A couple days ago, Frederick Clarkson wrote a diary that talked about Palin's church and quoted at length from comments she made and bore witness to at a June 2008 service for young ministers. (This video was originally on the church's web site, but has since been removed.)
Because of Frederick's diary, I was compelled to find the video and see for myself. I was a long time trying to get to sleep that night because of what I saw.
Video, quotes, and comments after the fold.
Part 1
Part 2
Currently the NY Times has a story titled "In Palin’s Life and Politics, Goal to Follow God’s Will". Here are a couple of representative quotes. I strongly encourage reading the article. (You may have to register.)
"Just be amazed at the umbrella of this church here, where God is going to send you from this church," Ms. Palin told the gathering in June of young graduates of a ministry program at the Assembly of God Church, a video of which has been posted on YouTube.
"Believe me," she said, "I know what I am saying — where God has sent me, from underneath the umbrella of this church, throughout the state."
She's been sent by God from underneath the umbrella of a church. I suppose some people are comforted, but I can't help but being a little creeped out by public officials who talk that way.
This is the part that had me up until the wee hours:
In the address at the Assembly of God Church here, Ms. Palin’s ease in talking about the intersection of faith and public life was clear. Among other things, she encouraged the group of young church leaders to pray that "God’s will" be done in bringing about the construction of a big pipeline in the state, and suggested her work as governor would be hampered "if the people of Alaska’s heart isn’t right with God."
She also told the group that her eldest child, Track, would soon be deployed by the Army to Iraq, and that they should pray "that our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God, that’s what we have to make sure we are praying for, that there is a plan, and that plan is God’s plan."
I am a strong believer in freedom of religion and try very hard to allow individuals to have their beliefs without judging them because of those beliefs. (It's hard sometimes, but I try.) But when people who are in public service, especially at the level of state governor, start talking like that, my air raid alarm goes off.
I have to believe that the majority of voting citizens in this country do NOT want that level of religiosity in the highest levels of government. I know their are plenty of people who think that would save this country, yea this world, but they are far from the majority.
Am I wrong?
Be sure to read Frederick Clarkson's diary here.