Posted on 01/13/2010 10:49:12 AM PST by Kaslin
Over the weekend, former John McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt told "60 Minutes" something shocking about McCain's former running mate, Sarah Palin. It seems that when Schmidt met Palin after McCain selected her, he was surprised that she was so calm. Schmidt apparently asked her how she could remain so tranquil in the face of such a monumental life change. She responded, "It's God's plan."
Naturally, the media went bonkers over this revelation. The New York Times approvingly reported comic Jimmy Fallon's one-liner: "God responded: 'What? Really? Don't bring me into this.'" The Week asked whether Palin was "simply devout -- or delusional?" The Nation suggested that Palin was "a little bit dimmer than we thought."
Nothing is quite as shocking to media establishment types as someone who actually believes that God takes an active part in individual human destinies. If you thought the media's reaction to this was absurd, think what their reaction would have been if they had been around during the days of Moses. One can envision the headlines from local newspapers: "Exiled Prince Claims God Sent Him to Free Slaves: Advisers Say Moses' Staff Flying at Half-Mast." (British newspapers would report it slightly differently: "Jewish Nut Job Invades Royal Palace On 'God's Mission': Pharaoh Tells Him to go Jump in the Bloody Nile.")
The truth is that it is a common article of faith in virtually all major religions that God guides the footsteps of each and every human being. Benjamin Franklin, a not-so-religious theologian, said that the American Revolution could be successful only with the direct help of God. As he put it, "The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
Yet nowadays, it is considered trite to point to the influence of God in human lives -- unless you are liberal. Then it is considered perfectly normal. How many athletes do we see who thank God after each touchdown? How many actors who win Oscars thank God?
Even certain beloved socialist presidents believe in divine intervention on a personal scale. For example, when then-Sen. Barack Obama gave an anti-war speech, Sen. Harry Reid approached him to congratulate him. "That speech was phenomenal, Barack," said Reid. Reid describes what happened next: "Without the barest hint of braggadocio or conceit, and with what I would describe as deep humility, he said quietly: 'I have a gift, Harry.'"
It is worthwhile asking: a gift from whom? Gaia? Santa Claus? The Easter Bunny?
Clearly, even our atheistic President Obama -- a man who avers that religious folk cling bitterly to their God because they're poor and downtrodden -- believes that occasionally, the Deity rests his hand on someone's shoulder. Unfortunately, unlike Sarah Palin, Obama also believes that God's presence is redundant to his own.
There's a reason the media elites allow liberals to get away with God-talk. It's because the media elites know that liberals aren't particularly serious about their God-talk. Everyone could see Bill Clinton crossing his fingers behind his back when talking about God, just as everyone can see President Obama laughing behind his hand when he mentions religion.
It's those benighted morons of the religious right who truly threaten the media elites. The right's suggestion that God stands behind the vast flow of history scares the living daylights out of the liberal establishment because it threatens their own sense of control. After all, it is not God who made Barack Obama president of the United States -- it is the editorial board of the New York Times. And it was not God who discarded Hillary Clinton like a used tissue -- it was the brilliant men and women of the alphabet networks.
If the media elites are wrong -- if God is indeed a driving factor in history -- then things may not go as the media elites plan. Sarah Palin may indeed meet with success rather than media-ordained failure. The tea parties may indeed become a mainstream movement, rather than the fringe movement the media wishes them to be.
And that scares liberals. Because in the liberal view, no divine presence can be directing things. For the left, the only gods behind history are the gods of economics (see Thomas Friedman and Karl Marx), multiculturalism (see John Dewey), genes (see Richard Dawkins) and environment (see Al Gore and Jared Diamond).
Here's a newsflash for liberals: Incredible as it may seem, Palin's view represents that of the vast majority of mankind. People across the globe agree with Palin that their lives fit into God's grand scheme. When liberals laugh at Palin on this score, they risk laughing at billions. And even liberals should understand that billions can impact the flow of history.
*ping*
What the non-believers (and sadly many Christians) assume is that when someone like Sarah Palin believes that God wants her to run for office that it means He intends for her to win. That makes them angry because they see it as asking for an unfair advantage. The reality is far more humbling. When God asks you to do something there is seldom a guarantee that you will be successful, at least not in worldly terms. After all, Jesus followed God’s will with all perfection and clearly, in the world’s eyes, He did not succeed. But it is about establishing His kingdom, not ours. And failure in the world’s eyes may do far more to build the kingdom than ‘success.’
Extraordinarily well put, FRiend.
God bless,
Tatt
Sarah listens to God-—
NObama listened to “Rev” Jeremiah Wright for over 20 years in the front pew.
Which one do I want leading this country?
You guess.
It would be more acceptable to them if she said “inshallah”
The Week asked whether Palin was "simply devout -- or delusional?" The Nation suggested that Palin was "a little bit dimmer than we thought."
[ ... ]
If the media elites are wrong -- if God is indeed a driving factor in history -- then things may not go as the media elites plan. Sarah Palin may indeed meet with success rather than media-ordained failure.
The same thing happens on Free Republic, with some posters here referring to Christians and their "worldview" of what the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is going to do in this world ... LOL...
These certain FReepers will call others (other FReepers here) who know that God will do what He says He will do -- in His Bible -- "delusional" too.
So, this is not limited to just liberals, but the same attitude infects some FReepers, too... :-)
Just for example, to say as some Christians do, that God is sending His Son back to earth to set up the Kingdom on this earth and to rule and reign over all the nations of the world, in His Millennial Kingdom and that this Messiah of Israel will be ridding the whole world of all who oppose Him, as He sets up this Kingdom and that millions and billions will be killed in this process, up to the time when it's completed (i.e., the "establishment of the Millennial Kingdom on this earth) -- during that Seven Year Tribulation, just before the Kingdom -- many will say that this idea is totally delusional and not rational... LOL...
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob does have a plan, He is going to carry it out, and it will happen exactly as He says it will happen and He will carry it through. Yes, things do happen as God intends and as God plans and as He picks those certain ones to act and do His will in certain ways -- all according to His will on this earth...
Actually, the names listed are the high priests. The god these priests serve is the amoral, arbitrary god of atheistic evolution - the religion of the left.
I encourage all to read Coulter's Godless.
That was great.
He pinned the libs with the hypocrisy that they display, and explained why they hold the views of God that they do.
After all, Jesus followed God’s will with all perfection and clearly, in the world’s eyes, He did not succeed.
On the contrary Jesus, as the Messiah of Israel did succeed in exactly what it was intended for Him to do -- and at the time it was intended for it to happen. These things that were intended and planned by God to happen, were done exactly as Jesus, the Messiah of Israel did them.
The other prophecies which were given, in setting up the Kingdom on this earth, are prophecies that He has set down for happening (again, exactly as planned) at the second coming of the Messiah of Israel to this earth.
There was no failure of anyone, any plan or anything that God or Jesus did. It was all part of the plan.
But it is about establishing His kingdom, not ours. And failure in the world’s eyes may do far more to build the kingdom than ‘success.’
Again, there was no failure as the setting up of the Kingdom was not for that time, when Jesus came before. And the setting up of the Kingdom on this earth -- is not for believers to do, who are here on this earth at this time.
The setting up of the Kingdom on this earth, with Jesus ruling and reigning over all the nations of the world, is to be done at the end of the 7-year Tribulation when He comes back and the Messiah of Israel goes to war against His enemies on this earth and kills millions upon millions of them, in all out war and battle, before setting up that Kingdom on this earth.
The Lamb of God came the first time and then the Lion of Judah comes next, and goes to war with all of the earth who oppose Him, as He returns and sends them all to the lake of fire, where they belong. The ones who are left and who are not cast off into outer darkness by His coming -- will live in that Kingdom on this earth, the Millennial Kingdom that is yet to come.
The god these priests serve is the amoral, arbitrary god of atheistic evolution - the religion of the left.
I hope you do know that we've got some FReepers on this board who are also worshipping that "religion of the left" that you're referring to. They get on many thread and "stand up and praise" (big-time) that particular "religion of the left" and say that anyone who believes what the Bible says about it -- in opposition to this relgion of the left -- are fools.
You should be aware of the fact that some FReepers are in this "religion of the left" and post here and criticize all those who take God at His Word and very specifically at His word, exactly so.
The funny part is that those who say that those who take God at His Word are fools
think they’re coming up with some novel new intellectual observation,
when in reality, this canard has been around forever.
A book written over 330 years ago even has characters charging those of faith of being “ignorant of science”.
I was talking about success as is measured in worldy, temporal terms and through the eyes of the non-believer. I agree that there was no failure in terms of setting up the Kingdom.
Which one do I want leading this country?
I just want to make it clear that there are FReepers on this board who do not hold to what you're saying, in that they would prefer those who listen to God, for leading our country.
I say that because there have been posts to me (and I've seen them to others) where other FReepers say that the problem with the GOP losing elections has to do with the Christian Right and their intrusion into the GOP politics and if they would "stay out of it" -- then the GOP could win more elections keeping "God" out of the politics of the GOP ("values" might be okay, but "God" has to stay out of it, along with anything to do with "religion" doncha know... LOL...).
INDEED!
YOU SURE GOT THAT RIGHT!
. . . a usual target speaking here! . . .
lol.
LUB
I was talking about success as is measured in worldy, temporal terms and through the eyes of the non-believer.
Yes, the "worldview" of the non-believer will lead them to evaluating things like "success" in different terms than the believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who is saved by the blood of the Lamb, the Messiah of Israel.
That same "worldview" of the believer and what they see and what they think and how they evaluate things -- also causes some "mighty big conflicts" right here on Free Republic with some of those non-believers that we have here (or perhaps with some of the "half-hearted believers" as it may be...).
i think newheart meant, “in the world’s eyes”
Yeah, I see that... :-)
I’m just enthusiastic about the Messiah of Israel soon coming back and setting up His Kingdom here on earth, which has been steadily progressing towards that end — without any interruption for the last few decades (in fact progressing steadily and without interruption for all my life here). It’s getting mighty close right now...
Now it’s getting to be — “How close can you get to the goal line without being in the end zone?!”... LOL...
that is the problem. there seems to be “believers” of different beliefs. Well, that will all change soon enough.
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