Every candidate in this whole election cycle has been a Christian. The only difference is that she is the only one that’s not even halfway qualified for the job and lacks the curiosity to become qualified.

Gene if all of the candidates were Christian then the media would not be attacking Sara Palins christianity. Obama too was scrutinized regarding his religion, and though voicing that he is a Christian, he is not acting that way. Look at his stand on Roe vs. Wade, he is still not voicing concern that it should be abolished or changed. He is actually following socialist policies. Please read his stand on issues of abortion, homosexuality, hate crimes etc. He is planning to raise taxes to pay for more programs. We don’t need the programs he is planning, but we do need the decrease in non-essential programs, such as tobacco subsidies, backing of the government in financing of abortions, programs where condoms are issued at school,financing of GLSN and family planning where abortions are promoted as an alternate option to pregnancy. Obama said on TV and I heard him not once but numerous times state that his primary allegiance is to Africa and then the USA, and then spreading the wealth around by increasing taxes on those mom and pop businesses that are struggling to keep themselves and their 2-5 employess afloat. More taxation to those people is unfair. They work 11 to 15 hours a day and all they get for their hard work will be more taxation to the individual enterpreneur. I say tax those with over a million a year vs: 250,00 a year. I pray blessing in Gods name to you, may he bless you in all your pursuits.

Help! How do I get a McCain sticker off without scratching my bumper or leaving a residue?

“It strikes God-o-Meter that the firestorm of Palin criticism from elites–both liberal and conservative–is not fueled by Palin’s apparently Biblical worldview but by the fact that that worldview appears to be the major reason McCain selected her as his running mate”
According to some recent polls, Palin is considered to be unqualified by about 55% of registered voters. That’s an awful lot of elites. The criticism of Palin is not at all about her Biblical worldview or because McCain picked her for it. I can’t say I’ve read or heard everything that’s been said about Palin, but most of the criticism is not about her religion but about her lack of knowledge of current affairs.
In terms of Karen’s comment that Obama is not a Christian because he does not believe what she believes….there are a lot of people that she would exclude as Christians, probably the majority of the country. As far as the rest of her comments go, Obama’s not a socialist. But, since McCain is proposing some programs that tackle the same issues, I guess he’s a “socialist” too. I’m not sure why taxing those above 1 mill is less “socialist” than taxing those over 250k. Yikes…I guess Karen is a “socialist” too.

There have been very defensible critiques of Palin, but also overheated attacks on Palin — such as the charge that she is not a “real” woman, whatever the heck that means. The latter have been fueled by the attackers’ perception that Palin is “not one of us.” I figure that is based on her social conservatism, which is not quite the same thing as her bible church religion.
But if the criticism was in reaction not to Palin’s worldview, but McCain’s expolitation of Palin to win evangelical votes, I would think the critics would be blasting McCain, not Palin. So I think this post is wrong on that score.

What I find truly amazing here – Christians offended, bothered and/or surprised at the possibility that the media could be targeting Palin because of her Christian beliefs. In all fairness to the “liberal media elite,” I seriously doubt this to be the sole reason behind their criticism of her. I think for some Christians this gives them the ammunition, i.e. Dobson, to feel fully justified in their hatred and distain of liberals, Democrats, the media, or any other group perceived to be “against us.” Jesus was not a popular man among the religious establishment of his day because he challenged the status quo of a religion that did more to keep people out of the Kingdom of God than liberate them to realization and possibility of full inclusion. Jesus said we must not be surprised by opposition to his kingdom and that we should love those who hate us and pray always for our enemies. This attitude is the opposite of Dobson’s who, with regularity and frequency, attacks all those who he preserves to be his enemies. If Palin is truly targeted for the reasons Dobson propagates, then that should come as no surprise to any of us who are Christians.

Karen says: “If all the candidates where Christian then the media would not be attacking Sarah Palin’s Christianity.”
I got news for you
Karen, all the candidate ARE Christian. The problem is that Sarah’s wearing her Faith on her sleeve and talking like the Devil with all her hate and fear language.
The candidate who is talking the Walk is Obama, who has stayed, calm, focused on the issues and he believes that he has a better way than McCain and the Bush policies of the past.
Colin Powell prefers him and I trust his judgment. Just because you choose to bring a life into the world who is disadvantaged doesn’t qualify you for the vice presidency.

Just because someone believes that it should be a personal choice as to when/where someone brings a child into to the world doesn’t mean that he/she is pro-abortion. Obama doesn’t want to use tax dollars to finance abortions. He wants to protect the rights of women everywhere to make their own choices when faced with such a personal dilemna. I just don’t understand how a perfect stranger could pretend to make such a choice for someone they have never met who finds themselves in a position to have to make that choice. I thought the Republican party was partially about keeping the government out of our family life and wanted the right to personal choices. This adamant stance against freedom of choice flies in the face of such statements. The fact of the matter is, that no one who is “pro-choice” encourages or promotes abortion as the “right” choice. We merely respect the rights of women to make the choice that they feel is right in their life. I don’t ever want anyone to find themselves in a position to want or need an abortion, but I respect their rights. Obama also respects their rights. He want to give young girls that will become women and young boys who will become men, the opportunity to avoid such situations by giving them accurate information on how to prevent both pregnancy and disease. ABSTINENCE only programs don’t work! I believe that Bristol Palin is a perfect example of that truth. And, no, Democrats also don’t want their children fornicating in the streets just because condoms are accessible. I am a product of a decent sex education class in school and an abstinence only family stance. I would like to say that it was a perfect combination. I chose to wait until I had sex until I felt I was old enough and ready. When I did have sex I had the wherewithal and knowledge to protect myself. The same cannot be said of those in abstinence only programs. If you think that the issues of abortion and sex ed are the biggest ones of this election then you are sorely out of touch.
Furthermore, Obama’s tax plan actually helps the majority of citizens in the country. I don’t know what your combined household income is, but if it is more than $250k, then you should pay a little more in taxes. The simple fact is that most people don’t make that kind of money. I’m a doctor and my husband has a M.B.A., while we are close to that range, we still have a ways to go. Just as Biden said, it is every American’s duty to pay taxes. Nothing is free, not even freedom. Each and every one of us enjoys the benefits of certain socialist programs like the police and fire department, paved roads/highways, parks/forest preserves, garbage pick-up, and SOCIAL SECURITY. The Republican party has done a wonderful job of convincing some citizens that taxes only go toward helping the poverty stricken uneducated minorities in this country. They have also done an excellent job of selling the fantasy that we are all going to be rich and that paying taxes is going to keep us from fulfilling that fantasy. The simple fact is that we all benefit from taxes and the programs funded by them. Also, most people will never ever achieve making $250k, educated white collar professional or blue collar worker.
Obama is as Christian as any of us who proclaims to be. Who is anyone to judge someone else’s faith? I dare to say that God would not approve of that behavior. Stop judging. God speaks to everyone who is willing to listen. What this country needs is a true return to separation of church and state just as the fore fathers intended. They were so passionate about it that they wrote it in the constitution. Unfortunately, religion, not God, seems to have really gotten in the way of running the country. It also seems to have a divisive effect on the citizens of these United States…ironic, isn’t it?

Yes, I believe that God will be in charge of the election. This is my prayer, but I believe that Obama is on God’s side. The main message of Jesus was brotherly love.
How can a party claim to be “pro-life” and be so anxious to go to war to kill, often the innocent.
God is not a Republican or a Democrat, a Baptist or Methodist. We do not create God in our own image. The magnificent Creator of all created us.
As for the elimination of gay rights, recently I heard the following statistic in a documentary. 1 in 2000 are born what is now being called “middle-sexed”. These individuals have both female and male genitalia; and their sex is physically undetermined by human eye at birth. Often the doctor may choose one sex or the other surgically for an infant or young child.
A dear friend of mine was born this way.
God created my friend.
Since a “middle-sexed” person is created by God showing physical characteristics of both sexes, whoever a middle-sexed person chooses to date and marry, he/she is in a same-sex marriage. This doesn’t even consider those individuals with other biological implications influening their sexual-orientation decisions.
Shouldn’t we leave such issues between the individual and God instead of judging.
What happened to the verse, judge not that ye be not judged.
Whatever happened to teaching the Sermon on the Mount or the only two Great Commandments Jesus taught.
If Jesus came back today, I believe he would cry when he saw how petty and exclusive our churches and theologies have become.

Angel — I certainly agree that Senator Obama is a Christian. Anyone who wants to criticize his faith needs to remember the verse about first tending to the speck in our own eye.
As to abortion, we can all agree that there are some freedoms that should never be restricted. And we all agree that some freedoms can be restricted: contrary to the practice centuries ago, the government here has taken away from parents the freedom to get rid of (born) children they do not want to keep, due to handicap or other reasons. Most of us have no problem imposing our beliefs on others by forbidding them from ditching their baby in a dumpster. Our disagreement is not about the importance of individual freedom, its about the moral significance of a human fetus at conception, one month, eight months, etc.
Finally, I stopped at your statement that Sen. Obama does not favor public funding of abortion. I have heard otherwise, and find that he voted to repeal the “Mexico City” rule against US funding of programs that provide abortions in other countries. Also, I looked around and found the material posted below. If Sen. Obama has more recently said he opposes public funding of abortion, I would like to know about it, as I have been telling people the opposite.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/210vssua.asp:
In a speech before Planned Parenthood last July, Barack Obama said: “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.” Obama is a co-sponsor of the act, which would prohibit discrimination against abortion through the “regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information”–i.e. if government funds childbirth, government must fund abortion.
Following Obama’s Planned Parenthood speech last July, the Chicago Tribune reported: “Asked about his proposal for expanded access to health insurance, Obama said it would cover ‘reproductive-health services.’ Contacted afterward, an Obama spokesman said that included abortions.” So Obama supports taxpayer funding not just for Medicaid recipients’ abortions. In principle, he supports coverage for anyone who wants it.
I also do not agree that Bristol Palin proves that “abstinence only” programs don’t work. If Chelsea Clinton had gotten pregnant at 17 that would not have proved anything about the validity of her Dad’s sex ed. policies. And for all we know Bristol and her boyfriend used a condom and it failed.

Mark G,
Re “the charge that she is not a “real” woman, whatever the heck that means.”
Never heard that charge being levelled – anywhere by anyone! (Maybe you confused Palin with Hilary Clinton, of whom I’ve heard that very charge, often. But I can understand your confusion – they both have ovaries) – but, um, isn’t Palin the one talking about just who is and who isn’t a “real” American (whatever the heck that means)?
Re “The latter have been fueled by the attackers’ perception that Palin is “not one of us.”
Again, it is Palin who is talkng about those (liberals) who are “not one of us”.
It’s merely the politics of division. Worked well for Bush; for McPalin, not so much. Maybe Americans got smarter (or just tired of the smears).
Hey Dan, good to see your ‘numbers’ are up (average 4.7 comments per blog post, including this one of mine – glad to help), but I still think Time is not getting their money’s worth.

“The God-o-Meter (pronounced Gah-DOM-meter)” is on the right side of this web page. Meter is two syllables.

Recovering — Maybe we have a bit in common; I used to be a holy-roller myself.
As to the “real woman” thing, I was thinking of the essay by Wendy Doniger, a professor at the University of Chicago, published in Newsweek, in which she said of Palin, “her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.” Again, whatever the heck that means.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/wendy_doniger/2008/09/all_beliefs_welcome_unless_the.html
I agree with you that Palin should not have made the comment about “pro-American parts of the country,” implicitly suggesting that there are anti-american parts. I thought she had backed down from that statement (as much as any politician ever does).
As for the politics of division, I have never seen an election in which the candidates on both sides did not seek to energize their team by demonizing the other team and its players. It’s human nature for us to keenly notice the unfairness of the attacks on “our” team, but not notice that the attacks on the other side are also unfair.
To me, Palin is a bit like a Rorschach ink blot. What we know about her is still a bit ambiguous. Thus, the differing reactions to her sometimes tell us as much about the people doing the reacting as they tell us about her.

I am so saddened and embarrassed that those that have acknowledge that they are Christians act as heathens. Christians are to have the attributes of Christ and right now, all I see is fleshly carnal bickering. Palin says her faith is worn on her sleeve, however, I am beginning to question if she has a sleeve.

I don’t think it is her so-called Christianity we hold against her. It is her lying about the pork she took, her Spiro Agnew/Richard Nixon like thinking: if I want to do it, it must be right. Her enemies list. She tried to censor the books in the library and charge rape victims big bucks for the kit they use to take evidence. None of that is Christianity. I also object to her trashy virulence, another example of her un-Christianity. If Hillary Clinton had ever talked like that, the Republicans would be all over her, but it is okay for Palin? I think not.

I disagree with Mr. Gilgoff here. I don’t think the main reason for the “firestorm of Palin criticism” is due to McCain’s choice of Palin because of her world view. That may be one reason, but not the main one. The main reason for the “firestorm” (and it’s not just from “elites”, BTW; I’ve heard a lot of “everyday people” express their misgivings and Palin, and about McCain because he chose Palin) is that she is obviously unqualified and out of her depth. She proved she is out of her depth, and lacks the courage to admit it, in the basically slow-pitch interviews she gave with Gibson and Couric. Another reason is the fact that she is younger and less experienced than Obama, and his youth and experience had been one of McCain chief talking points.
I think more and more people, evangelical Christians included, have had it with the religious right’s whininess and victim mentality, especially when it comes to the press.

I am personally pro-life and feel that Roe V. Wade is actually a good law for one reason, 1) No matter my opinion or hopes women WILL get abortions, so wouldn’t it be better if they got them in the safety of a doctor’s office than going back to what happened in the past that if you couldn’t afford a real abortion you went to some back alley where an abortion was done with a wire coat hanger. Also, Palin is talking about how Joe the Plumber is being attacked. He is not being attacked for trying to get a straight answer but for the fact that he lied, which last time I checked wasn’t a very christian thing do. And to say that you are praying for God’s perfect will to be done so that McCain-Palin wind up in the white house is tatamount to saying God, please remove the free will, which in your infinite wisdom provided only to humans, from those who would vote for Obama, or at least keep them from exercising their fundamental right/responsibility as an American to vote. Also it is presuming to know God’s will, maybe God’s will is for Obama to be President, I don’t presume to know God’s will for the entire country, heck I don’t even presume to know God’s will for me, I just ask that he guide me to where he would have me be and have faith that I am moving in the right direction. The fact is that each of these candidates is Christian and the problem that these folks have with it is that they don’t necessarily buy into the same brand of Chritianity and that is more attacking them than I have ever heard Palin being attacked, in fact I have rarely heard about her being attacked about her religous views, her incompetence yes, constantly, but only little about her religous views…it’s called the first ammendment and she is free to believe what she wants to believe, even if I don’t agree with her.

I concur with the other posters, the writer, and most thinking Americans, her religious beliefs are her own to have & to hold. While no Republican, I felt Huckabee to be the best qualified of their candidates, and his religious views are pretty much just as conservative. However, Huckabee also has a far better grasp of the issues, seems to be little influenced by what others think (yeah, guess HE’S really the Maverick), and has a good, down-to-earth perspective, one that is sincerely heart-influenced, & a great sense of humor, as well.
Unlike Palin, his religious views & values are far more apparent in this actions & behavior, and comments, than she. While she is the well ($$$) dressed attack-dog, withheld from access by the press, and has no problem spewing vitriol & unfounded innuendo, it’s also quite obvious she is woefully unprepared for the presidency (the primary qualification of a vice-president)….
Even her high-visibility supporters remark she is “not ready now”, but believe she “will be”, by the time, if it occurs, that she would have to take the reins… Well, that’s not really good enough. That her lack of qualifications has been wrongly characterized from her introduction to America, it is NOT “experience” (since no one has any until they become president), even “executive experience”, that is most important, otherwise we’d see a string of CEOs as president. Far more important, are the qualities Gen. Powell recently laid out in his thoughtful & sincere endorsement of Barack Obama, the very same qualities sorely lacking in Gov. Palin.
Only those wishing to buy into the P.T. Barnum-like selling of Palin as capable & ready now, the one America needs in the White House, and who consciously choose to suspend common sense & reason, much less intelligence, continue to show up to cheer & roar approval. The rest of us are secure (however uneasily) in believing this simply can’t represent the majority of Americans, for in these critical & dangerous times, the last thing we need is an ill-prepared person at the wheel……

To Al Vrieze –
There’s a product named “Goo Gone” that works wonders for removing stickers. Look for it at your local grocery store, drug store or hardware store.
You’ll be able to get that McCain sticker off really easily…and after you wipe away the Goo Gone, that spot will be ready for a “Christians for Obama” (http://www.cafepress.com/M25store) or “Believers for Obama” (http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/bs24193.htm) sticker!
: )

To the all high and mighty (especially the first Karen) – What do you call a member of the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal church with tenets that equate drinking with “satanic behavior” and yet pander to Joe Six Pack for votes ? A “Sell-out” to be nice. Let’s not kid ourselves to see what it is all about – - Getting votes at all costs. Wake up – you are being played.

I have taken it upon myself to respond on every website I read which includes some comment to the effect that “Palin is unqualified.”
Let’s see what the U.S. constitution says about that. Must be 35 years old, a US citizen born in the USA.
The rejoinded that is sure to come — “Oh, give me a break. You know what we mean.” — leads to my next point:
A governor is unqualified to lead? Jimmy Carter was unqualified to lead? Teddy Roosevelt was unqualified to lead?
And then the rejoinder, “Oh, you know what we mean. She’s dumb!”
Really? I taught high school for 33 years. I know dumb. Sarah Palin is anything but dumb.
There is a snob factor at work whenever anyone says she’s dumb. They don’t like her dialect. Strange that John Steinbeck, one of America’s most important 20th writers, wrote at a 4th grade level.
It’s a sad truth that many people, after hearing a man speak polysyllabically and incomprehesibly for thirty minutes will respond, “Man, he’s smart.”
No, sorry, big words don’t equal intellect. Churchill fought for the little words because in them is the power of English, the Anglo-Saxon words that touch us archetypally.
The only ground I will yield on the Palin is unqualified argument is that she hasn’t been in the national/global political realm up to this point. She needs time in the sphere to develop the rapport that will come (she’s making great strides already).
But then again, what about Obama? He isn’t a heartbeat away, he’s the aorta itself. And he has less executive experience than Palin.
So please, stop with the Palin is unqualified arguments. They reveal a mind that fastens onto cliches rather than insights.

I’m gonna choose not to answer that question and just talk d’reckly to thu Beliefnet comboxers, ‘kay?
Mrs. Palin is unethical (convicted), a bully (wanted her ex-brother-in-law fired – SPITE or what?), mean-spirited (charges rape victims for their medical examination kits), a liar (“He’s pallin’ around with tairists”), absolutely and utterly un-qualified in foreign affairs, despite the view from her porch), and the economy (doesn’t know what the Bush Doctrine is), a would-be censor (the fired librarian affair), stoopid (still doesn’t know what the job of the VP is), a hypocrite (mocks the ‘elite’ whilst wearin’ her $170,000.00 wardrobe), a non-Christian (charges rape victms for their medical examination kits), not a very nice person (won’t even reprimand the “Kill him!” horde), wants to change the Constitution to enshrine discrimination in it, is inarticulate, unaware (can’t even name a single Supreme Court case with which she either agrees or disagrees), etc.
I get tired of typin’ the very, very, very long list of reasons she is so NOT qualified to be Commander-in-Chief.
So please, stop with the Palin is qualified rant. They reveal a mind that fastens onto unreality.

Yeah Max, I assume since your “mission” is to post your weak case for Palin’s readiness for the presidency means you won’t return to answer any refutations, of course, so I’ll just note a couple things…
1. Simply being a governor hardly means one is suited, prepared, or much less “smart” enough to be a good president. I know my governor isn’t, and I’m sure plenty others aren’t as well.
2. Your argument loses, primarily due to it being based upon a set of incorrect assumptions, those YOU may think are the reasons we & many millions more, (including numerous intelligent conservative Republicans), used to determine her unworthiness for office. The problems with her are NOT “her dialect”, any lack of using”big words”, nor her lack of national political exposure, sorry…
The post directly before mine notes some of the more accurate reasons, and since you are probably long gone, I’ll not add more. And please, this debate over who’s got the most “executive experience” is nothing more than a diversionary canard…
It is ironic, that if you buy into that rationale, then the ONLY “qualified” candidate running is Sarah Palin, as none of the others have any…. and that truly is a joke.
I’d suggest you open your mind, and perhaps read the very eloquent & sincere reasons that those Republican conservatives who’ve come out for Barack (Powell, Buckley, Hitchins, Eisenhower, Buffet, Volker, etc. ) have written, you’ll see that most of us who see her as not ready for prime time, do not, for the silly reasons you think….