On a Mission From God: Examining Sarah Palin's ties to the Christian Right

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/main/print/3970/

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was the star of the Christian Right's 2008 Values Voter Summit in mid-September, even though she was a last minute no-show. The Republican vice presidential candidate's name was tossed around frequently to euphoric applause at the event in Washington, D.C., while the few mentions of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) drew only polite claps.

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While some speakers outlined the political battles ahead in practical terms, others implied that this election reflected a culture war between godly Christians and the forces of Satan -- embodied, of course, by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and the Democratic Party.

One thing was clear: Many in the Christian Right now view electing Palin as a task ordained by God. The unanswered question for the rest of us is: How does Palin see herself? Is she someone who merely asks God for guidance -- a fairly common practice for religious people in public office? Or does she see herself as carrying out God's will on the political stage?

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"Asserting that God endorses a particular energy strategy or public works project is exactly the sort of mindset the Founders feared," he wrote in a Sept. 7 column on Beliefnet. "The vote-for-this-because-God-says-so approach means that those who oppose a particular policy are violating God's will -- and good Christians should view them that way. It turns policy issues into religious conflicts. Such a politician may be impervious to reason, evidence or compromise."

Waldman continues: "If God has blessed an idea -- and told you so personally -- what possible argument could dissuade you?"