The Atlantic's Festering Shame

Not only is an item by The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan linked below an example of religious persecution, turns out like much of what Sullivan writes these days - it's flat-out wrong.

One of the musical directors at the church, Adele Morgan, who has known Ms. Palin since the third grade, said the Palins moved to the nondenominational Wasilla Bible Church in 2002, in part because its ministry is less “extreme” than Pentecostal churches like the Assemblies of God, which practice speaking in tongues and miraculous healings.

In one of America's less fine moments on July 15, 1960 Democratic Presidential nominee John Fitzgerald Kennedy was forced to make what by today's standards should be considered an embarrassing plea.

I am fully aware of the fact that the Democratic Party, by nominating someone of my faith, has taken on what many regard as a new and hazardous risk--new, at least since 1928. But I look at it this way: the Democratic Party has once again placed its confidence in the American people, and in their ability to render a free, fair judgment. And you have, at the same time, placed your confidence in me, and in my ability to render a free, fair judgment--to uphold the Constitution and my oath of office--and to reject any kind of religious pressure or obligation that might directly or indirectly interfere with my conduct of the Presidency in the national interest. My record of fourteen years supporting public education--supporting complete separation of church and state--and resisting pressure from any source on any issue should be clear by now to everyone.

     I hope that no American, considering the really critical issues facing this country, will waste his franchise by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant. I want to stress, what some other political or religious leader may have said on this subject. It is not relevant what abuses may have existed in other countries or in other times. It is not relevant what pressures, if any, might conceivably be brought to bear on me. I am telling you now what you are entitled to know: that my decisions on any public policy will be my own--as an American, a Democrat and a free man.

Yet forty-eight years and some odd days later under the banner of a publication, The Atlantic, once so esteemed as to be considered an American Institution sits an item with video and text that represents nothing short of the religious prosecution of current Republican Vice Presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin.

Good God!  I watched that video of Palin at her church through twice.  The Assemblies of God are Pentecostals, of course, the real "holy rollers"--ecstatic experience of the Godhead in your own body, rolling in the aisles, talking in tongues. When I got some exposure to them, they were extremely conservative and strict (no dancing, no lipstick, no short skirts) but Palin is evidence of how they've mainstreamed themselves.

I wonder if the average reader would hear the references she makes and understand them?  Master's commissions--this is a program they run to evangelize non-believers, in Alaska especially native Americans. Notice that our foreign and defense policy is simply God-given - not to be weighed, studied, deliberated, only to be implemented as we're taught by our betters.  And notice that her political program - build a sports complex, a pipeline, change a tax bill, all likewise simply becomes a matter of religion.

For twenty years the most hardcore Christianists have been held in the background. Now one of them is the vice presidential nominee next to a man who's 72 and a repeated cancer survivor.  This is mortifying.  How could John McCain do this to our country!

That the increasingly demented Andrew Sullivan, not even an American citizen, so far as I can tell, would spit upon the legacy of a once beloved American President will come as no shock to anyone still paying him any attention. Frankly, there's no guessing what he might produce next as he continues to spiral down, seemingly infected with a vicious hate. He's already become more pustule, than man as it is. But his relative and increasing insignificance to American political debate as a whole makes his part almost ignorable.

But that a once important American publication founded in Boston in 1857 by the likes of Stowe, Emerson, Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell continues to host his objectively un-American postings really is too much. It should not be ignored. It can't be excused. And it might not ever warrant being forgiven if they opt to continue milking said pustule for whatever similarly deranged and ultimately pus-like bit of web traffic he might actually be worth.

Comments

[Mark_0454]

Andrew Sullivan cares about one issue and one issue only -- gay marriage. He will spin like a top to justify those who agree with him. He will demonize (and make up anything necessary for the demonization) anyone who disagrees with him. If you read him with this construct in mind, you can predict 99% of what he will say (you just can't predict what he will make up to justify his nonsense.)

[Lala]

Is he just HIV positive or is it full-blown AIDS? Eating his brain away.
Anyway, here's some interesting news re reporters and TV news -

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/joe-curl/2008/Sep/05/small-town-residents-boo-media-mccain-1/

[Mr DeBakey]

You're kidding

Someone is daring to criticize the church that one of the candidates attends?

For Shame! For Shame!

[seekeronos]

Sully's a hyper-liberal whose disguise as a "classically libertarian conservative" has fallen off, revealing a socialist pro-Obama gay pig with poorly done lipstick.

And the old queen probably does have some AIDS-related brain rot going on, the poor sod. Ol' "power gutes" just might come to regret "milking the load" that infected him.

[Leon W.]

Peggy Noonan has a nice liile take on Sullivan. In talking about the changed "media" environment of today versus when she was younger, she observed that the new players are half-crazy cable TV anchors and the lower lurkers of the Internet like Andrew Sullivan.

[bobInStamford]

"And the old queen probably does have some AIDS-related brain rot going on, the poor sod."

Loser Jesus freaks with mail order brides and shitty government computer jobs should not throw stones.

[homunculus]

There is nothing remarkable to Palin's comments on any level, except maybe her hicky accent. Sullivan used to be proud of his religion, which if memory serves, is a version of Christianity in which people try to do God's will, which is what Palin was saying to do.

[Spartan112]

So did Sarah have an affair as reported in the National Enquirer?

[Sally]

I really miss Michael Kelly.

[seekeronos]

"--- mail order brides and sh***y government computer jobs should not throw stones ---"

Perhaps you are right, Bob. I shouldn't throw stones, for I am no less a sinner.

I shouldn't be so mean to Ms. Andy Sullivan, despite his hypocrisy and hate he daily dishes out.

Yet, the same may be said of you as well.

And although I know that you likely won't let it go (as much as you love to to talk about certain people's house values even after proven wrong), my wife and I met here in NYC where she was going to school, at her own expense. Her folks are also quite wealthy, so there is nothing to your (false) perception of her being a "mail order bride" or whatever.

And my job? It more than pays the bills, and I'm quite happy with it... and if the economy really does contract in a bad way, I'll most likely be secure in my job while many are sent to hit the streets.

So fie on your false preconceived notions, eh?

[Lala]

I miss Michael Kelly too. From his father

"Life is a fabric, woven out of all our sorrows and delights. If we pulled out the threads we didn't like, there would be nothing left but fuzz. The thought consoles us, but it never consoles us enough."

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Hmmm, do they pray "god damn America" at her church? Funny how we were supposed to ignore Obie's church, but not Palin's. Course there would be no double standard that way. Like, our lefty friends are all tied up in knots that Cheney had five draft differments during Vietnam, but aren't a bit unhappy with Biden who also had five differments.....before he was finally ound to suffer from asthma. So Sarah and her family left a church with non-Biblical beliefs for one "less extreme", maybe one that actually tries to live the Bible's real teachings. Too scary..................

[PA]

Sullivan obviously has AIDS related dementia.

[el gordo]

I´ve heard that Andrew Sullivan is writing a book about Obama.
The title is "Dreams from my Fuehrer".

[Spartan112]

Dan,
Considering how much bandwidth you used reporting on the NE story regarding John Edwards when can we expect you to start reporting on the NE report of Sarah Palin's affair with her husbands former business partner?

Odd isn't it that one former partner just sought to have the records of his divorce proceeding sealed?

http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/pa/pa.urd/pamw2000.docket_lst?68762762

Watchout, motion DENIED!

[Lala]

Too bad Sparky, others beat Dan to it re covering the divorce records:

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Anatomy of a Smear

Blogger Charlie Martin has helpfully compiled all of the smears that the left has hurled at Sarah Palin. 54 and counting!

Given that we’re more than halfway to the century mark in Palin smears, I think it’s time to take another brief look at the left’s method of smear dissemination. Yesterday on a blog hosted by the prestigious magazine the Atlantic, a post popped up at 11:49 a.m. with the breathless title, “Here We Go.” The post read in its entirety, “Todd Palin's former business partner files an emergency motion to have his divorce papers sealed. Oh God.” The post linked to the Alaskan court system where you could see the motion if you cared to click through.

read more at

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp#8543

[WAHOO WILLIE]

So here is some poor shlub whose private life is now spread out for all to see simply because of his past...PAST... association with Todd Palin. Damn you people are completely f**king sick.

[Befair]

Sealing divorce papers is commonly done where I live - not trying to cover up anything at all - just to keep the issues between the parties private from nosey, mean-spirited, gossipy people. Yeah, we do have a whole lot of them don't we?

It is to her credit that Sarah Palin gives voice to her religious beliefs - there is more harm done by idle gossip by far than by professing one's faith.

[Fred Beloit]

Agent112 is very busy trying to sell the "affair" story from a news source the lefties were excoriating for being unreliable, what, a week ago? Now why would 112 do that, I wonder? How could a person continue to repeat what one knows is pure bulls--- with passion and conviction? It is called the desperation of the soon to be loser.

[Fred Beloit]

And speaking of BS, what right does this Sullivan nitwit have to write this: "How could John McCain do this to our country!" What does he mean, "our country"? Just because he is a Catholic who disagrees with the Pope on faith and morals, doesn't make him a fellow citizen. It only makes him an English heretic or apostate. Here is a nice little equation ration to describe this guy:

Apostate + Catholic = Progressive + Libertarian

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Hey Fred, Got everything battened down there in southwest Alabama?

[Fred Beloit]

We will probably make a reservation for a more northerly bed in a day or two, depending on Ike's track. Thanks for asking, Wahoo. Assets, goods, stuff...expendable. Life and limb...priceless.

[Fred Beloit]

Oh, and Wahoo, it is Panama City Beach, FL, not Alabama.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

PC Beach, yeah I thought it was further north. was teasing about Alabama...........We hosted Hanna for a while early yesterday. Lost some limbs and some shingles but otherwise unscathed. South facing beaches took a real hit leaving lots of people with more money than sense whining about their situation.

[Darth Malice]

Hi guys,it is I the Dark Lord....I have been back from Iraq for a couple months......As far as Sullivan goes all he cares about is making out with his boyfriend....Peggy Noonan want the liberals in the cocktail circut like her.Just another'house'Republican......God Bless Sarah Palin

[Darth Malice]

Can't spell

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Welcome home, glad you're safe.

[Spartan112]

"Sealing divorce papers is commonly done where I live "

Months after the divorce is final and on the same day a story is published linking a high profile person to the divorce...ok, I'll bet the BS smells awesome where you are.

And BTW Fred, I don't know if it's BS or not and neither do you. I never said the Edwards story was BS, go ahead and check the threads. The only thing I ever said was that the pics didn't prove anything and they didn't (and still don't). Meanwhile Dan was more than happy to jump on with NE and now he wants nothing to do with them. So who's the hypocrite?

I don't know if this story is true and I don't particularly care all I am doing is poking Dan a bit, pointing out his hypocrisy.

[Fred Beloit]

Thanks for serving, glad you're back. Hope you have all the equipment you left with.

[Fred Beloit]

"...all I am doing is poking Dan a bit..." Well, he doesn't stint when giving you the space, Spart. Kos/Huff wouldn't be so magnanimous, I think.

[Spartan112]

True I'll give him that but if you'd read you'd find plenty of right wing posts on Huff. Can't say the same for FreeRepublic though.

[Lala]

Freerepublic is a conservative site for conservatives. They are not interested in allowing left wingers to post. I don't think Lucianne allows it either.

[befair]

My goodness, Spartan, you pretty touchy aren't you? In this state, records are sealed in that they are not available to anyone over the internet (gosh one has to be soooooo careful how they word stuff around you querilous guys) - must go to Clerk's office and sign to see them.

Anyway, what is your problem anyway. Coincidence, on purpose, who gives a rat's a** - speaking of which, what in hell is the problem with you people on these threads who pick each and every sentence to pieces. Consider yourselves an elite, educated, holier-than-thou group? That's where the bull is, my boys.

[befair]

Darth Malice - thank you for your service and I am so glad you are back safely.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"They are not interested in allowing left wingers to post."

LaLa, That seems to be a common theme elsewhere on both sides and while Spaty correctly points out that Huff does allow some "right wing" posts. I would like to find similar aspersions as he (and others) cast toward Dan. Most of the regulars here will admit that DR allows posters to say pretty much anything they want to with very rare deletions and I can't remember anyone being banned in the couple years I've been coming here.

As for hypocrisy. It's strange that Sparty does not see a difference between Edwards and this former partner of Todd Palin's. Let's see, Edwards affair had been rumored for over a year when he is seen coming from a hotel where he is not a guest in the wee hours of the morning having spent hours with a former female employee (whom he was suspected of having an affair with for over a year). Now Sparty's wife may have no problem with him having long intimate visits with his former female employees 3000 miles away...but most people are suspicious of that sort of thing, esdpecially after so many rumors.

Now here we have Sarah P who most of the country had never heard of two weeks ago. The MSM, not NE picks up on the slightest rumor and rather than bothering to substantiate anything, runs with it. Then her hubby's former business partner, knowing that MSM and the DNC will stop at nothing in their attempt to ruin Palin, decides to try keeping his personal life private.......and somehow not jumping on this feeding frenzy is hypocracy? Strange.

[Fred Beloit]

What do you folks make of this?

http://www.plnewsforum.com/index.php/forums/viewthread/39097/

[seekeronos]

Welcome back, DM. Glad to hear that you are home and in one piece.

[Darth Malice]

Thanks befair and seek......right now its time to get Palin elected.......and the old guy.........Fred and Wahoo thank you as well.

[Lala]

Not only that Fred but I picked this up from Free Republic - don't know if it's true as I haven't had the TV on today

Biden on MTP: We are winning in Iraq because we are doing everything I said to do years ago.

Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 12:19:43 PM by HD1200

Biden today claiming everything good happening in Iraq today is because of what he told us to do 2.5 years ago.

You have to give it to old 20/20 hindsight Joe Biden; he will always claim he was right about everything and anything - months after the fact.

[Darth Malice]

Biden and the liberals did all they could to undermine us.

[Fred Beloit]

Here's a little more on Biden's technique, Lala:
http://www.lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=423014

[Lala]

Nothing Sacred - here's another Biden

http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/2008/08/sen-joseph-biden-bearing-false-witness.html

[Bruce Rheinstein]

"Andrew Sullivan, not even an American citizen, so far as I can tell"

I seem to recall Sullivan wrote about the process he went through to become an American citizen, so I assumed he was one, but it turns out he was rejected due to being HIV positive.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/06/journalists-and.html

[SDN]

And breaking the seals on divorce papers is the ONLY way Obama gets elected... anyone remember Jeri Ryan and her husband?

[Spartan112]

Ryan was a scumbag, do you think people really wanted him as a senator? Obama beat his replacement a national GOP figure fair and square.

[katt]

I think Sullivan has a HUGE crush on Obama--he is in love with the guy and is hoping his grovelling for the cause may warrant a meeting with the guy--that's what I think. Otherwise he's just an A-hole--and we know what A-holes do--shit crap all over the place.
Reading Sullivan is reading your comedy piece for the days--these days he has written several times how terrified he is of Sarah. I get my really big laugh for the day and end up feeling sorry that andy has become what he is--such a loser.
If Sullivan wants to put Sarah under a microscope, could we not learn more about Obama's family too--could the Atlantic interview Obama's muslim stepbrothers? like the media are interviewing Sarah's sisters.

[Rob Crawford]

"Ryan was a scumbag, do you think people really wanted him as a senator?"

That "scumbag" was leading Obama in the polls until the Chicago machine got Ryan's divorce records released. So, yeah, it sounds like people really did want him as senator.

[Spartan112]

Once they found out he was a scumbag it was pretty clear they didn't. Besides, it wasn't the "Chicago Machine" that got the records unsealed it was the Chicago Trib and a TV station.

[Spartan112]

Oh, and BTW Obama had been leading Ryan for some time.

"Obama, who had been leading polls since the March primary, avoided getting in the way of Ryan's fall, and said Friday he didn't care to talk about the allegations."

That last is from a Foxnews report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123716,00.html

[seekeronos]

"--- right now its time to get Palin elected.......and the old guy ---"

Methinks I see DM's cleverness. Not looking so much to the (likely) one-term of McCain, but to the almost sure-fire election of Sarah Palin in the 2012 election.

Palin v. Hillary... now that'd be some contest.