republicans will appear to be the party with God on their side and many Americans will vote against their own self interest in this life in exchange for what they believe awaits them in the next life.

McCain would have us believe that this choice is in keeping with his reputation of being a "maverick". A "reformer". I see it as falling in line with his party's most familiar campaign tactics. Ironically, if McCain wins, he will be roughly the same age as President Reagan was at the beginning of his second term, during which we later learned that his capacities were diminished by Alzheimer's. A horrible and insidious disease that I hope and pray will be treatable in my lifetime. However if the evangelicals have their way, that may not be possible without the option of stem cell research... the practice of which the Reagan family advocates and supports. So if McCain is unable to fulfill his term in office, we will all be subject to a Palin presidency. And that, more than anything, fills me with the fear of God.

I believe that a candidate's faith should be kept personal and private as should their family and their sexuality. All of those areas should not influence governance within a secular America. And it offends me when I see entire hours of campaign coverage devoted to the faith of these candidates. But maybe we don't live in a secular America. I personally still believe in the separation of church and state. But I'm not an evangelical Christian. I don't feel compelled to impose the teachings of my faith on others. And I take offense at those who do. But maybe I'm in the minority. Since moving to the state of Georgia, I have become fairly certain that I am. This is I believe.

Comments

[lewes17266]

This is a new low in the world of politics and speaks volumes about who John McCain really is. He has been desperate for the evangelical vote since the Hagee pandering turned bad. He found a Pentecostal Holiness woman with a downs syndrome baby and a pregnant 17-year-old daughter and is marketing that family to a target market which is so easily manipulated and duped. He placed his own interests above what is best for the country. I have lost all respect for John McCain.

[aofh]

So, the two sides don't speak the same language, see the same problems. The Bush/McCain base is from Mars, we Democrats are from Venus. Palin is a brilliant choice to the one side and unconscionable to the other. This election, then, will come down to demographics just as the last two elections. If Obama is to make inroads into that group, he will have to speak their language and convince them that their vision of God is incorrect. The question is what language do they speak?

[josephbua]

Dan, it might have been brilliant without all the additional dust-ups, and you don't even go into the Palins' secessionist activities, but I don't think that it's about her, it's about McCain failing to see that his choice shows a deep lack of judgment and a failure to lead his campaign.

Not gonna work. Not this time.

This is already failing miserably for them. And I don't see it getting any better. People have only begun to think about what this says about the man who would be, they're too busy shaking their heads and the woman who won't.

[juxtapostle]

Bravo!

Palin is Assemblies of God. Would America vote Tammy Faye Baker into the VP slot? Same-same!

I grew up in the Pentecostal church. I BEG OF YOU to go visit your local Pentecostal church on Sunday. PLEASE! You will leave pale as a ghost - because you will witness those who are slain in the spirit of the Holy Ghost. Speaking in tongues. Running pews. Handing out tracts.

Oh, you think I'm a bit out there? Most people have NO idea. Pentecostal is an ideology that is one step from the snake handlers. Pentecostal is to Christianity what Islamists are to Islam - they are RADICALS. Pentecostals are EXTREMISTS.

Pentecostals would vote an amoeba into office if that single celled organism professed to be a 'believer'. Why? Because that amoeba would be guided by the hand of God, and nothing else matters.

On a side note:
When I came of age, I was amazed at how many of the precious young girls in our church (and nearby churches) became pregnant. Bristol's pregnancy is par for the course. Why? Because as a kid in a Pentecostal Church you grow up believing that Christ could return tomorrow, so as a kid you tend to live for today. Have sex today, or else you may never have a chance to enjoy the experience.

Christ is coming! Don't be 'Left Behind'!!!
(note: I say this in jest, but as a child it was absolutely terrifying)

[juxtapostle]

Another great article on hufpo:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/02/palins-church-may-have-sh_n_123205.html

Quoting the pastor of the Wasilla Assembly of God church:

'... He preaches repeatedly about the "end times" or "last days," an apocalyptic prophesy held by a small but vocal group of Christian leaders. During his appearance with Palin in June, he declared, "I believe Alaska is one of the refuge states in the last days, and hundreds of thousands of people are going to come to the state to seek refuge and the church has to be ready to minister to them." '

[juxtapostle]

BTW, Dan

If you want a real headliner of a story...

HAS Sarah Palin SPOKEN IN TONGUES?

Oh, please - do it!

[stockdale]

Well said, Dan. It's also hard for me to believe the Republicans (and Rove behind the scenes) don't love the fact that, instead of talking about Iraq, the economy, or health care, the media is consumed with talk of unwed mothers and family values. High-fives must be abounding at RNC central.

[Veratruth]

I am very proud of myself for not watching the Republican Convention.

[BADEN]

You are wise.

I threw up a little in my mouth...oh­....at least a few times.....

But, hell - SOMEbody's gotta do it....

ONWARD

[nomoron]

The teachings of religion should be kept within the confines of any believer's church, synagogue or mosque. This nation's founding fathers understood the perils of mixing religion and politics few present day leaders have the capacity to grasp. They knew allowing faith based philosophies to become part of the political discourse endangered the new republic and it's leaders ability to govern fairly. History provided great motivation. The desire for religious freedom drove European settlers to make the journey to the new world, escaping the persecution and oppression felt at the hands of monarchies across the European continent.
The constitution expressly forbids any type of religious litmus test for people wanting to pursue elected office, but evangelicals now measure people on some misguided belief anyone not of the Christian faith is unworthy of leading this great country. When will they realize those who disagree are not bound and determined to destroy them or the nation.
I can't say this often enough or with as much conviction­....If you like living under the umbrella of oppression created by religious fundamentalists, take a look at the Middle East. Everyone is expected to submit and participate, no matter how ill conceived or poorly executed.
Evangelicals need to ask themselves, "Are we any better than Muslim extremists we're fighting?" A quick yes means not much soul searching has occurred. Every religion thinks they've gotten it right, but arrogance will always be arrogance.

[Veratruth]

I am a Democrat. I saw what happened at Rick Warren's civil forum. It was obvious that Sen. Obama had to choose his words very carefully while John McCain spoke his mind more freely because of the warm welcome he received. Many Democrats are true believers and have the gift of discernment. No one should take it for granted that all Christians can be easily tormented by mockery and deceitful acts. Such devious ways don't always go unpunished.

[nomoron]

I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and remember being taught one's faith is a deeply personal issue. IMO most believers hold to this doctrine. The problem with the evangelical movement is a perception, be it right or wrong, that outspoken leaders represent every member's belief system. The influence these people obviously wield on the political scene is troubling at best and dangerous at worst. When one group wants to dictate social values for all and turn those values into the law of the land they discount the foundation on which this country was built.... That of freedom and an ability to choose for ones self how best to live in civil society.

[RedneckDem]

Another amazing spin to deflect attention away from the morals/family values/abstinance to the pro-life one.
Didn't McCain call Chelsea Clinton so ugly that her father must have been Janet Reno? Nice values and way to keep kids out of it. Didn't the repub party throw McCains kids under the bus as well?

Evengelicals are a dying breed whose fear mongering and hate are not the expressed desires of Jesus, thus the population is finally smelling a rat and dumping the philosophy­...

[Veratruth]

The minute an evangelist encouraged Christians to pray for it to rain upon Sen. Obama during his speech in Denver, that did it for me. My trust in that person is gone. God sends rain on the just and the unjust. It was a wonderful day in Denver, and Sen. Obama gave a great speech. God didn't send rain, He sent a blessing and I praise Him. I pray for the people who's lives have been disrupted during the recent downpours.

[NCGigi]

Oops, I meant, Trig, of course, not Trip.

[NCGigi]

No, the Palin ladies should not be applauded.

Palin says no one should have an abortion, and advocates for a change to the US Constitution to make that the law of the land; therefore, it is completely unremarkable that she did not have an abortion nor that her minor daughter will not have one. The Palins, and the Alaskan Republican party are dedicated to no abortions even in the case of rape and incest. That being the case, I don't question why Governor Palin carried her 5th child to term; but rather, why she had genetic testing of Trip in the first place?

[HeevenSteven]

"Sarah Palin is a brilliant choice ??"

I don't think the Palin pick does anything for his "Maverick" image; to the contrary, it just means more of the same right-wing crap that's been dominating the Repiglican part for the last 20 years.

I just watched Palin's "Iraq is a task from god" speech, in which she also said, "It's god's will to get that pipeline built". This kind of crap isn't going to help him with independents or especially secular conservatives.

[yorkie]

Interesting well written story. I do think that O and Dems will out vote this fringe base as independents, single women and western states with big Latino voters will go O in greater numbers. The storms developing for real change are gathering, the narrative is being set.

[terramartom]

I was born into a family where my Father was Catholic and Mother was Methodist. The family ended up going to a Methodist Church until I was 12 years old and then never went back. Now after traveling the World I am a confirmed Athiest.
Religion is for the weak minded and those who pray and take advantage of the weak minded. This is played out everyday, everywhere since religion was "invented".
God and Religion are superstition!
Religion must impose on it's flock complete ignorance, because if questions are asked than there must be cridible and "factual" answers, as there is in science. But religion answers no questions, never invented anything other than intolerance towards others.
Religion is simply believing in "Flying Pink Elephants".
You can think this way. But in reality there are no Flying Pink Elephants, just as there is no Giant rendition of a man/ God with a beard, long hair and toga robe floating on the clouds making decisions for a billion trillion things all going on at the same nano-second.
Death is final folks, and killing everyone and everything that disagrees with you will not change it.

[LoewLife]

stop calling them evangelicals, they like that term. call them what they are: Christian Supremacists

[jaglon]

I think once Americans find out what is really the christianists agenda that will turn the tide for the support that political canidates who pander to them get. I fear that it may be too late then. A majority of people believe in a womans right to choose as well as her right to use birth control. A majority of Americans believe that religion has no place in government.

I agree with the writer. The republicans a really really cynical. They want to take the focus off the economy and Iraq because that is their failure. They know that the single issue voters will vote against their own economic interest and support any canidate who is against abortion. The repubicans will NEVER allow abortion to become illegal because they will lose their number one wedge issue. Get it through your heads. In fact, I will bet you that if democrats decided to introduce legislation to make it illegal, they will find a way to kill it. One day, in the future, there will be another civil war in this country and it will involve taking back our country from the christianists and their right-wing supporters in congress. That is, if there has not been a huge brain drain from this country to countries north and south of the border, leaving only the religous demagogues and their ignorant brethern.

[Jaid]

Trying to debate politics with the right is a loosing game because their response is always derived from the Bible. Have sex at 16 and get pregnant -- it beomes the will of God not fornication; Lie about said pregnancies -- Response is "we are a God Fearing family trying to do God's will; Did John McCain properly vet his VP selection-­-Response: "God has chosen Sarah to work with Senator McCain and we can't question God! Geeeeeeeeeeeeeez! What logic

[aofh]

Their responses are not derived from the Bible, the opposite is true: they use Bible passages to support what they believe. It's pseudo scholarship.