Posted on 09/21/2008 10:29:24 PM PDT by goldstategop
In case you didn't notice, there is a concerted war on serious biblical faith in our post-Christian society.
And that's why, any day now, you can expect Sarah Palin to be asked a question designed to knock her right out of the race for the vice presidency.
It won't be a question about the Bush Doctrine.
It won't be a question about her teenage daughter.
It won't be a question about Alaska state troopers.
It won't even be a question about abortion.
None of those questions threaten to deliver a killer blow to her bid to be the first woman vice president in the United States.
But, even as you read this column, some devious, partisan hack of a reporter or producer is preparing to ask her a series of questions that could – if she's not properly prepared for it.
Here's the way it will go:
Reporter: You are a born-again Christian who is serious about your faith, am I right?
Palin: That's right. It's the guiding influence in my life.
Reporter: As such, you believe that only those who repent of their sins and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior go to heaven. Is that right?
Palin: That's what the Bible teaches. Yes.
(Then comes the punch meant to be a devastating body blow.)
Reporter: So, therefore, you believe that Jews and Muslims, Hindus and Bahais, Buddhists and pagans all go to hell. Is that right?
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
"Palin: I know exactly why you are asking that question in this forum. You want to play the "gotcha" game. You want a headline from this interview. You want something sensational. You want me to say something controversial and provocative and maybe even offensive to millions of Americans of other faiths. But I'm not going to play that game with you. I have already told you what I believe about salvation and redemption. It's the same belief hundreds of millions of other Christians around the world share. I am firmly committed to my faith just as others are committed to their faiths. I respect the faiths of others, just as I hope they respect my beliefs. This is a serious issue that cannot be adequately addressed in bumper sticker slogans and sound bites. Therefore, I'm not going to fall for that bait. I love to talk about my faith. That's something I'm qualified to do. I welcome the chance to talk about the issues facing this country today. That's something I'm qualified and prepared to do. But I'm not going to talk about the faith of others. Nice try. Next question."
This is exactly the right answer. They hope she chooses either an answer that will alienate evangelical Christians or turn off moderate and secular voters. To wit:
#Palin: Yes, unfortunately, all those people are currently destined for hell. Unless we can reach them with the gospel and the saving grace offered by Jesus, they are doomed to eternal torment in the lake of fire.
# Palin: No, there are actually other ways to heaven. I think if we're just good people in this world of ours, God will reward us.
# Palin: I just don't know the answer to that question, and I'm not sure of its relevance to this campaign.
I hope she's going to give lots of thought to being prepared for the "gotcha" question about faith. This is where the MSM hopes to find the chink in her armor. With the debate coming up next month, its sure to come up. Let's pray Sarah is ready.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
she doesn’t hold of replacement theology. I think she made it clear in the hannity interview
Palin is not as dumb as Farah.
I thought she answered it well in the Hannity interview when she said she does not seek to impose her faith on others.
If someone asks her your specific question, she should just brush it aside and say she will be Vice President of all Americans, of whatever faith or of no faith at all.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I think a good quick answer would be that her religion is a private matter between her and her God and it’s really nobody else’s business.
My Video Response to Matt Damon
Please rate it and feel free to comment also (comments must be approved to keep out the vulgar posts)
LIke everything else about this woman, whenever the name Sarah Palin is mentioned by someone, that someone reveals more about himself or herself than about Sarah.
The correct answer is:
When John McCain is elected president, he will have no power to send people to heaven or decide their fate in the afterlife. That decision is up to God.
But one thing you can be sure of, with a McCain/Palin victory, the world will be one step closer to the freedom necessary to allow all people to make choices about faith, free of persecution and fear.
We are all saved the same way that Abraham and Rahab were.
This is what happens when you lost sight of your true purpose--reporting--in favor of your self-appointed role of advocacy.
“I am not God. He will deal with those whom you have mentioned as He sees fit. I am neither God’s judge nor his instructor. I love those people and you with a love that God commands. Are you asking because you would like to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?”
"Our constitution guarantees the right of all Americans to freedom to choose what they believe. The President is not president of just one group, he is president of all, and one of his most important roles is to protect the rights of all faiths. God decides who goes to Heaven and Hell, not me. That said, I believe as do most Christians that God has said through scripture that Jesus is absolutely essential for salvation."
Most of America is Christian, She isn't going to offend enough people if she answers the question truthfully, to matter, and most of those people weren't republicans anyway.
As long as she makes it clear that she knows her role is to protect everyone's right and that she's not the one who decides who goes to Heaven and Hell, she'll be fine regardless of what she says.
I like that one, too.
Absolutely, I'm on it!
Here at my house we had been praying for someone like her to come along and she did. Now we're praying that God will give her the right zinger response to every clever, sly "gotcha" the abominable, hate-filled MSM heathen can throw at her.
I'm afraid that if the American people have sunk so deeply into depravity that they will elect Obama, that may well be the last straw for the One who answered the prayers of the founding fathers and has patiently watched us turn away from Him to obscene idols of our own making. Not to mention 50 million aborted babies.
He has been incredibly patient with us for many decades, but there is a limit to His patience as the ancient Israelis found out when old Nebuchadnezzar showed up outside the walls of Jerusalem wanting to come in and nave a look around.
Well Obama says he is a born-again Christian. What would he say?
>> I hope she’s going to give lots of thought to being prepared for the “gotcha” question about faith.
Response to this type of trickery is best handled unscripted and better handled by conviction. Man is not the gatekeeper to heaven.
“Will you be honest and admit that you gave up the Islamic religion of your youth for a racist, white-hating, anti-American extremist fringe church?”
I respect the faiths of others, just as I hope they respect my beliefs.
********************************
This is gobbeldygook, right? If she had “respect” for other faiths, she would also believe them. Right?
Exclusive claims to truth, necessarily exclude other competing exclusive claims to truth. Therefore, the same way Christianity excludes other faiths as not true, other faiths exclude Christianity as not true.
Thus in the same way that Judaism excludes Christianity as not true, Christianity excludes Judaism as not-true. It’s the nature of the beast.
My answer
PALIN: Are you proposing a religous test for political office.
Simple answer; I believe what the Bible says on this subject. Since you know what it says, why are you asking, except to smear me out of an anti-Christian religious bias, to serve another candidate and your own religious bigotry?
Horse hockey. Palin doesn't have to endorse the theological beliefs of another religion in stating that we are a nation that believes in the freedom of religion. There is nothing heretical about that. You can't force salvation but you can't advocate it without denigrating or denying the existence of other beliefs.
er eh um um ... I think that's above my pay grade.
Dear Matt: Sarah Palin does not believe that dinosaurs existed 4,000 years ago but she does have a gut feeling that Helen Thomas did.
She should just say “well, that’s above my pay-grade, poking fun at obama/osama....
I would say “I believe what Scripture teaches and what God says regarding non-Christian faiths”. When he says, “and that is?” I’d say, “the fact that you have to ask that question shows me that you truly don’t understand Christian truth claims. Read it for yourself. Start in John and then Romans. Next Question.”
You can't force salvation but you can advocate it without denigrating or denying the existence of other beliefs.
Good answer.
All she needs to say something like this:
Well, you know, Christianity has been around for 2000 years and in that 2000 years this question has been pondered by many a priest, bishop, pastor, Pope and theologian and the answer what Christianity teaches about eternity is there for those who wish to honestly and fervently seek such an answer.
As for me, I am a simple Christian lay person and if you want to know what Christianity teaches, I'd suggest you consult with a genuine Theologian. As for me, I'm not in the position to dispute 2000 years of Christian scholarship.
if she believed that Jews, for example, are only saved if they convert to Christianity then that’s something else. It’s true that there are many Christians who feel this way. I think Bush does and somehow he was re-elected. But that’s not what she believes.
She’s not the “church lady” and the only way the media can get away with that misrepresentation is by talking behind her back. But it is pretty obvious who she is when she has a chance to speak for herself.
If she were to be hit by this, I think a better response might something like, “well (insert name), if you studied your Bible, you would know that final Judgement is left up to Jesus from His Father. Jesus passes judgment on man, not me.”
That politiely throws it right back in their lap and sends a little ridicule their way too.
The liberal propaganda machine has already accused Gov. Palin of this and more. Who is to say that Gov. Palin should address any theological issues in the way you have outlined? Although, I can appreciate your motivation, you are being presumptuous in both the idea that Gov. Palin may be incapable of providing what you believe is a sufficient answer, as well as believing that your responses are the ideal.
To be concerned that the left will be persuaded by the “proper” response is a failure to understand their ideology.
I have a deep respect for Mr. Farah, and yet he is being condescending as well as self-righteous to presume that he can provide Gov. Palin, as well as the rest of us, with the appropriate Q&A scenario.
This smacks of a lack of faith. Christians should continue to pray for Gov. Palin and her family's safety and spiritual wellbeing, as well as the Lord's guidance.
“Let Sarah be Sarah.”
I don’t disagree with your proposed answer, but she should give it as her answer to the SECOND question, not the third.
The media will try to make a trap so she will give a simplistic, offensive answer or a non-answer. Anything like, "You just have to say the 'Sinner's Prayer' and you will go to heaven." would be a disaster. Giving a liberal answer -- there is no truth or we cannot know truth even if it exists -- would please the media but they would not buy it from a conservative.
Most of the responses here seem to give advice as to how to avoid answering the question, or giving an ambiguous response. If she believes that non-Christians go to hell, she ought to say so. Most Americans would probably agree.
I would say! Ok what does the Koran say?
Good post, well thought out!
That would be an excellent answer :-)
Your answer is great. I might change the last sentence/question to:
Are you asking because that's what you and others in the MSM believe and you'd like me to confirm your beliefs?
Ball now in their court and looking silly.
A “Buckhead” moment!
This would be offensive to many. I know I would bristle at her saying this. I hope she would choose to give an answer more like goldstategop's. Jews know what Christians believe and we are fine with it, as we hope you are respectful of our beliefs, but we feel it's a huge slap for a public official to come out and say that we are all doomed to hell, even if you do think it.
Palin:
“I’m not sure about whether Jews, Muslims and Hindus will go to Hell. I think most reporters will, though.”
“Most of the responses here seem to give advice as to how to avoid answering the question, or giving an ambiguous response.”
That’s an excellent point Mr. Ramsbotham.
I believe a simple, direct and to-the-point response is best
from a politician.
If Palin was running for Pastor of a church; then her answers
should be detailed, comprehensive, and with documentation from
the Bible to back it up.
#
Note to Sarah Palin:
The best thing to do is be yourself, don’t change, stick to your guns and
your values and go out there and answer each and every question straight forward and to the best of your ability. Be yourself and you will remain the winner you are.
“If she believes that non-Christians go to hell, she ought to say so. Most Americans would probably agree.”
and I believe that they should go to hell if that’s what they think. See? That’s a straight answer :)
but she doesn’t believe that so this is just an argument about nothing.
I'm not a Christian myself, and I know exactly what you mean.
She could always say “it’s above my pay grade”.
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