26/09/2008 / USA
Sarah Palin
is a nutjob! There's a relevant saying here: 'If people find you too
racist in Idaho [a state known for being
particularly racist in the olden days], they'll think you're great in Alaska...'
The new Republican hot potato: Sarah Palin and the exorcist
© Topicagnostic on Flickr.
A video of Sarah Palin being blessed by a preacher and exorcist appeared on the Internet yesterday.
The video was posted on YouTube on Thursday, but the blessing actually happened in May 2005, two days before Palin officially put herself forward as a candidate for Alaska governor. Pastor Thomas Muthee, originally from Kenya, is from the Pentecostal movement, evangelical protestants who interpret the Bible literally. Pentecostal followers believe, for example, that the laying on of hands can heal sick people when other medications have failed.
Sarah Palin's campaign team immediately denied that she was a Pentecostal. But in another video, filmed in June 2008 (see below), the possible vice president of America explains how Muthee's prayers helped her to win the Alaska election.
"Save her from Satan!"
"Pastor Muthee was praying over me"
Sarah Palin gives a speech to a group of missionaries in June 2008.
"Thirty to forty per cent of Americans share these beliefs"
Stuart Haugen is vice-chair of Republicans Abroad France.
I don't see anything shocking about this video, even if there are some things that I don't agree with. I'd say that 30% to 40% of Americans share these beliefs and wouldn't find it strange at all. Me, too. When I was a student, I belonged to a similar church. The pastor's talking about sorcery, but what he means is that there are both good and bad forces in the world. If you believe in God, you also believe in the opposite.
I don't see anything shocking about this video, even if there are some things that I don't agree with. I'd say that 30% to 40% of Americans share these beliefs and wouldn't find it strange at all. Me, too. When I was a student, I belonged to a similar church. The pastor's talking about sorcery, but what he means is that there are both good and bad forces in the world. If you believe in God, you also believe in the opposite. I'd like to make it clear that in the US, religion and politics are quite separate. The video shows Sarah Palin's personal convictions, that's all. And a vice president doesn't decide on the law.
If the intellectuals and the media want to have a crack at Palin, that's because she scares them. I think she's already secured two million more votes for McCain. And among them are several hundreds of thousands of people who will travel the country to get even more voters on their side. That's what they were missing, while Obama had more money and a broader base of volunteers. In the end, McCain is a centrist, he needed Palin to reassure the conservative and evangelical voters. Now he'll be able to criticise Bush more openly, because he knows that the right-wing side will still follow."
3/10/2008 - Update from Stuart: "I want to make it very clear that I was not aware of the graphic that would accompany this story and I consider it biased and abusive. I considered demanding that my posts be pulled down but feel that the net communication, AS LONG AS THIS DISCLAIMER IS FULLY DIGESTED AND UNDERSTOOD, is more important than any potential concerns on my part."
"Palin and McCain scare Wall Street"
Dana Blankenhorn is a former finance journalist from Atlanta. He supports the Democrats.
Sarah Palin
is a nutjob! There's a relevant saying here: 'If people find you too
racist in Idaho [a state known for being
particularly racist in the olden days], they'll think you're great in Alaska...'
McCain chose her because she makes up a very involved minority; not because she represents what Americans think. I doubt more than 10% of Americans believe in sorcery. But in an election, there's a small block who aren't interesting in anything but tipping the election. The Republicans know it, and that's how they've won in the past.
The Republican Party is supported by three groups: the Wall Street types, the neo-cons and the evangelists. But now, I think that their coalition is breaking up. Palin and McCain scare Wall Street. Especially since McCain ruined the plan to rescue the economy, while the White House and Obama both accepted it. The power always follows Wall Street. I don't think this video will change the election, but I do think the economic crisis will push a number of Republicans to vote Democrat."
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Can't sit this one out... your data is twisted
Submitted by Stu Haugen (not verified) on Fri, 03/10/2008 - 15:45.Your argument that the Republican Party and, by inference John McCain, is supported by Wall Street, is very misleading... hope it is not intentional.
Public records on presidential campaign donations for McCain and Obama indicate the following...
The four largest "Wall Street" contributors -- Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, and Citigroup -
donated $891K to John McCain, BUT...
the same firms donated $1902K to Barack Obama (over twice as much)
So, I guess you would have to conclude that Obama is the candidate of Wall Street, right?
Unregistered user
It seems to me folks are
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 14:25.It seems to me folks are much too eager to tear one another down on both sides of the isle. If you ask me, it is ridiculous! We are in America! People have a right to their beliefs here! If Obama is a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Wiccan, or an atheist all together; that is his right in this country. If Sarah Palin is any of those things, it is her right in this country. It is not the media's job to paint them (their beliefs) right or wrong. It is up to the voters to see if the beliefs and ideals of each candidate match up with their own, and vote accordingly. I also find it very interesting that the media is pitting Palin against Obama. I don't see them having debates; I thought McCain was the nominee for President....
Unregistered user
Palin's Religion
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 04/10/2008 - 12:09.All well and good but I don't think Palin would agree with you.
Unregistered user
please correct: Bishop Thomas Muthee is a Kenyan preacher
Submitted by jao (not verified) on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 10:38.Let's be clear, i am not for or against anything, i would just like to discuss.
1° Bishop Thomas Muthee is a Kenyan preacher, not from nigeria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Muthee
France 24 is a big media, so you should take care of such an information. I explain why!? The time your article is online, millions of readers worldwide are reading it, right? Those who don't like this kind of practice would be tempted to blame nigeria as well, because you said he is from nigeria!!! One reply is talking about voodoo, maybe thinking about nigeria. This is just an example, i'm not from nigeria. Even if you correct it now, a lot of people will not read it again, so you spread the mistake everywhere!
2° Have you ever seen a light without shadow??? So talking god without talking evil is impossible.
when you reach the unity or the absolute calm, then you never talk about -/+ or god/evil etc...
I, for example, like every human being, then I have no ennemy at all.
Nothing is bad or good as it is, it depends on what we do with it. A knife or an elecricity can help us but can kill as well etc...
I think the exorcism is a very old practice.
Some links for exorcism:
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/e/exorcism.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/7047/the-vaticans-top-exorcist-sends-the...
I come from madagascar(africa). My tradition is very simple but gives me a powerful way to stay calm, be happy and live well. thanks. jao
Unregistered user
Not sure you are as balanced as you claim to be on this...
Submitted by Stu Haugen (not verified) on Fri, 03/10/2008 - 16:00.As Jao says (and as I said in our conversation), exorcism is a long-standing practice and is probably not as bizarre as you want us to believe. While I am not a Catholic, nor am I criticizing my wife's religion ;-), exorcism is practiced by some Catholic priests (maybe you should ask Joe Biden about his point of view on this) and, I think many other religions, not only evangelicals...
A point that did not come through from my original conversation with you (France24) is that I said that I interpreted "sorcery", as used in this example, as this priest's word for all that is "evil" and not specifically sorcery as it is often portrayed in films, etc.
(NB: Frankly, something that you carefully failed to include in my original comments was my observation that I am much happier with Sarah Palin being blessed to ward off evil to help her better exercise her governance than Obama being blessed by Jeremiah Wright who says, "God Damn America", "America created AIDS to kill black people", etc... Don't you agree?)
It is logical that a priest/pastor would bless and protect any parishioner, not just Sarah Palin, to help them resist evil. Maybe we all need a bit of that help, yes?
I just don't think this is a big issue.
Unregistered user
Thanks
Submitted by Team Observers on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 11:03.Thanks a lot for your comment Jao. As you can see, we do not take sides in any of our pieces. We gave a Republican the opportunity to comment on this video. And, like you, he believes that what pastor Pastor Muthee does is in no way exceptional. It's then up to every reader to make up his mind. Thanks for alerting us to the nationality of Pastor Muthee. He's indeed Kenyan. We've corrected the mistake and we do apologize for it.
Team Observers
Sarah Palin
Submitted by Unregistered user.joseph walker (not verified) on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 10:14.America ,a great country ,but also a sick country.It should first cure its illness before trying to cure the world.
Unregistered user
Stuart Haugen : that's exactly where the problem is
Submitted by Observer (not verified) on Mon, 29/09/2008 - 00:48.Rational human beings don't believe in those things. They belong to folklore.
Because what we are dealing here with is not sound spirituality but obscurantism. It's the Middle-Ages.
the Founding Fathers of both our countries were against these beliefs and practices. They might have the right to express themselves in the name of freedom of expression and religion as long they don't harm others. But it's another thing when people that DO believe in Armageddon and a completely unbiblical story like "The Rapture" are attaining such positions that they could start a nuclear holocaust, just to prove they were right.
Besides, if Palin had been Wiccan or Atheist she'd never been offered the job. So don't tell us it's a "private" matter. Religion is private in France but not in the US where it is a MAJOR poltical factor. She was offered the job to appeal to certain groups. Obviously the Republicans are not aware of the ultimate consequences of their choice. Or are they ?
Unregistered user
You're qualified to saywhat "rational human beings" believe?
Submitted by Stu Haugen (not verified) on Fri, 03/10/2008 - 15:14.First, I don't know where you are possibly coming from to presume to be the judge of what rational human beings believe? Come on now, that's way beyond arrogant... in fact, it is almost, dare I say it, "god like". Stop it...
I defy you to prove, on any issue, that Sarah Palin's personal religious views have negatively (on any realistic standard you can find) impacted her governance role or that she has ever attempted to impose her views on other people.
By the way, what is this garbage about starting a nuclear holocaust? If there is any candidate in this race who is prone to triggering holocaust, it just might be Barack Obama who wants to sit down with Ahmadinejad and "explain" the fallacy of his vision of "wiping Israel off the map" (paraphrased, probably, as I did not bother checking the exact quote). And, under an Obama presidency, he would likely have the weaponry to achieve that objective.
I find you incredibly self-righteous, almost "god like" in your tonality... Give it up, you are no more qualified to do that than I am...
Unregistered user
Normal in Wassila
Submitted by Sean LeBas on Sun, 28/09/2008 - 22:02.A human being growing up in the heartland of America (a polite word for nowhere and Kansas), suffering the destitution of American education, the violence of American socialization, the un-redemptive power of American culture is lucky if this version of voodoo pseudo-christianity is enough to keep the insane chaotic vortex of this bleak society functional on a purely personal and desperate level.
What else could you possibly expect?
But you should still be very afraid.
Sous les pavés, la plage !
Sean LeBas
Governor Palin
Submitted by Alexander Dale (not verified) on Sun, 28/09/2008 - 19:45.The outright panic in the Democrat Party over the massive nationwide enthusiasm over Senator McCain’s pick of Governor Palin to be his running mate has resulted in the most hilarious strategy I’ve ever seen in an American election.
Attack motherhood.
Can apple pie be far behind?
Unregistered user
That preacher is a
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 28/09/2008 - 13:56.That preacher is a charlatan.
Says a lot about people's flawed convictions, simplistic views i.e. dumbness.
It would be okay if you did not chase the vice-presidency.
Scary...
Unregistered user
Despicable Excuse for Journalism
Submitted by Brian Luedke (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/2008 - 21:30.As another person commented below, this article (especially the picture of Palin with devil eyes) truly constitutes a despicable attack on Sarah Palin's religion.
For some reason, left-wing, atheist journalists feel free to attack Christians, but would never dare to attack someone like Ahmadinejad for his religion. Absolutely insane. I leave you the judge of whose messianic, nihilistic notions actually constitute a danger to world peace.
Furthermore, is it newsworthy that Palin is against the Devil? Does France24 care that Obama's pastor strongly spoke out against America? ("God damn America!") I would prefer someone who is against the devil to someone who is against America.
Unregistered user
Palin and religion
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/2008 - 16:32.Sarah Palin does not separate church and state. McCain chose her for this reason, he needed a strong WOMAN, who spoke to the fundamental evangelical population of registered voters. She is in way over her head when it comes to economy, foreign affairs, foreign leaders. Katie Couric's interview put this into perspective for me. Sarah's coin phrases, look of wonder lust across her face, constant reference to things that she has heard John McCain say, make it obvious that this hockey mama from Wasilla Alaska is not ready to step into a big sea of sharks and make educated intelligent decisions. Sarah's righteous indignation can only take her so far. If McCain croaks, she will be thrust into the position to negotiate and make decisions that could possibly make even more enemies than we already have, if there is anyone left to hate us, and having some quasai charleton voodoo crack pot laying his hands on Sarah and excorcising evil out of towns is not what we need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I pray, and my prayer is that we don't have Palin as the antichrist leading the religious right into Alaska, "the chosen state" for Armageddon. Nothing scares me more!
Unregistered user
Your contentions are, to my knowledge, unfounded and wrong
Submitted by Stu Haugen (not verified) on Fri, 03/10/2008 - 16:06.I defy you to find/document any one example of Sarah Palin allowing her strong personal beliefs (the right of every American, correct?) to impact the quality of her governance and/or any instance where she has attempted, in her public capacity, to impose her beliefs on anyone.
If you can do this, I'll take a good look at it as I have searched far and wide and find no support for such contentions at all.
By the way, maybe you need more !!!!!!!!!!! to effectively communicate your point... I wasn't sure where you were putting your emphasis ;-)
Unregistered user
Here are some AL newspaper examples I pulled in 5 minutes
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 05/10/2008 - 07:48.Stambaugh Sued for Gender Discrimination After Palin Said She Was Intimidated by His Size.
After Palin fired Irl Stambaugh, the police chief, he sued the city in part based on gender discrimination.
The Frontiersman wrote, “The gender discrimination issues stem from statements Palin allegedly made to
others that she was intimidated by Stambaugh’s size. He stands over 6-feet tall and weighs more than 200
pounds, which, the lawsuit said, is attributed to his gender.” [Frontiersman, 2/26/97]
Palin Asked Her Department Heads for Good News—Only the Good News. In 1997, Frontiersman
columnist Paul Stuart wrote, “A couple of weeks ago, Palin sent a memo to her department heads
informing them she wanted weekly reports of the good (that’s positive, of course) things going on in their
respective departments—and only the good things. Nothing else but the good things.” [Frontiersman, 1/22/97]
Palin Exaggerated Work Experience for Mayoral Campaign. In 1997, Frontiersman columnist Paul
Stuart wrote that after Palin had criticized her opponent for using City Hal resources for political gain,
“when Palin was asked back then (by me) why the lodge where she claimed, in her campaign, to have
gained her management experience, had no record of a borough business license or of paying any bed tax,
she paused and said it might have been because the place had no clients for a year or so.” In an article
describing the possibility of recalling Palin, the Frontiersman wrote the “reasons include Palin’s alleged
falsification of her credentials during the campaign last fall.” [Frontiersman, 1/22/97, 2/5/97]
Palin Said Accusations Of Unethical Political Action Are Nothing More Than “Smear”
Campaigns From Her Enemies. When questioned why her use of a city computer to run for
lieutenant governor in 2002 was different than Randy Ruedrich using AOGCC computers for
party business was different, Palin said it was different. Though Ruedrich was fined and resigned
from office because of Palin’s accusation ethics violations, Palin stated that accusations against
her were a “smear” campaign organized by her “enemies.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/14/06]
Unregistered user
This headline is something I
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/2008 - 09:20.This headline is something I would expect from the rag mags (i.e. National Enquirer). It would be refreshing if journalists would stick with reporting newsworthy items in informative ways instead of taking an obvious Halloween photo and twisting someone's religious views (I do believe there is a constitutional amendment allowing some freedom in that respect) to further the journalists career or political views by trash reporting. This belongs in a tabloid, and if this is an example of your type of journalism, I will definitely PASS - I can read trash while I'm standing in line at the supermarket.
Unregistered user
The 'obvious' Halloween photo
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 28/09/2008 - 04:12.This is a carefully crafted editorial illustration from Topic Agnostic on the article 'Sarah Palin is 100% safe from witchcraft. Except her own.', loaned for use here.
This image illustrates Sarah Palin's hypocrisy in utilizing the practices of witchcraft - ritual, appeal to higher powers for favours and protection, etc - while decrying it in other forms. Sarah is shown as a witch/demon to reinforce her disingenuous attachment to the supernatural.
Unregistered user
Don't you think it's
Submitted by Alain M (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/2008 - 12:57.Don't you think it's important to alert people, in and outside the US, that Palin is close to that freaky pastor and that she doesn't jump out of the church when she hears someone telling her "god, give her money for her capaign". This woman is totally scary. And hopefully medias report about it. Last thing, please read the comment from the republican. Seems to me that he's defending enough this crazy woman.
Unregistered user
don't you think
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 15/10/2008 - 07:43.Don't you think that it's important to get your facts straight....That youtube video was from 2005 and that was a VISITING pastor from Kenya. Is it terrible to get a blessing so that "witchcraft" or evil will stay away? And when people said he was speaking in tongues, maybe he was just speaking in his countries language. It's not like he is at her church preaching every Sunday.
I would worry more about weekly listening to a pastor who hates America.
And before you say anything...i'm not a Republican.
Unregistered user
and you do not think that
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/2008 - 18:41.and you do not think that obama belonging to an american hating church for over 20 years is something to be scared of more?
You liberals are something you go after a conservitives religion but don't you dare bring up a liberal's religion it has no bearing.
WHAT A BUNCH OF HIPOCRITES.
OBAMA HATES AMERICA AND WHITE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Becuse his pastor of over 20 years preach this so he must belive it to,
Unregistered user
we have somebody on the lunatic fringe with us tonight!
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 05/10/2008 - 07:54.I assume you have been attending this "hateful" pastor's church for 20 years to be able to factually claim what you claim? Isn't it obvious his comments were taken out of context or didn't you get that memo WHEN IT WAS IN THE NEWS, or do you do like most ride or die republicans and twist anything you can to mean what you want it to just so you never have to admit your judgement was WRONG, DEAD WRONG on Bush and now because of idiots like yourself, the whole WORLD is in crisis. "Cafeteria" Christians and not very forgiving or tolerant of anything making use of mind over dogmatic manner...our nation is only as strong as its weakest fundamentalist neocon
Unregistered user
and do you not think that
Submitted by godless (not verified) on Sun, 28/09/2008 - 18:34.Any individual or party that allows religious ideology guide policy is scary. Hypocrisy and religion are intertwined. Religion, as usual, is being used as an agent of control by both sides – the republicans just happen to use it better. Perhaps they attract followers with more poorly developed reasoning skills.
Whether you believe in Allah, Christ, or witches your blind faith makes you easier to control.
If you submit a photo of Obama “hating America and white people” in church we’ll publish it at TopicaAgnostic.com.
Unregistered user