Saturday 6 September 2008

Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'

Read this and weep, my friends.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jNulPSqaP1eyysv8ENJWhk0ZSrPgD92VJPL00?source=cmailer

Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."

In an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it "God's will."

Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.

"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

A video of the speech was posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.

Palin told graduating students of the church's School of Ministry, "What I need to do is strike a deal with you guys." As they preached the love of Jesus throughout Alaska, she said, she'd work to implement God's will from the governor's office, including creating jobs by building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to North American markets.

"God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.

"I can do my job there in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded," she added. "But really all of that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."

Palin attended the evangelical church from the time she was a teenager until 2002, the church said in a statement posted on its Web site. She has continued to attend special conferences and meetings there. Religious conservatives have welcomed her selection as John McCain's running mate.

The Assemblies of God, which claims nearly 3 million members, is one of the biggest Pentecostal groups in the U.S. Unlike most other Christians — including most evangelicals — Pentecostals believe in "baptism in the Holy Spirit." That can manifest itself through speaking in tongues, modern-day prophesy and faith healing. The Assemblies of God teaches that spirit baptism must be accompanied by speaking in tongues. Still, some churchgoers never have the experience.

Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, lamented Palin's comments.

"I miss the days when pastors delivered sermons and politicians delivered political speeches," he said. "The United States is increasingly diverse religiously. The job of a president is to unify all those different people and bring them together around policy goals, not to act as a kind of national pastor and bring people to God."

The section of the church's Web site where videos of past sermons were posted was shut down Wednesday, and a message was posted saying that the site "was never intended to handle the traffic it has received in the last few days."

Cheers
 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What can you expect from a Republican?

GreenFaith Australia... said...

Denis, are you well. Not a word about the NSW fracas?

Blessings and bliss

Denis Wilson said...

Good to have someone commenting, again.
Not just a Republican, but a Christian Fundamentalist as well. A wonderful combination (not!).
Cheers
Denis

Denis Wilson said...

Hi GreenFaith
As you know, I am never one to jump to conclusions.
I am waiting for the whole debacle to be played out before commenting on the mess which has been created.
We know Morris has gone. Good. Ditto for Frank and some of the others. But Della is back - not sure which Iguana Portfolio he is going to infest.
Still waiting on the announcement of the new Ministry in full.
Cheers
Denis

Unknown said...

Denis, don't mean to be discriminatory on the basis of ethnicity, just wish all the Italians had gone but they've left Trip Over and Della Donga. I had wanted Morrie to go - but when I found out the whole fracas was over Costa Lot, I wanted him back for a minute or two. As for Hanky Panky Frankie - who will the Hanky Panky pass to now?

REMEMBER: "IT IS BY BEING QUIET AND POLITE CITIZENS WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE IGNORED"