An Open Letter to Sarah Palin

This letter is posted with permission from Marlene Winell, Ph.D., psychologist.

Dear Sarah,

As a former fundamentalist, I'd like to call you on what you are doing.

This is not about disrespecting your private beliefs. But you have a huge conflict of interest here by running for office and you can't have it both ways (see Jesus' words in John 2:15).

You have not been honest about the most important thing about you: the fact that you are a born-again, literal Bible-believing, fundamentalist Christian.

Most people who have never been entrenched in the subculture of fundamentalist Christianity may not understand what this really means, but I do. Like you, I was raised in the Assemblies of God and I was a zealous part of the Jesus Movement. Like you, my life was consumed with seeking God's will for my life and awaiting the imminent return of Jesus. It's clear to me that you want to do the Lord's will; you've said and done things like a true believer would. You are on a mission from God. If that is not true, then I challenge you to deny it.

Former fundamentalists like me know that your worldview is so encompassing, authoritarian, and powerful that it defines who you think you are, the way you view the world, history, other people, the future, and your place in the world. It defines you far more than hockey mom, wife, woman, hunter, governor, or VP candidate.

You believe that every bit of the Bible is God's perfect word. You have a supernatural view of reality where Satan is a real entity and where good and evil beings are engaged in "spiritual warfare" (Ephesians 6:12). Like Queen Esther, you believe that God has "called" and "anointed" you to lead America. This is why you have accepted blessing for office through the "laying on of hands" and prayer to protect you from witchcraft.

So what does this mean for governing? What could Americans expect with you at the helm?

You cannot affirm basic human decency or capability, because according to your dogma, we are sinful, weak, and dependant on God. And so, your decisions would not be based on expert advice or even your own reasoning, but on your gut-level, intuitive interpretation of God's will. This would allow you to do anything and claim you were led by God.

Your thinking necessarily is black or white. People and policies are either good or bad. After all, Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me" (Matt. 12:30). Under your leadership, diplomacy and cultural nuance would be less important than not blinking. In a spiritual war, you don't negotiate with the devil.

Regarding social policy, as a believer in individual salvation, you would emphasize individual morality and responsibility, not a community approach with structural solutions. You would be judgmental and controlling of personal choices regarding sex, reproduction, and library books instead of addressing global warming, torture, poverty, and war. Your belief in eternal hell-fire, your deference to a literal Bible despite its cruelties and vengeful god, and your indoctrination to disbelieve your own compassionate instincts, are likely to leave you numb at your moral core. You might recall the verse, "If a man will not work he shall not eat" (2 Thess. 3:10). However, faith-based initiatives would be okay because they would use caring to evangelize.

How about science? As it has in your governorship, your interpretation of the Bible would trump scientific scholarship and findings. You would deny the human role in global warming because God is in control. More importantly, you would not make the environment a priority because you do not expect the earth to last.

International affairs? Since your subculture has identified the establishment of Israel in 1948 as the beginning of the end, you would see war, epidemics, climate change, and natural disasters, all as hopeful signs of Jesus' return. You would be a staunch supporter of Israel and deeply suspicious of countries like Russia identified with the antichrist in the end times literature. (You have publicly said that you expect Jesus to return in your lifetime and that it guides you every day.)

This type of Christianity is not about following the teachings of Christ (as in Matthew 25 on caring for the poor). It is about death -- his death, our death, the death of the planet.

The fundamentalism that has shaped your thinking teaches that working for peace is unbiblical and wrong because peace is not humanly possible without the return of Jesus (1 Thess. 5:2,3). Conflict, even outright war is inevitable, for Jesus came not to bring peace but a sword (Matt: 10:34-37). Like millions of fundamentalist Christians, you may actually find joy in global crises because these things portend His return (Luke 21:28).

But all of this certainty and fantasy in today's complex world is dangerous, Sarah. There was a time when all of humanity thought the world was flat. Today, the stakes for such massive error are much higher.

So I ask you, Sarah, Warrior Princess for God -- How dare you presume to take responsibility for our country and our planet when you, in your own mind, do not consider this home? I mean home for the long haul, not just until your rescue arrives from space. How dare you look forward to Christ's return, leaving your public office empty like a scene from the movie, Left Behind?

What if you are completely wrong and you instead wreak havoc with your policies? If you deny global warming, brand people and countries "evil," support war, and neglect global issues, you can create the apocalypse you are expecting. And as it gets worse and worse, and you look up for redemption, you just may not see it. What then? In that moment, you and all who have shared your delusion may have the most horrifying realization imaginable. And it will be too late. Too late to avoid destruction and too late to apologize to all the people who tried to turn the tide and needed you on board.

And you, John McCain, how dare you endanger all of us for the sake of your politics? How dare you choose a partner who is all symbol and no substance, preying on the fears of millions of Americans? Shame on both of you.

Leave this beautiful, fragile earth to us, the unbelievers in your fantasy. It's the only heaven we have and you have no right to make it a hell.

Sincerely,
Marlene

Marlene Winell, Ph.D.
October 21, 2008

Marlene Winell is a Bay Area psychologist who specializes in recovery from fundamentalist religion. She is author of Leaving the Fold: A guide for former fundamentalists and others leaving their religion. She is the daughter of Assemblies of God missionaries. A longer article about Sarah Palin's religion is on Dr. Winell's website: www.marlenewinell.net

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Comments

[NoPalinista]

Without a doubt this is the best and most enlightening letter I have seen to date!
I would vote for this author in a heartbeat!

[PlanetKansas]

Thank you for shedding light on why the fundamentalists believe and think the way they do, they have confounded me for years. I was lucky to be raised in a church that taught the meaning behind the bible myths.

I believe all religion, philosophy and science tries to place meaning on the fundamental question of death. Life feeds on life, and cannot exist without eating another. It is at the base of all end-of-days myths.

I subscribe to my own end of the world belief given by science. There have been many mass extinctions before and there will be many more afterward. Whether by comet or depletion of habitat from overpopulation, life ebbs and flows, and some other life form fills a niche to later become dominant.

I believe the next one is coming, and it will be caused by ourselves. The only way out isn't politics, but a massive reduction in human population perhaps 90% or more. We could try to organize this ourselves, before nature does it for us.

[jaypeace]

it's interesting to see the overlap between totalistic fundamentalist ideology and capitalist ideology. thank you very much for this post.

[ryanrain]

this is a crucially insightful argument in a time of great need of political analysis. Thank you for posting such a thorough analysis of religion and politics - which goes unquestioned much of the time. I am sick of seeing religion flaunted in electoral politics and this type of critique is very refreshing. i appreciate your perspective as a fundamentalist yourself and applaud your courage to not only come out of the faith, write a critically acclaimed book about it and put yourself out there with non-mainstream ideas in a "christian nation."

[GregJL]

I believe you owe Lucy Lawless an apology. And all of the men whose fantasies of Xena have now been completely ruined

[Ajita]

"Leave this beautiful, fragile earth to us, the unbelievers in your fantasy. It's the only heaven we have and you have no right to make it a hell."

Other have said it before, but I want to reiterate that this is beautifully said.

[Stephanie71]

If only the Evangelicals realized how different she is in her Fundamentalism from them. The base would walk right away from this ticket. To them her fundamentalist beliefs would be as equally scary as Romney's Mormon beliefs were.

Not that I am saying being different is any reason not to vote for someone. But if they are supporting her solely because they beleive she is just like them (Evangelicals) in her Christian beliefs they would be stunningly shocked by the real difference.

[shrinkandhammer]

I's funny as a nonchristian, I have this stereotype of how Christians should act. I am always amazed how often they don't follow the rules that I think they should follow and the hypocrisyof how often they don't follow the rules that they set for others. I find Palin scary, as both a Christian and a person.

[Muriella]

another question

What about that little blurb in ephesians? It is the job of your husband to answer to god for your actions and you are to submit to him as the head of the household. All in the name of love for each other and for god.

What if there is a conflict between what your president or your country require of you, and what your husband requires you to do to be right with god? Do you ignore your country? Or do you ignore a command from the word of god?

Country First? or hubby first?

and another...

Still thinking about this Country First slogan, why aren't you being completely honest about the role of the US in these end times? Why aren't you warning all residents of the USA at every opportunity that they need to get their spiritual life in order or else suffer for all eternity?

[BobLablah]

"Leave this beautiful, fragile earth to us, the unbelievers in your fantasy. It's the only heaven we have and you have no right to make it a hell."

Would it be inconsiderate of me to point out that Obama is a Christian and presumably believes in a real heaven and many of the other "weird" things you apparently find repulsive? Would you like OB to leave you alone as well?

[Ajita]

Im an atheist but even I know that not all Christians take the bible literally, Obama has said that he does not. The letter above addresses the fundamentalist version of Christianity.

Obama has often said that religion should be personal and there should be a separation of Church and state.

In any case, comparing Palin's views to Obama's is just silly, but I simply had to reply to your absurd insinuation.

[BobLablah]

By defintion, A Christian believes that Christ was resurrected and he was the son of God. Are you saying it's OK for Obama to believe these things you think are crazy but not OK for Palin to believe equally "crazy" things?
.

[polyfoamworkshop]

Wow! Thought provoking and scary @ it's core. I truly believe Ms. Palin is molded strongly by her husband's influence too. Can you imagine, his and her way @ the White House. I think not!

[Happyexpat]

This is a great post. I am well aware of the beliefs of fundamentalists, of their belief in the Rapture and its connection to Israel and all the rest of it. I am certain this ignorant, deluded woman would revel in nuclear desrtuction. The faster the world ends, the faster she gets to heaven. If she were a fundamentalist in an Islamic country she probably would have already blown herself up, along with God knows how many others. This post needs to be seen on Republican sites. As great as it is, on Huff you're preaching to the choir.

[SeriousBlack]

"It's the only heaven we have and you have no right to make it a hell."

Poetically beautifully put.

[ChaiKat]

This is a very good article. My main fear of McCain winning is this woman would be in the VP position, worse, a hair's breath away from being president if anything happened to McCain.

The very fact she advocates the culling of wolves is appalling to me, as well as hunting for sport.

If she was a good Christian she would not be spewing all the hate and lies she's doing on her campaign. This woman wants power in the worst way, and that is something worth being very afraid of.