Posted on 09/15/2008 4:52:28 PM PDT by markomalley
While the millions of Muslims in America are observing the month of Ramadan and concentrating on gaining as many blessings as possible in this noble month, we would be deaf, dumb, and blind not to be caught up in election fever. Every media outlet is giving non-stop coverage to the contest between the Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama and Vice-Presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden and the Republican candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Given the unpopularity of President George W. Bush and the Democratic leads in polls, most observers have assumed it to be a foregone conclusion that the Democratic candidate would win this November. Up until a few weeks ago that was a pretty safe bet. However, just as the Obama campaign began to loose steam (largely due to failing to play hardball politics with a hard-nosed GOP, many voters reluctance to vote for an African-American, and questions about Obama's background), McCain pulled a rabbit out of the hat by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
There are three main factors that led to McCain choosing this unknown governor of a remote state; gender, culture, and religion. Gender because millions of white women in America who supported Hillary Clinton in her nomination fight with Obama are still angry that Clinton did not win but were not favorable towards McCain. Culture because Palin can reach out to and identify with rural, small town, and voters in deep suburbia like McCain and Obama cannot, due to her small town roots. Religion because Palin was raised Pentecostal and remains an evangelical Christian and these voters make up the base of the Republican Party but had been lukewarm to McCain. Now they are fired up and energized by the choice of Palin.
From a political standpoint I believe McCain made an excellent decision in choosing Palin and that she can help him win this close election (or at least come close). However, as an American and as a Muslim, I am frightened at the choice of Palin.
Reasons I am Frightened
Some of the reasons I am frightened are the facts like those of many others in America, Muslims and non-Muslims; she is the governor of a remote state with more moose than people, before that she was the mayor of a town of 5,000; she has only travelled abroad once and seems to know little about the world, we don't know where she stands on the issues; her personal life is mired in controversy, she has the tendency to be petty and power-hungry; she has never lived in a major city, she has a limited experience with ethnic and racial minorities, she believes man has no role in global warming and her academic record is sub-par.
However, as a Muslim, I am thinking about more than the above stated issues. I applaud Palin for choosing life and having four or five children and admire the traditionalism of her family life. She calls herself a hockey mom, and while this is no qualification for the highest office in the land, I am a firm believer in youth sports. These things do not trouble me, what does trouble me I dare say, is her religious background and the churches she attended.
It may seem odd that a Muslim in America would be troubled by someone else's religion given the fact that it is Islam that many Americans are troubled by and Obama is losing votes because many think he is a Muslim when he is not. But, I am troubled.
Pentecostalism?
America is a largely Christian nation; we have had 42 Protestant presidents and one Catholic, and all four of the main candidates this time around are Christians (McCain and Biden are Catholic and Obama a Protestant). So, my issue is not that Palin is a Christian; rather it is the particular brand of Christianity she has been affiliated with her whole life.
Pentecostalism is only about a century old but it is the fastest growing branch of Christianity in America and throughout the world. Its hallmark is having a strict interpretation of the Bible and lively worship services in which believers speak in "tongues" after supposedly being anointed by what is known as the holy spirit. Of late, Pentecostals have also become big supporters of "prosperity theology", meaning that believers should be rewarded with riches. They have also championed many conservative causes in America.
It is on the issue of Islam where Pentecostals and Palin worry me though. If one were to look at the biggest haters of Islam in the leadership of American Christianity, the majority of them are Pentecostals. Such as Rev. John Hagee of Christians United for Israel , Rev. Rod Parsley ("The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion (Islam) destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore," Parsley states in his book Silent No More) Pat Robertson, who once claimed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was "an absolute wild-eyed fanatic … a robber and a brigand" and on other occasions declared Islam to be Satanic is also a Pentecostal. Pentecostal churches across America regularly hold pro-war rallies and are draped with American flags while the pastors and church members deride Muslims in worship services. The Pentecostal run Trinity Broadcast Network routinely holds anti-Muslim programming for the world to see. Pentecostals also make up the most fervent supporters of Christian Zionism.
Heartbeat Away From A Presidency
As a Pentecostal how much of these beliefs does Palin share? What does she know about Islam and who did she learn it from? In a recorded speech she declared US soldiers to be on a "mission from God" in Iraq. What is this mission? Does she subscribe to the Parsley theory? If she would open herself up to media interviews, and not be protected from questioning as she has thus far, we may get the answers to some of these questions.
McCain is 72 and has had cancer three times and this means that Palin would be a heartbeat away from a presidency held by a frail man. What would this mean for Muslims? How will her religious teachings affect her view on civil liberties towards Muslims? Could a nightmare scenario of Muslims being rounded up in America, until now thought by me to be impossible, become a possibility under a Palin administration? If she believes the troops in Iraq are on God's Mission then will she send soldiers on other "Godly Missions" to other Muslim lands? From where I am sitting Palin is bad news for Muslims and I can only make duah that she does not get her hands on the levers of power.
But it might be good for a few laughs...
If I thought Palin was going to round up all the Muslims, I would vote for her three or four times.
Umar here does seem rather upset.
“It may seem odd that a Muslim in America would be troubled by someone else’s religion given the fact that it is Islam that many Americans are troubled by and Obama is losing votes because many think he is a Muslim when he is not. But, I am troubled.”
He could always hightail it back to a Muslim country since he’s so troubled.
Hunt them down from helicopter or low-flyiing bush plane, dress them out and feed them to the sled dogs...Allah Snackbar!
Oopps! Am I being insensitive?
More reasons to love Palin!
Umar - I suspect you are a ringer.
This writer is an idiot.
1. Strict Biblical interpretation is an indictment? Seriously? It’s not one of those books that you can pick up and say well I like this part but think I will ignore this other part. (Although it did make me laugh - A Muslim telling me that I should treat my Bible like ‘Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul’ - cute.)
2. If the muslims in America and around the world fear a candidate - that is more akin to an endorsement than a cause for concern.
Boo!
Yeah, the Assemblies of God is such a scary and extreme Church that you can read their beliefs right on their main website.
She’s been attending a nondenominational Bible church for six years.
I have been to several Assembly of God churches, and I saw and heard none of what this person is talking about. And even if I did, if they are living Godly lives, and do good works, who cares?
Pentecostal will be another term thrown around to denigrate Christians, just as Evangelical is. There are millions of Christians who are neither, yet they lump us all together. We are only together in our love of Christ.
HAhahaha.
1. Assemblies of God are only very mildly “Pentecostal.”
2. Palin doesn’t belong to an Assembly of God church.
3. She belongs to the Wasilla Bible Church.
4. The Bible Church movement is decidedly NON-Pentecostal (some would say “hostile to” pentacostalism).
Why, cause Sara hunts mooselimbs?
I observe it every morning, right after my cup of coffee. I flush one towards Mecca.
Oh...well...that certainly makes her unfit for any kind of national office, doesn't it.
Me thinks they do protest to much.
I know several people who attend Assembly of God churches who didn’t know the denomination was charismatic until I told them. It is not a point of emphasis in any larger AG church in my area. At most, it may be a part of a Wednesday night service or some sort of prayer meeting during the week.
This Muslim will have a legitimate concern about the Pentecostal "brand of Christianity" when they begin strapping on 'suicide belts' and blowing up innocent people in order to "destroy Islam".
“Palin’s Frightening Pentecostalism (Good for Laughs)
Islam Online”
As a Pentecostal, I would add (considering the source)only that you will find my forehead upon a prayer rug only shortly after it, along with the rest of my melon has been separated from my neck and ROLLED THERE!
Trust, my friends that the detached skull will be surrounded by empty brass and many dead Islomaniacs that would have been soundly dispatched to defile their virgins.
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