Insane tongues of war talk
Back to blogging, and might as well set off a firestorm while doing it.
Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin addressing the congregation of her former church, Wasilla Assembly of God:
(Emphasis mine)
Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.
What exactly is she praying for? That our leaders are sending U.S. soldiers out on "a task that is from God"? Does Sarah Palin get a pass because she invokes God as opposed to Allah?
To this life long Republican, this is a deal breaker. I will no longer gloss over insane tongues of war talk particularly when blathered in the name of God.
It has been 45 years since Bob Dylan composed With God on Our Side to discredit and mock the whole notion and naivete of believing that God picks sides in wars, and that He is always on our side.
The song's lyrics are truer than ever now, and sadly they will still be in another 45 years from now.
You insane tongues of war talk
Ain't a-gonna guide my road
Not now or no other time.
- Playboys and playgirls by Bob Dylan
posted by David Cho @ 9/03/2008
18 comments
18 Comments:
As I read what you have quoted, it is like let what we are doing be in your will, O God. She sounds unsure whether it is or not.
I know that we can't definitely know what is on Palin's mind on this issue from this quote alone.
But from having been around Evangelicals most of my life, I know how what she says resonates with them. There is no doubt in their minds that God is on America's side, and Republican politicians have mastered the art of saying the right things and pushing the right buttons to get them to vote.
Beautiful, David. Thank you.
And welcome back! I have a dog-related post up now, come on by.
Hi David, it's good to see you blogging again!
My impression of Sarah Palin is that she is focused, honest, tough, and not of the typical political make-up. I really like her. Maybe because I'm a women, maybe because I'm fairly conservative... I just know that when I heard her speak for the first time I felt like politics as usual had a chance to change. Washington needs a fresh perspective and she seems to be the only fresh face in this race.
In regards to the quote, it sounds more like she's saying to pray for God's plan rather than our own...
Sarah seems smart and she is beautiful, but her ugly sarcasm during the convention speech bothered me.
I've been trying to hold back on commenting on politics in the blogosphere, but I can't help myself.
Palin is scary. She is smart and beautiful. But hypocrisy and deceit are never uglier than in a high profile Christian. Fortunately, her lies are being exposed daily.
If her pastor and other complementarians are so keen on the idea of women being subservient to men and not being in positions of "headship" over men, then how can they possibly endorse Sarah Palin to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States of America? With McCain being 72 and a survivor of several bouts of cancer, she could become the president soon.
I think that McCains former campaign manager and Reagan's former speech writer clearly expressed the opinion of moderate Republicans (non-religious right) when they were caught on mike saying that the choice of Palin is political bullshxt and that she is clearly not qualified. They called her choice a cynical gimmick. But what choice do Republicans have but to go along? It's just like the last election when the candidate was George Bush, an embarrassment to the GOP. Moderate republicans had no choice then either.
I have two sons who are in college. When McCain bombs and invade Iran (unless Bush does it first) our troops strength will stretched too thin. Why do you think Bush is planning a drawdown in Iraq? Eventually a draft will be necessary. I don't want my boys to be cannon fodder. And in this day and age, how long will it be before women will be drafted just like they are in Israel? Will that way be a mission from God too? Probably even more so because it's against the Shi'a extremist mullahs behind Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Not that I have strong feelings on the matter or anything.
Typo; i meant to type: Will that war be a mission from God too?
I can alway relate to anyone who is not afraid to bring God into any senario, especially when they are praying for his will and not ours. God created this world and as far as I'm concerned, he needs to be a part of everything and people need to respect that.
I do not believe God has sides; however, I believe he takes into consideration where the countries involved are headed spiritually. We cannot do anything without our Creator although some of us think we can. No one really knows what God's will is in this situation but we will find out eventually.
Dave, I answered your comment on my blog. Thanks for visiting.
Oh yeah, I'm not saying I'm for Palin, I just admire anyone who believes in God and is not afraid to say so publically or otherwise.
Gray, it's been really entertaining to watch those who share a conservative Evangelical background justify their support for Palin and explaining away their misogynistic theologies.
And don't tell me if a liberal woman with 5 young children were running for office, this same group of people wouldn't excoriate her abandoning her family.
I tried to wade through their truly eye popping contortionist moves through the Bible on various blogs. My head hurts.
Mommabear, I just have trouble with politicizing God, which I think is in violation of the commandment not to take His Name in vain.
Believing in God and saying so is simply not the same thing as putting him in a political box, which is very self-serving.
Dave, I don't understand what you are saying. I believe God belongs everywhere; after all he is the one who created everything. I would by no means use his name in vain. I agree to disagree with you.
I find myself in the curious position of defending what Palin said there, even though I disagree with many of the environmental, energy, and educational positions that she has taken.
I think friar tuck's interpretation is correct. Semantically, it sounds like she is saying that they should pray that our leaders are doing what God wants (which I doubt they are). Feeling as I do that this war was started for all of the wrong reasons, and run in the wrong way, I say this is a good thing to pray for.
However, even better would be to pray for something that really makes sense. That the war end soon. That our soldiers can heal, those who have survived. And that the people of Iraq can know something besides a choice between harsh dictatorship and war.
Magneto, your last paragraph makes a lot of sense.
I agree completely with Magneto's last paragraph, also.
Gash I LOVE your blogs.The one on christian-ese sucked me in. Someday when I learn to write gooder I'll blog too, until then I'll lurk. I have to agree with friar, gretchen, magneto and the others who thought Palin was saying we should pray for Gods plan and not ours. semantics, eh. but i know how easy it is to get tangled up in words when we already have a strong opinion about something or someone or both. You should write books.
The "insane tongues of war talk" quote is from Ye Playboys and Playgirls, not With God On Our Side. Doesn't take away anything, just a clarification. Or correction. Whichever seems softer.
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