There are at least two clear reasons why the secular left is absolutely foaming at the mouth over Sarah Palin, John McCain’s Republican running mate. One is her worldview – it stands in complete contrast to the worldview of the secular left. Two, despite all their contempt for, and dismissal of, Palin, the secular left deep down is worried sick that the McCain/Palin team may well be a winning combination.
Thus expect the hatred, ugly attacks and abuse to keep flying from the leftists. Consider just one example (reported in Michelle Malkin’s most recent column) of the wretched abuse being flung at Palin. “At the Democratic Underground, a highly trafficked liberal website raising money for Barack Obama, members held a contest to come up with nicknames and posters to slime GOP Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — and then to ‘spread [them] all over the ‘Net.’ Among the nicer entries: ‘Cruella,’ ‘Gidget,’ ‘Governor Jesus Camp,’ ‘VPILF,’ ‘Fertilla the Huntress,’ ‘Iditabroad’ and ‘KILLER PYSCHO FUNDIE B***H FROM HELL!!’”
But this is par for the course. Says Malkin, “There’s something about outspoken conservative women that drives the left mad. It’s a peculiar pathology I’ve reported on for more than 15 years, both as a witness and a target. Thus, the onset of Palin Derangement Syndrome in the media, Democratic circles and the cesspools of the blogosphere came as no surprise. They just can’t help themselves.”
As I said, this is fundamentally a worldview clash. Two totally opposite ways of looking at the world are engaged in a life and death struggle. A number of conservative columnists have picked up on this truth. Charles Colson puts it this way “Social conservatives reacted to Palin’s election with near euphoria. Social liberals reacted with fury. Why? How could a governor from a politically small state spark such strong emotions? I believe it is this: In the life of Sarah Palin, we see the clash of worldviews playing out before our own eyes. Consider every major controversial issue in American politics and culture right now . . . and somehow, they touch her personally.”
He goes on to list abortion, marriage and family, love of country and the role of the state as some of the defining issues. He raises the abortion issue as an example of Palin practicing what she preaches. She kept her Down syndrome baby, and is committed to looking after him for the rest of his life. And her pregnant daughter will keep the baby and marry the father.
Colson concludes, “Like all of us, she wrestles with her own convictions. Every flashpoint in American politics and culture seems to come together in this woman from Alaska. I am not telling you how to vote, but for once, I will urge you to watch the news and the political commentaries. Because if you can see through the smoke, you will be able to witness the clash of worldviews in real time.”
And as Greg Sheridan states in his Australian column today, the issues Palin champions are mainstream America issues. Thus an attack on Palin by the left may well be seen as an attack on mainstream America: “The liberal establishment will try to blitzkrieg Palin into oblivion by charging that she is an extremist, a nut and corrupt. If the liberal elites fail in this, they risk mainstream America seeing their attacks on Palin as attacking the American heartland. Democrats should know from bitter experience that that kind of polarisation leads directly to Democratic defeat.”
He gives several examples, including the anti-Christian bigotry of the left: “Thus we had The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd, notoriously the silliest columnist in North America, who has never shown any evidence that a serious or worthwhile thought has ever passed through her addled head, sneering at Palin over the Christian names of her children. Imagine The New York Times’ reaction if someone wrote a column sneering at the name Barack. But anti-Christian prejudice is licensed in the elite American media. The hypocrisy and cultural prejudice are obvious.”
However, it is the worldview of Palin that so upsets the left: “But it is the personal life of Palin that most liberal commentators can’t bear. And they can’t bear it because it threatens their world view. Palin is a happy conservative warrior who exudes vitality and a natural gratitude for all the wonders of life and all the wonders of America. She is a pro-life Christian. The liberal media wants politically active Christians to present like Elmer Gantry: dreadful, corrupt hypocrites. They should look like Jerry Falwell if they’re men or Tammy Faye Bakker if they’re women. They should not be so radiantly normal and happy as Palin.”
Columnist Cal Thomas also sees the role of worldview here. After dismissing the furphy about inexperience, he says this: “There is good and there is bad experience. More importantly, there is worldview. Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, see America as a nation in which government plays a primary role in individual lives. John McCain and Sarah Palin see the individual as primary and government as a protector of freedom that can help the less fortunate become self-sustaining.”
He continues, “One can already sense the lines of attack against Palin. Why did she have a child she knew would be born with Down syndrome? We used to call such children ‘mentally retarded,’ before the word ‘retarded’ became an epithet commonly hurled by teenagers. She practices what she preaches about her pro-life views. She had this child because she didn’t want to play God.”
All of these commentators rightly see that the defining issue of the American presidential race in general, and the choice of Palin in particular, is that of worldviews. Two mutually exclusive worldviews are battling it out for the heart and soul of America. One values life, liberty, faith and family. One values statism, secularism and social engineering. These are incompatible worldviews. Thus the stakes are high, and the left is upset – big time. Indeed, the Palin choice must be a good one, given the hysterical reaction from the left.
It’s not just conservative women that bring out their bile, it’s conservative men. John Howard for one, and Joh for another. Notice how peaceful and quite the left media is now that there are no conservatives in government in Australia.
Tas Walker
Thanks Tas
Quite right.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Good point about the media. It seems here in Australia they’re more interested in tarnishing the image of the conservatives by attacking their apparent leadership problems and their climate policies than they are critiquing the government’s policies. Rudd and co. are about to implement the most dramatic, life-chaging, course-altering policy in history to solve the “greatest moral issue of our time”, but instead of objectively analysing it, the media is more concerned with sullying the reputations of those who aren’t even making the executive decisions. Once, just once, I’d love to see/hear an objective interview from the ABC . . . and don’t get me started about that one-sided political forum “Q and A”!
Ben Williams
Just posted your brilliant insight onto Anglican Mainstream: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/
Thank you Bill. And you are quite right – it is a fundamental issue of worldviews!
God bless!
Lisa Severine Nolland
Well, Sarah Palin has just made the speech of her life at the Republican National Convention, and made it clear that she’s going to Washington with a reform agenda. She wowed the crowd, struck her notes with grace, penetration, and a touch of ironic humour. The left-wing elites had even run a voteline as to whether/when McCain would drop her from the ticket. Well, that’s NOT going to happen. He’s on a winner. But watch now for the talk-shows, the leftist bloggers, the media journos etc, to go ballistic. Already they have unloaded an army of investigators into Alaska to dig up DOP (“Dirt on Palin”).
Look also at the bile and venom – and ignorance! – from the local scene as well, as in the Letters to the Editor in today’s Herald-Sun.
Yes, Bill! The real issue here is a clash of world-views, and a very bitter one at that – from the liberal left, that is. Yet the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God, to the tearing down of strongholds (2 Cor.10:4). Most especially at this crucial hour in the history of our formerly Christian civilisation this remains true. Whether Sarah Palin, or any of us, may we remember this as we wage that warfare.
Murray Adamthwaite
Thanks Murray
Yes you are right on all counts. I only heard snippets of her speech today (funny how Obama and Biden got so much media airtime here during the Democratic convention, but so little is coming out of the Republican convention), and it was powerful stuff. As one friend told me who did get to hear her via another media outlet: “Watched her speech today. She was absolutely ferocious. She is formidable.”
And the sheer ignorance, if not enmity, of the MSM is incredible. Take the ABC 7:30 Report tonight. It featured a brief segment on the convention. Kerry O’Brien referred to her as a “Christian evangelist”, as did an ABC reporter at Minneapolis. Sorry, ABC, wrong again. She is not a full time preacher, spending her time evangelising, which the phrase means. She is a Governor, who happens to be an evangelical Christian (a big difference here). Thus the ABC is way out of its depth, as usual.
But the ABC is not alone. In the past few days different media reports have labelled her religion in all sorts of terms. Some referred to her as an evangelical, but some have called her a Catholic, while others have called her a Lutheran. The media cannot even get this issue right. No wonder we are in such bad shape, with such an uninformed and/or hostile media.
Sarah Palin’s speech here (in four parts). Well worth listening to, and the transcript is here. Some quite nice jabs with velvet gloves:
I’ve noticed a pattern with our opponent.
Maybe you have, too.
We’ve all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.
And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.
But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform – not even in the state senate.
This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word “victory” except when he’s talking about his own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed … when the roar of the crowd fades away … when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot – what exactly is our opponent’s plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger … take more of your money … give you more orders from Washington … and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it.
Victory in Iraq is finally in sight … he wants to forfeit.
Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay … he wants to meet them without preconditions.
Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America … he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights? Government is too big … he wants to grow it.
Congress spends too much … he promises more.
Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be specific.
The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes … raise payroll taxes … raise investment income taxes … raise the death tax … raise business taxes … and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service station that’s now opened for business – like millions of others who run small businesses.
How are they going to be any better off if taxes go up? Or maybe you’re trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or Ohio … or create jobs with clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia … or keep a small farm in the family right here in Minnesota.
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Thanks guys
I just watched her whole speech. It is indeed powerful stuff, and offers some real hope. No wonder why the secular left hates her so much.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
This is an excellent post! I have linked to it at my blog Talk Wisdom!
The cable channels like MS-NBC (a.k.a. “nominate Obama channel”) combined with the rabidly disparaging leftist bloggers and commentators just goes to show how “in the tank” the media is for Obama. Their hateful spewings are truly awful! My concern is – will the everyday people see through the smokescreens being put up by the media? Will they awaken from their Kool-Aid Obama-messiah trance and see the Obama campaign for what it really is?
I am praying for our Nation every day – and for God’s mercy upon us in this hugely important election!
God bless you and thanks for your wonderfully insightful commentary!
Sincerely,
Christine Watson
A lady Governor General for Australia, A lady deputy Premier for NSW, A lady standing for deputy President of USA, what role models with high morals, – pro life, pro family and pro country, faith and freedom.
May these ladies make a difference for their country and people.
Judith Bond
My wife and I had a discussion about an evangelical Christian, Sarah Palin, as Vice President (VP) of the USA over breakfast on this Friday morning. Desley made the comment that this female evangelical nomination for VP may receive some resistance from some conservative churches who believe that a woman’s place is in the home with the raising of family.
The fact that she is working outside of the home may be a detriment in voting for her. I wonder how the men and women in, say, John MacArthur Jr’s Grace Community Church in California (and other churches of this view) will respond to a married woman with young children in the workforce – and the prominence of a VP?
Could it be that this selection will have a negative impact among some Christians because of these factors? Will the negro women choose to support Obama because of his ethnicity?
Spencer Gear, Hervey Bay, Qld.
Dear Judith,
Quentin Bryce is not pro-life as you would believe. Just a snippet from a recent article in The Australian:
“But her career is not entirely without controversy. She was accused of sexism herself during her tenure as Sex Discrimination commissioner after Alexander Proudfoot, a doctor with the federal Health Department’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, secured under freedom of information laws a case file from Ms Bryce on which she had written a note, ‘another example of a male wasting our time with trivia’. It triggered several years of legal battles, which were ultimately dismissed. Australia’s next governor-general is a pro-choice feminist and campaigner for childcare and maternity leave who believes women can have it all – although perhaps not at the same time.”
Teresa Binder
Ditto Teresa, Judith please read this aticle linked to below. Both Rudd and Bryce are still under investigation for the shredding of documents with regard to the Heiner child rape cover up affair. She should never have been sworn in as G.G. Details via Andrew Bolt’s site: http://www.newsweekly.com.au/articles/2008apr26_g.html
Bryce is a full on Emily’s List politician!
The atheistic press is in melt down spreading the most vile rumours and lies.The other Big O, Oprah Winfrey is apoplectic with rage against Sarah Palin. They are exposing themselves for what they are and what they stand (fall) for: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/sarahs_surly_sisters.html
by Jan La Rue.
Bill’s reference to Cal Thomas, USA columnist, is an extremely insightful observation of the current cultural wars being played out around the world and here in New South Wales.[NSW]
The NSW Iemma/Costa government and perhaps Carr before them were about their ALP political party preferences being imposed on those of the community invoking ‘big’ government. They were not listening to the people!
A government so dictatorial that it has given itself the ‘right’ to deny the people a democratic vote at Local Government elections, elsewhere and currently in Wollongong and Shellharbour.
Enough of this social engineering by people who do not have a mandate for what they do! Party political preferences are perverted and the call is for ‘Community democracy’, which in part, the McCain/Palin agenda espouses.
Ray Robinson
Hi Bill,
I have been raving about this post and keep sending people over here to read it!
Came over today to tell you that I have selected your blog for the “Awesome Site Award”!
Congratulations and God bless you!
Christine Watson
And now for the latest tactic – to twist the commendable decisions in difficult situations by the Palin family into advocacy for abortion:
It’s quite despicable. How I wish I had been interviewed by Samantha Bee.
Me (answering her): Oh yeah, I know the word you mean, Samantha – it’s called ‘choice’.
SB: Oh yeah, and ‘choice’ would be a good thing right? Everybody should have the right to decide what’s best for them, right?
Me: Right, it’s kinda like a CHOICE I could make right now.
SB: What do you mean?
Me: Well, imagine I have a knife in my hand, with one of those really long blades. And what I do is this – I CHOOSE to (demonstrating) thrust it in front of me really really forcefully. Actually right where your dress is.
SB: What?
Me: Now my CHOICE is good right? Isn’t my CHOICE OK? It’s best for me right at this moment since I’m just not ready to look silly on a TV show… I have my future in front of me and maybe I’ll decide something different later. Oh, but… hang on, that would end up being – that CHOICE would be – ummm now what’s that word? – it’s kinda like ‘manslaughter’ – I know it starts with M, but the difference is CHOICE, isn’t it – which is good, right? Word? wait – the first bit sorta rhymes with ‘word’ – m, m, mu, mu, mur… can you help me out here – you know it’s like ‘manslaughter’ but you make a CHOICE??? Oh, oh, I know! – MURDER, that’s riiiight. So murder is OK because it’s a CHOICE?
Bye Samantha.
Pro-lifers should be reminded that ‘choice’ in itself is not a bad word, it’s just been hijacked by the pro-death crowd to hide the real truth of what abortion is. A choice of what colour to paint your walls is obviously vastly different from the choice to kill the unborn. Always remember, “choice to do what?”
As a footnote, I cannot help but laugh at the rage of the leftist women at the appointment of Sarah Palin as Republican VP candidate. The fact that they are so angry betrays what they really stand for. It ain’t women, that’s for sure, because if it really was, they would be thrilled. The woman has an approval rating in her state this year that has the lowest figure at mid 60s and the highest at mid 80s. These are results that most politicians could only dream of in an open democracy.
Mark Rabich
Many thanks indeed Christine
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
It is a matter of diametrically opposed wordviews. The pro life ‘Sarah Palins’ who live their lives accountable to their Saviour and ‘walk the talk’ and others like ‘Oprah feminist women’ who place themselves at the center of their constructed universe and justify all kinds of evil , thoughts and deeds. The other female BIG O is New (Old = pagan) Age and a lot worse! She was the first to nickname Obama the BIG O. takes one to know one! Of course O stands for nothing , zero, ziltch, nada to quote Rudy G. There is a great article re Oprah vitriolic Palin hatred at American Thinker.
The so called ‘hard cases’ like the false ‘rape’ one of ‘Roe’ account for less than 1% of the total abortions. That is, the cases of ‘rape,’ ‘incest’, fetal ‘abnormality’ . It is argued from these rare cases to the general. ‘Unwanted’, ‘unplanned’ and killing a baby ‘to mask sexual immorality and promiscuity’ are the major so called ‘reasons’. BTW teenage pregnancy accounts for a small fraction of the number of the total abortions, 200000 out of the million plus that America puts to death each year.
Added to this is the uncomfortable truth that at least 80 % of women feel forced into abortions and not supported to keep their baby. So in what way are they exercising a ‘choice’? The ‘pro death to the unborn’ crowd never complete the sentence when they exort the ‘right for women to choose’…….. to have their baby destroyed’. The vast majority of abortions occur in the age group 20 to 30 years of age. One of the consequences of abortion is future depression and fertility problems and need to access IVF to get pregnant post 40 with their ‘token’ baby . BTW 90 % of Down syndrome babies are now aborted and a President Obamacide would only further increase this number.
The World Leader who overturns this genocide of the unborn will inherit the wonderful mantle of ‘Wilberforce’. It may be Mc Cain en ‘Abel’ ed by Sarah Palin or we may have to wait and pray for President Palin to make this bold and virtuous move. The most dangerous place for a baby is in the womb after they are born their chances of survival dramatically increase.
How have our so called ‘civilized’ countries come to this tragic impasse? People will look back on the ’slaughter of the innocents’ over the last 40 years with incredulity like they do about ’slavery’ which was accepted for 300 years. Abortion is the defining moral issue of our time. Pro abortion feminists have swallowed a huge lie, that it is a defining issue that women should be pro baby death for themselves and all women. Greater than 60 % of all Americans (both male and female) classify themselves as ‘conservatives’ and how many of these ‘real conservative’ women would be pro life? 100 %? At ‘Townhall’ these two articles are very interesting: http://townhall.com/Columnists/KevinMcCullough/2008/09/07/why_only_modern_feminists_hate_sarah_palin http://townhall.com/Columnists/KenConnor/2008/09/07/the_politics_of_personal_destruction
Jennifer Parfenovics
Excellent post as usual, Bill and thanks for writing it. I’ve just got through defending Sarah Palin from a ‘Christian’ who is disseminating information against her because of her particular denomination. Thank God that this woman has been able to make a stand against the vast hordes of the rabid and the vicious. We need to pray for her daily.
Tas Walker said Notice how peaceful and quite the left media is now that there are no conservatives in government in Australia.
I believe a tactic of the Left is to continually stir up a hornet’s nest until they get what they want. It’s a sad fact of human nature that we crave peace at all costs and finally people will vote to appease the voices that are creating such disharmony in society. How else would an excellent economic manager like John Howard have lost to a relative unknown quantity like Mr Rudd?
I’m positive they will use the same tactics against Sarah Palin. We have to be ready to support and pray for her. She’s standing in the front line for all of us.
Dee Graf
Thanks Dee
Yes we certainly need to pray for her. This woman has a big time destiny, no question about it. She may well become the President of the United States in 2012. She is that big.
Dee, does this professing Christian badmouthing Palin have any problem with BHO’s rabid support for partial birth abortion and infanticide?
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Thanks Bill. I look forward to checking that out. I get a ‘witness’ in my own spirit about her as well. I’m actually amazed that such a woman has made it into the sullied arena of politics. Can’t wait to see what will happen next.
Jonathan, I think the fact that he hates her denomination and the ‘Christian Right’ in general chafes far worse than the most heinous of Obama’s policies.
Dee Graf
Thanks Dee
Speaking of what happens next, this has just appeared as the lead item on the front page of the Melbourne Age website:
Polls put McCain in front as US election sharpens The US presidential election moved into high gear today as two new opinion polls showed Republican John McCain taking the lead over Democratic rival Barack Obama.
Miracles still happen!
Bill Muehlenberg, CulturreWatch
Dear Bill, Thanks so much for that video link of Sarah Palin. What an awesome and wonderful Lord we all serve and love. The prayer by the older pastor was so beautiful especially at the end when he was nearly in tears and mention was made of Esther and the destiny of all believers, we are all meant to be here for God’s purpose and Sarah Palin ‘for a time such as this.’ I must confess that watching the American elections over the last number of months it looked a ‘lay down misere’ that the Leftist media would annoint their favoured candidate. Just like we had the duplicitous Rudd delivered to us by the sycophantic media. The dangerous and evil Obama(cide) was being annointed by the talking heads news elite and I believed that the USA would be lost for generations.
The future of America under Obama would look like…these descripitions from bloggers’ Rose’ and ‘Ranger Joe’. It is not over yet as Obama remains a real threat until defeated in November or ‘when the fat lady sings’. But God has raised up Sarah (Esther) Palin for a time such as this. I have blogged numerous times advocacy for Palin stating that if Mc Cain chose a pro abortionist as his running mate Vice President he would surely lose. http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/06/obamas_callous_indifference.html http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2008/08/30/really-a-creationist
Jennifer Parfenovics
Hi Bill,
For what it’s worth, the liberal bias on MSNBC did not go unnoticed by the American public. The two talking heads guilty of it have been demoted and will not be hosting the coverage of the national election. I’ve even seen people still planning to vote for Obama commenting on the extreme bias Olbermann and Mathews showed during the DNC. Here’s a link with more information:
I must admit I am quite taken with Sarah Palin and find the attacks upon her by the far left to be little more than desperate grasps at straws. I can’t believe the intentional stupidity of the far left in making the claim that Palin’s youngest child is actually her daughter’s baby.
BTW, if you get CNN, they do have ONE conservative commentator, Glenn Beck. If you like comentary with a good slug of American political humor, Beck’s your man!
M.E. Huffmaster
Very disturbing video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo&feature=user Kll and Destroy” Synopsis:
Featuring an interview with Jill Stanek, “Kill and Destroy” explores Barack Hussein Obama’s support of infanticide in Illinois, an alarming decision that was opposed by every Democrat and Republican in the U.S. Senate.
“What does it take to make a man a monster any more?” Illuminati Pictures president Molotov Mitchell recently wrote. “If Americans can watch this video and still support Barack Obama, then America is…beyond all hope.”
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Jonathan,
After watching that video, I can only wonder how Obama even got within a mile of the candidacy. Is this really the best the Democrats have to offer? 3 times voting for leaving babies to die??? I don’t think I would recommend Obama as a lollipop man, let alone President.
Mark Rabich
Thanks guys
Yes, both Obama and Biden are strongly pro-abortion, but Obama is even pro-infanticide, and proud of it. McCain and Palin, on the other hand, are pro-life. Thus the clash of worldviews could not be more pronounced between the two political parties. One party is a party of life, and one party is a party of death.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Brian Peachey of WA writes about the worldview of the Labor Party: http://www.dlp.org.au/perspective.htm
(A Rudd election win will be a disaster)
Michael Webb
The difference in worldviews is painfully obvious in these debates between Alan Keyes and Barack Obama.
It’s not just conservative women that bring out their bile, it’s conservative men. John Howard for one, and Joh for another. Notice how peaceful and quite the left media is now that there are no conservatives in government in Australia.
Tas Walker
Thanks Tas
Quite right.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Good point about the media. It seems here in Australia they’re more interested in tarnishing the image of the conservatives by attacking their apparent leadership problems and their climate policies than they are critiquing the government’s policies. Rudd and co. are about to implement the most dramatic, life-chaging, course-altering policy in history to solve the “greatest moral issue of our time”, but instead of objectively analysing it, the media is more concerned with sullying the reputations of those who aren’t even making the executive decisions. Once, just once, I’d love to see/hear an objective interview from the ABC . . . and don’t get me started about that one-sided political forum “Q and A”!
Ben Williams
Just posted your brilliant insight onto Anglican Mainstream: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/
Thank you Bill. And you are quite right – it is a fundamental issue of worldviews!
God bless!
Lisa Severine Nolland
Well, Sarah Palin has just made the speech of her life at the Republican National Convention, and made it clear that she’s going to Washington with a reform agenda. She wowed the crowd, struck her notes with grace, penetration, and a touch of ironic humour. The left-wing elites had even run a voteline as to whether/when McCain would drop her from the ticket. Well, that’s NOT going to happen. He’s on a winner. But watch now for the talk-shows, the leftist bloggers, the media journos etc, to go ballistic. Already they have unloaded an army of investigators into Alaska to dig up DOP (“Dirt on Palin”).
Look also at the bile and venom – and ignorance! – from the local scene as well, as in the Letters to the Editor in today’s Herald-Sun.
Yes, Bill! The real issue here is a clash of world-views, and a very bitter one at that – from the liberal left, that is. Yet the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God, to the tearing down of strongholds (2 Cor.10:4). Most especially at this crucial hour in the history of our formerly Christian civilisation this remains true. Whether Sarah Palin, or any of us, may we remember this as we wage that warfare.
Murray Adamthwaite
Thanks Murray
Yes you are right on all counts. I only heard snippets of her speech today (funny how Obama and Biden got so much media airtime here during the Democratic convention, but so little is coming out of the Republican convention), and it was powerful stuff. As one friend told me who did get to hear her via another media outlet: “Watched her speech today. She was absolutely ferocious. She is formidable.”
And the sheer ignorance, if not enmity, of the MSM is incredible. Take the ABC 7:30 Report tonight. It featured a brief segment on the convention. Kerry O’Brien referred to her as a “Christian evangelist”, as did an ABC reporter at Minneapolis. Sorry, ABC, wrong again. She is not a full time preacher, spending her time evangelising, which the phrase means. She is a Governor, who happens to be an evangelical Christian (a big difference here). Thus the ABC is way out of its depth, as usual.
But the ABC is not alone. In the past few days different media reports have labelled her religion in all sorts of terms. Some referred to her as an evangelical, but some have called her a Catholic, while others have called her a Lutheran. The media cannot even get this issue right. No wonder we are in such bad shape, with such an uninformed and/or hostile media.
BTW, I did a quick google, and you can go here to watch the video of her speech: http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?hl=en&q=%22Palin%20speech%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Sarah Palin’s speech here (in four parts). Well worth listening to, and the transcript is here. Some quite nice jabs with velvet gloves:
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Thanks guys
I just watched her whole speech. It is indeed powerful stuff, and offers some real hope. No wonder why the secular left hates her so much.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
This is an excellent post! I have linked to it at my blog Talk Wisdom!
The cable channels like MS-NBC (a.k.a. “nominate Obama channel”) combined with the rabidly disparaging leftist bloggers and commentators just goes to show how “in the tank” the media is for Obama. Their hateful spewings are truly awful! My concern is – will the everyday people see through the smokescreens being put up by the media? Will they awaken from their Kool-Aid Obama-messiah trance and see the Obama campaign for what it really is?
I am praying for our Nation every day – and for God’s mercy upon us in this hugely important election!
God bless you and thanks for your wonderfully insightful commentary!
Sincerely,
Christine Watson
A lady Governor General for Australia, A lady deputy Premier for NSW, A lady standing for deputy President of USA, what role models with high morals, – pro life, pro family and pro country, faith and freedom.
May these ladies make a difference for their country and people.
Judith Bond
My wife and I had a discussion about an evangelical Christian, Sarah Palin, as Vice President (VP) of the USA over breakfast on this Friday morning. Desley made the comment that this female evangelical nomination for VP may receive some resistance from some conservative churches who believe that a woman’s place is in the home with the raising of family.
The fact that she is working outside of the home may be a detriment in voting for her. I wonder how the men and women in, say, John MacArthur Jr’s Grace Community Church in California (and other churches of this view) will respond to a married woman with young children in the workforce – and the prominence of a VP?
Could it be that this selection will have a negative impact among some Christians because of these factors? Will the negro women choose to support Obama because of his ethnicity?
Spencer Gear, Hervey Bay, Qld.
Dear Judith,
Quentin Bryce is not pro-life as you would believe. Just a snippet from a recent article in The Australian:
“But her career is not entirely without controversy. She was accused of sexism herself during her tenure as Sex Discrimination commissioner after Alexander Proudfoot, a doctor with the federal Health Department’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, secured under freedom of information laws a case file from Ms Bryce on which she had written a note, ‘another example of a male wasting our time with trivia’. It triggered several years of legal battles, which were ultimately dismissed. Australia’s next governor-general is a pro-choice feminist and campaigner for childcare and maternity leave who believes women can have it all – although perhaps not at the same time.”
Teresa Binder
Ditto Teresa, Judith please read this aticle linked to below. Both Rudd and Bryce are still under investigation for the shredding of documents with regard to the Heiner child rape cover up affair. She should never have been sworn in as G.G. Details via Andrew Bolt’s site: http://www.newsweekly.com.au/articles/2008apr26_g.html
Bryce is a full on Emily’s List politician!
The atheistic press is in melt down spreading the most vile rumours and lies.The other Big O, Oprah Winfrey is apoplectic with rage against Sarah Palin. They are exposing themselves for what they are and what they stand (fall) for: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/sarahs_surly_sisters.html
by Jan La Rue.
This article is excellent and reminiscent of your insightful article Bill. Thomas Lifson contrasts the two worldviews: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/sarah_palin_and_the_two_americ.html
Jennifer Parfenovics
I found this to be quite a helpful article: Can I Be Pro-Choice and Catholic at the Same Time?: http://www.geocities.com/frjimlloyd/ProChoice.htm
Michael Webb
Bill’s reference to Cal Thomas, USA columnist, is an extremely insightful observation of the current cultural wars being played out around the world and here in New South Wales.[NSW]
The NSW Iemma/Costa government and perhaps Carr before them were about their ALP political party preferences being imposed on those of the community invoking ‘big’ government. They were not listening to the people!
A government so dictatorial that it has given itself the ‘right’ to deny the people a democratic vote at Local Government elections, elsewhere and currently in Wollongong and Shellharbour.
Enough of this social engineering by people who do not have a mandate for what they do! Party political preferences are perverted and the call is for ‘Community democracy’, which in part, the McCain/Palin agenda espouses.
Ray Robinson
Hi Bill,
I have been raving about this post and keep sending people over here to read it!
Came over today to tell you that I have selected your blog for the “Awesome Site Award”!
Congratulations and God bless you!
Christine Watson
And now for the latest tactic – to twist the commendable decisions in difficult situations by the Palin family into advocacy for abortion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANlICS8QsnE
It’s quite despicable. How I wish I had been interviewed by Samantha Bee.
Me (answering her): Oh yeah, I know the word you mean, Samantha – it’s called ‘choice’.
SB: Oh yeah, and ‘choice’ would be a good thing right? Everybody should have the right to decide what’s best for them, right?
Me: Right, it’s kinda like a CHOICE I could make right now.
SB: What do you mean?
Me: Well, imagine I have a knife in my hand, with one of those really long blades. And what I do is this – I CHOOSE to (demonstrating) thrust it in front of me really really forcefully. Actually right where your dress is.
SB: What?
Me: Now my CHOICE is good right? Isn’t my CHOICE OK? It’s best for me right at this moment since I’m just not ready to look silly on a TV show… I have my future in front of me and maybe I’ll decide something different later. Oh, but… hang on, that would end up being – that CHOICE would be – ummm now what’s that word? – it’s kinda like ‘manslaughter’ – I know it starts with M, but the difference is CHOICE, isn’t it – which is good, right? Word? wait – the first bit sorta rhymes with ‘word’ – m, m, mu, mu, mur… can you help me out here – you know it’s like ‘manslaughter’ but you make a CHOICE??? Oh, oh, I know! – MURDER, that’s riiiight. So murder is OK because it’s a CHOICE?
Bye Samantha.
Pro-lifers should be reminded that ‘choice’ in itself is not a bad word, it’s just been hijacked by the pro-death crowd to hide the real truth of what abortion is. A choice of what colour to paint your walls is obviously vastly different from the choice to kill the unborn. Always remember, “choice to do what?”
As a footnote, I cannot help but laugh at the rage of the leftist women at the appointment of Sarah Palin as Republican VP candidate. The fact that they are so angry betrays what they really stand for. It ain’t women, that’s for sure, because if it really was, they would be thrilled. The woman has an approval rating in her state this year that has the lowest figure at mid 60s and the highest at mid 80s. These are results that most politicians could only dream of in an open democracy.
Mark Rabich
Many thanks indeed Christine
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
It is a matter of diametrically opposed wordviews. The pro life ‘Sarah Palins’ who live their lives accountable to their Saviour and ‘walk the talk’ and others like ‘Oprah feminist women’ who place themselves at the center of their constructed universe and justify all kinds of evil , thoughts and deeds. The other female BIG O is New (Old = pagan) Age and a lot worse! She was the first to nickname Obama the BIG O. takes one to know one! Of course O stands for nothing , zero, ziltch, nada to quote Rudy G. There is a great article re Oprah vitriolic Palin hatred at American Thinker.
The so called ‘hard cases’ like the false ‘rape’ one of ‘Roe’ account for less than 1% of the total abortions. That is, the cases of ‘rape,’ ‘incest’, fetal ‘abnormality’ . It is argued from these rare cases to the general. ‘Unwanted’, ‘unplanned’ and killing a baby ‘to mask sexual immorality and promiscuity’ are the major so called ‘reasons’. BTW teenage pregnancy accounts for a small fraction of the number of the total abortions, 200000 out of the million plus that America puts to death each year.
Added to this is the uncomfortable truth that at least 80 % of women feel forced into abortions and not supported to keep their baby. So in what way are they exercising a ‘choice’? The ‘pro death to the unborn’ crowd never complete the sentence when they exort the ‘right for women to choose’…….. to have their baby destroyed’. The vast majority of abortions occur in the age group 20 to 30 years of age. One of the consequences of abortion is future depression and fertility problems and need to access IVF to get pregnant post 40 with their ‘token’ baby . BTW 90 % of Down syndrome babies are now aborted and a President Obamacide would only further increase this number.
The World Leader who overturns this genocide of the unborn will inherit the wonderful mantle of ‘Wilberforce’. It may be Mc Cain en ‘Abel’ ed by Sarah Palin or we may have to wait and pray for President Palin to make this bold and virtuous move. The most dangerous place for a baby is in the womb after they are born their chances of survival dramatically increase.
How have our so called ‘civilized’ countries come to this tragic impasse? People will look back on the ’slaughter of the innocents’ over the last 40 years with incredulity like they do about ’slavery’ which was accepted for 300 years. Abortion is the defining moral issue of our time. Pro abortion feminists have swallowed a huge lie, that it is a defining issue that women should be pro baby death for themselves and all women. Greater than 60 % of all Americans (both male and female) classify themselves as ‘conservatives’ and how many of these ‘real conservative’ women would be pro life? 100 %? At ‘Townhall’ these two articles are very interesting:
http://townhall.com/Columnists/KevinMcCullough/2008/09/07/why_only_modern_feminists_hate_sarah_palin
http://townhall.com/Columnists/KenConnor/2008/09/07/the_politics_of_personal_destruction
Jennifer Parfenovics
Excellent post as usual, Bill and thanks for writing it. I’ve just got through defending Sarah Palin from a ‘Christian’ who is disseminating information against her because of her particular denomination. Thank God that this woman has been able to make a stand against the vast hordes of the rabid and the vicious. We need to pray for her daily.
Tas Walker said Notice how peaceful and quite the left media is now that there are no conservatives in government in Australia.
I believe a tactic of the Left is to continually stir up a hornet’s nest until they get what they want. It’s a sad fact of human nature that we crave peace at all costs and finally people will vote to appease the voices that are creating such disharmony in society. How else would an excellent economic manager like John Howard have lost to a relative unknown quantity like Mr Rudd?
I’m positive they will use the same tactics against Sarah Palin. We have to be ready to support and pray for her. She’s standing in the front line for all of us.
Dee Graf
Thanks Dee
Yes we certainly need to pray for her. This woman has a big time destiny, no question about it. She may well become the President of the United States in 2012. She is that big.
And she is certainly a true Christian. See this earlier – and perhaps prophetic – talk she gave at an AOG church: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1766638341
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Dee, does this professing Christian badmouthing Palin have any problem with BHO’s rabid support for partial birth abortion and infanticide?
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Thanks Bill. I look forward to checking that out. I get a ‘witness’ in my own spirit about her as well. I’m actually amazed that such a woman has made it into the sullied arena of politics. Can’t wait to see what will happen next.
Jonathan, I think the fact that he hates her denomination and the ‘Christian Right’ in general chafes far worse than the most heinous of Obama’s policies.
Dee Graf
Thanks Dee
Speaking of what happens next, this has just appeared as the lead item on the front page of the Melbourne Age website:
Polls put McCain in front as US election sharpens
The US presidential election moved into high gear today as two new opinion polls showed Republican John McCain taking the lead over Democratic rival Barack Obama.
Miracles still happen!
Bill Muehlenberg, CulturreWatch
Dear Bill, Thanks so much for that video link of Sarah Palin. What an awesome and wonderful Lord we all serve and love. The prayer by the older pastor was so beautiful especially at the end when he was nearly in tears and mention was made of Esther and the destiny of all believers, we are all meant to be here for God’s purpose and Sarah Palin ‘for a time such as this.’ I must confess that watching the American elections over the last number of months it looked a ‘lay down misere’ that the Leftist media would annoint their favoured candidate. Just like we had the duplicitous Rudd delivered to us by the sycophantic media. The dangerous and evil Obama(cide) was being annointed by the talking heads news elite and I believed that the USA would be lost for generations.
The future of America under Obama would look like…these descripitions from bloggers’ Rose’ and ‘Ranger Joe’. It is not over yet as Obama remains a real threat until defeated in November or ‘when the fat lady sings’. But God has raised up Sarah (Esther) Palin for a time such as this. I have blogged numerous times advocacy for Palin stating that if Mc Cain chose a pro abortionist as his running mate Vice President he would surely lose.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/06/obamas_callous_indifference.html
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2008/08/30/really-a-creationist
Jennifer Parfenovics
Hi Bill,
For what it’s worth, the liberal bias on MSNBC did not go unnoticed by the American public. The two talking heads guilty of it have been demoted and will not be hosting the coverage of the national election. I’ve even seen people still planning to vote for Obama commenting on the extreme bias Olbermann and Mathews showed during the DNC. Here’s a link with more information:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080908/ap_en_ce/tv_nbc_olbermann_8
I must admit I am quite taken with Sarah Palin and find the attacks upon her by the far left to be little more than desperate grasps at straws. I can’t believe the intentional stupidity of the far left in making the claim that Palin’s youngest child is actually her daughter’s baby.
BTW, if you get CNN, they do have ONE conservative commentator, Glenn Beck. If you like comentary with a good slug of American political humor, Beck’s your man!
M.E. Huffmaster
Very disturbing video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo&feature=user
Kll and Destroy” Synopsis:
Featuring an interview with Jill Stanek, “Kill and Destroy” explores Barack Hussein Obama’s support of infanticide in Illinois, an alarming decision that was opposed by every Democrat and Republican in the U.S. Senate.
“What does it take to make a man a monster any more?” Illuminati Pictures president Molotov Mitchell recently wrote. “If Americans can watch this video and still support Barack Obama, then America is…beyond all hope.”
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
Jonathan,
After watching that video, I can only wonder how Obama even got within a mile of the candidacy. Is this really the best the Democrats have to offer? 3 times voting for leaving babies to die??? I don’t think I would recommend Obama as a lollipop man, let alone President.
Mark Rabich
Thanks guys
Yes, both Obama and Biden are strongly pro-abortion, but Obama is even pro-infanticide, and proud of it. McCain and Palin, on the other hand, are pro-life. Thus the clash of worldviews could not be more pronounced between the two political parties. One party is a party of life, and one party is a party of death.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Brian Peachey of WA writes about the worldview of the Labor Party:
http://www.dlp.org.au/perspective.htm
(A Rudd election win will be a disaster)
Michael Webb
The difference in worldviews is painfully obvious in these debates between Alan Keyes and Barack Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyOL8TxtexM&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyOL8TxtexM&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2bf9DNVB4&feature=related
Jennifer Parfenovics