Palin’s Apocalypse

It’s impossible to put 1 billion Christians into one box – they’re all different. But let me try and put them into two. I’ve met good Christians and bad Christians. In my view, the good Christians are the ones that are filled with love, gratitude for all life and a large dose of philosophical maturity. The bad Christians entertain fear, condemnation, self-righteousness and polarised views.

Good Christians see the world in terms of universals such as humanity, compassion for all beings and an understanding in the fundamental goodness of life. Bad Christians have a “my group is better than your group” and “I hate/condemn you because the bible says…” and “The kingdom of heaven is a far away place and it is only for some people when they die” and ignore Luke 17:21 which says “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you” meaning that it is inside Muslims, athiests… everyone, right here, right now, today, always – and it just has to be uncovered.

Sarah Palin appears to belong to the group that polarises and condemns, but since she is shielded from voters no one has been able to ask her what she really believes. Check this out for more details:

Click here to view a very interesting video about Sarah Palin’s beliefs, including clips from her church in Wasilla.

By Harry Hanbury.

Does Sarah Palin believe in the Anti-Christ? Does she believe true Christians will be whisked up to heaven sometime in the near future? Does she expect Jesus to come back to earth in our lifetime and battle the armies of Satan? Which nations would participate in the Battle of Armageddon, and whose side would they be on? These questions seem far out, but they’re not. They cut to the core of Palin’s perspectives on who holds power in our world, on humanity’s future, and on foreign affairs.

They are urgent questions that Charlie Gibson, Katie Couric, and many others in the media have failed to ask. According to Chip Berlet, a leading expert on the Christian right, mainstream reporters tend to view apocalyptic fundamentalists as a “silly little side show” in American political life, when, in fact, one such participant in that show, Sarah Palin, may soon be a heartbeat away from the most powerful office in the world.

While producing the American News Project video Palin’s Apocalypse, I’ve been astonished at how the media avoid these questions like kryptonite – presumably for fear of being branded anti-religious or becoming the target of a boycott by fundamentalists. But Berlet, who identifies himself as “Christian and a reporter,” urges his colleagues to overcome their fears. The stakes now could not be higher. Someone — ideally the moderator of Thursday night’s vice-presidential debate — must speak up.

Millions have now seen the video from this past June of Palin speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God. But Palin’s Apocalypse contains some important new clips. The most troubling come from Pastor Thomas Trask, who was, until last year, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, the very conservative Pentecostal denomination that Palin has been affiliated with for most of her life. (Although she claims not to be Pentecostal anymore, she still attends an Assemblies of God church in Juneau.) Trask says that the second coming of Christ could happen at any moment because “we are living in that very moment in God’s time clock today.” He also speaks of the prophetic role of Israel, and he literally applauds the coming of the Apocalypse.

Another clip that will be new to many shows Pastor Ed Kalnins of the Wasilla Assembly of God expanding on the idea that during the so called “last days” leading up to the apocalypse, Alaska will be a “refuge state,” along with “Wisconsin” and “one other in the lower 48.”

We ask our political candidates all kinds of questions – from when human life begins to what kind of underwear they wear. But we rarely probe their religious paradigms. It’s possible that Palin does not believe in the Anti-Christ, the Rapture, or an impending battle at Armageddon, but the American people deserve to hear what she does believe . . . and why she has, for her entire adult life, followed pastors who preach that human history as we know it is drawing to a close.

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McCain is an Angry Gambler

By Amb. Richard C. Holbrooke.

[...] The manner in which each man approached problems was strikingly different. McCain understandably emphasized his own personal experiences, but almost never made clear what he thought was the larger purpose of policy. Each problem was treated on its own, and McCain’s proposed policies were invariably confrontational. John McCain’s world focuses almost entirely on threats. Obama usually agreed with McCain on the nature of these threats, but his proposals for action were more insightful, sophisticated, and comprehensive, and, unlike McCain’s, included the use of diplomatic and economic and moral power.

These striking differences were not simply debate tactics; they highlighted differences between the two men that are in their DNA. One is the product of the brawling traditions of the United States Navy, and survival under unimaginable conditions in a Hanoi prison. John McCain has prevailed in life not by seeking common ground (ironically, the most notable exception was his historic voyages of forgiveness to Vietnam). What has kept him energized (and alive) is his enormously combative style, which he proudly calls “maverick,” and his quick, sometimes pre-emptive attacks on opponents. It is not a criticism to say that he is a gambler; he said so himself in his memoirs and in the debate.

Although Barack Obama articulates his positions in a calm, methodical, and understated way, he is clearly just as tough as McCain, or he would never have come this far in life, against unbelievable odds. But he thinks about how to solve problems in a manner much more conducive to successful governance than McCain. While he made clear he is ready to use military force if necessary, his life and career embodies the search for common ground between peoples of different backgrounds, different races, different points of view. During the debate he often emphasized the non-military aspects of American power–including diplomacy backed by American muscle, the restoration of respect for the nation, and the direct link between America’s economic strength and its national security.

Astonishingly, McCain had virtually nothing to say on any of these issues–yet these are the tools that must be precisely balanced and deployed with skill if the nation is to regain its leadership position in the world.

This difference was reinforced by the much-noted failure of McCain to look in Obama’s direction or address him directly during the debate, and by the grim looks that left many viewers with the impression McCain was just plain angry.

The overall effect was exactly the opposite of what McCain hoped to achieve: Obama showed that he could handle the frontal assaults of an aggressive and seasoned senator-war hero in the very area McCain was perceived to be strongest. Obama offered the larger vision for the nation–and a reassuring sense he would approach issues with the seriousness they required. The gambling, brawling style of John McCain has its attractive side to Americans, but it is not what we need in the White House in these troubled times.

American Capitalism

Soviet Communism is gone. Who would have thought it would go the way that it did? Perhaps American Capitalism will go too. Perhaps we will see America devolve into separate states.

McCain recently wrote this very unfortunate sentence: “Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.”

Where is Sarah Palin?

CNN’s Campbell Brown called on the McCain team to free Sarah Palin, denouncing their use of her as sexist and infantilizing. “Stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment,” Brown argued. “This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong, she is tough, she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. … Sarah Palin has as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do.”

Veep Debate Approaches As Conservatives Abandon Palin

Kathleen Parker

Why are Republicans, who are smart enough to know better, supporting Palin? She is not anywhere near the right person for the job. Republicans should admit this before it is too late.

From Jason Linkins:

While Sunday pundits offered up a modicum of critique toward some of Joe Biden’s gaffiest moments of the week – like inventing the television early for Franklin Delano Roosevelt – stronger concern was directed at the GOP ticket, and the lousy week that Sarah Palin has had. Truth be told, once you got past the Friday debate and the ongoing financial crisis, the next biggest figure on the radar this Sunday was National Review’s Kathleen Parker, who, amid a larger call for Palin to step down from the ticket of her own volition, admitted:

I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.
Parker’s been the leading voice of Palin concern – at least this week! The Politico notes a general air of concern among party officials, and there have been rumors of “disastrous” attempts at mock-debates and pretend-press conferences.

Of course, there’s the old adage: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” which RADAR’s Alex Balk notes is being twisted into something different for Palin: “If you must say something nice, do so on condition of anonymity.” That’s a trend Palin cannot afford to have continue.

Not to belabor the point, but Fareed Zakaria begins his column on the matter by saying: “Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony?” Naturally, I only object to the “her agony” part.

Presidential Debate Results

CNN’s poll has all Obama winning overall, on the economy and on Iraq:

Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?
Obama 51%
McCain 38%

Who Would Better Handle Economy?
Obama 58%
McCain 37%

Who Would Better Handle Iraq?
Obama 52%
McCain 47%

Independents in the MediaCurves focus group “gave the debate to Obama 61-39. They also think he won every individual segment. Republicans gave the debate to McCain 90-10, Democrats to Obama 93-7.”

And even Time’s Mark Halperin weighs in with his grades: Obama A-, McCain B-.

Letter to America

I just watched the presidential debate and saw Obama speak with intelligence, strength and wisdom about America’s situation and how it should behave in the world. I was impressed. McCain was not so impressive. He babbled about things… like having visited some distant countries – as if that made him an expert on foreign policy. His running mate Sarah “I can see Russia from my house” Palin is using the same tactic.

So I was aghast when the commentators on Fox and CNN didn’t realise what a beat-down McCain had taken from Obama. Then it occurred to me just how blind America is. America cannot see its own situation, but the rest of the world can see it clearly. Just as sometimes we struggle to understand our own problems, but see our neighbour’s problem with clarity.

I lived in America from 2005-2007 and found that Americans are essentially good people but even the smartest ones have been raised on mistruths and cultural arrogance. I had many experiences of people asking me if I intended to live in USA forever. It took me a while to understand the American point of view. The American view is that America is the best country in the world. It is like sitting at a table with a bunch of people and saying “I am the best person at the table.” America’s attitude is beyond patriotism – it is arrogance, blindness, weakness.

Americans should know that the rest of the western world is not scrambling to live in America. Perhaps there are lots of Mexicans and Third Worlders who want to go there, but there is far more freedom in western countries (England, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada etc) than in America. There used to be more interest in living in America from the western world before the GWB administration, but that has gone now.

In 2004, the whole world looked to America to vote out George Bush for his unilateral war based on fictional evidence of WMD in Iraq. The WHOLE WORLD knew it was a ruse. But in America the war wasn’t the dominant issue. The election was about abortion, gay marriage and other minor issues that have advanced under the Bush Administration (These minor issues have no part in elections in mature nations).

At that point the world knew that the American empire had peaked and was now in decline. George Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld ruined America.

Now in 2008 the whole world can again see America’s situation and knows that America’s best choice is Sen. Obama. Sen. McCain’s war record, support of wedge issues and rhetoric have no power over western observers. We see the big picture about what is best for America: foreign policy, economy, health care etc. With all honesty about 90% of the western world supports Obama. I’m not exaggerating.

Update: See Sydney Morning Herald article about overwhelming support for Obama.

Why don’t Republicans admit to McCain’s unspeakably bad choice of VP??? Why do they support such foolishness. Clearly, she is clueless and utterly incompetent at a presidential level. She has no idea about war or the economic meltdown. And much of America cannot/doesn’t want to see this.

The rest of the world is actually quite impartial about whether a Republican or Democratic is president. We don’t care either way. We do care about competent leadership, good behaviour in foreign affairs, and being able to run an economy without financial meltdown.

But America has a long history of bad behaviour and questionable motives. As David Lange, our former Prime Minister here in New Zealand said, “New Zealand has values, America has interests.”

When 200,000 people turned up to hear Obama speak in Berlin, I realised that America will probably pick McCain. They will pick him because he is the wrong choice, just like George Bush so clearly was in 2004. America’s adolescent rebelliousness will revolt against prudence.

I hope that Obama wins and restores some integrity to USA.

Report: McCain Aides Complain That Palin Is “Clueless”

Radio talk show host Ed Schultz reports:

Capitol Hill sources are telling me that senior McCain people are more than concerned about Palin. The campaign has held a mock debate and a mock press conference; both are being described as “disastrous.” One senior McCain aide was quoted as saying, “What are we going to do?” The McCain people want to move this first debate to some later, undetermined date, possibly never. People on the inside are saying the Alaska Governor is “clueless.”

On Friday, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker said that after seeing Palin in interviews, she thinks the vice presidential nominee should drop out.

Disney Makes Sarah Palin Movie

After hearing Matt Damon’s brilliant comparison of a Sarah Palin presidency to a bad Disney movie, CollegeHumor said “Let’s make a trailer for what that movie would look like.”

YouTube has removed the video. Follow this link to find it: Palin Movie