ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."
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(Photo: AP Images / Department of Defense, Sgt. Jacob A. McDonald)In this photo provided by the Department of Defense, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, center, arms a simulated roadside bomb on the IED defeat course at the training village on Camp Beuhring, Kuwait, on July 24, 2007. Republican John McCain introduced first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate Friday, Aug. 29, 2008.
In an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it "God's will."
Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.
"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."
A video of the speech was posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.
Palin told graduating students of the church's School of Ministry, "What I need to do is strike a deal with you guys." As they preached the love of Jesus throughout Alaska, she said, she'd work to implement God's will from the governor's office, including creating jobs by building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to North American markets.
"God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.
"I can do my job there in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded," she added. "But really all of that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."
Palin attended the evangelical church from the time she was a teenager until 2002, the church said in a statement posted on its Web site. She has continued to attend special conferences and meetings there. Religious conservatives have welcomed her selection as John McCain's running mate.
The Assemblies of God, which claims nearly 3 million members, is one of the biggest Pentecostal groups in the U.S. Unlike most other Christians — including most evangelicals — Pentecostals believe in "baptism in the Holy Spirit." That can manifest itself through speaking in tongues, modern-day prophesy and faith healing. The Assemblies of God teaches that spirit baptism must be accompanied by speaking in tongues. Still, some churchgoers never have the experience.
Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, lamented Palin's comments.
"I miss the days when pastors delivered sermons and politicians delivered political speeches," he said. "The United States is increasingly diverse religiously. The job of a president is to unify all those different people and bring them together around policy goals, not to act as a kind of national pastor and bring people to God."
The section of the church's Web site where videos of past sermons were posted was shut down Wednesday, and a message was posted saying that the site "was never intended to handle the traffic it has received in the last few days."
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seedplanter,
You said "If the WMDs in Iraq would have been used against the US, the press would have eaten Bush alive." Yes that is true. One mistake that I do believe that Bush (and NATO) made is that they hem and hawed when they were accusing Saddam of having WMD. We kept giving ulitmatums that he kept thumbing his nose at us. We kept asking him to let our inspectors in to see, and he kept refusing. NATO was like a bulldog with no teeth. We gave him more than enough time to destroy or hide all evidence of WMD. We should have given him just one chance and then gone in. I bet we probably would have found what we were looking for then.
Mike and Scit,
Neither Bush nor Clinton are running for re-election. I think that if you are honest you will admit that Clinton for the most part was operating under polls and popular opinion. I don't mean that in a demeaning way even though this has been used to criticize him. Bush on the other hand did what he thought the best thing, regardless of popular opinions. Of course no one can know what a person's motives are but God.
The point here Scit is something that both Mike (although likely a liberal) and Daniel were making in that they understand that choices have consequences and Sometimes the results are not seen immediately. If Clinton would have gone after Osama I dare say the talk shows would have eat him up. If the WMDs in Iraq would have been used against the US, the press would have eaten Bush alive.
To me the worst scenario has been that the ACLU, the New York Times and the rest of the libs have fought Bush tooth and nail over every single method used to track down terrorists. The number one intelligence gathering source was banking movements and the NY Times betrayed America and in my opinion should have been prosecuted for it. F A C T is if America is attacked again you might want to thank them first! Wasn't it the ACLU who lobbied for the legal maneuvering to go after any one who is suspicious of a would be terrorist? You want to blame Bush for everything??? Come on get real!
It's interesting that the pro-Obama camp is complaining that Bush is leaving the situation in Iraq for the next President but says "oh, don't blame Clinton. He didn't leave anything for Bush. Bush did this all by himself in his first 7 months in office! It's all Bush's fault!"
There's a word for that. Denial....
That's funny!
dp "Better to look foolish then to put up posts like yours! "
well at least you realize you look foolish. The first step in dealing with a personal problem is to admit the problem , now were making progress.
"You really look foolish blaming clinton for the mistakes of bushie & chinie."
Better to look foolish then to put up posts like yours! :D
dp "We got caught catching fanny...mae that is. It's been in trouble for a decade. One more 'bag' Clinton left for Bush to get caught holding."
If nothing else dp, your posts provide comic relief, get over clinton dude. He left office almost eight years ago..........LOL. you crack me up.
prophet "Atheists hate what Christians are "doing to our country""
Its not only atheists, but agnostics, jews, muslims, Hindu's and other christians that do not want to see an erosion of a separation of church & government. I would not be on CP if fanatical christians would stop their attempt to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. The US would be a better place if you mind your own business and leave your religion at home and at church. Keep it out of government, courts and the public schools.........
Prophet,
I am a Christian. What made you think otherwise?
dp, dude you really need to get over clinton, he hasnt been in office for almost eight years. You really look foolish blaming clinton for the mistakes of bushie & chinie.
steiner,
You said "Go!..yes go!...in the name of God!... get out of America, and move to Saudi Arabia...or Iran...and take your putrid papers with you... "
I've been saying that to you atheist for years now. Atheists hate what Christians are "doing to our country". If they (you) don't like it, there are numerous other countries that are atheists that you all would fit in with. Why aren't you living there?
Is there a holy war being fought? And whose side is God on?
Palin ought not to be afraid to answer both questions in the positive.
She should draw from the past. Just as Americans were asked to pray for their nation and their soldiers in world war 2 against fascism....
so even today, Americans must not forget that we must seek Christ in prayer in these days also.
And although Pearl Harbor was a massacre committed by Japan on Americans... America sent troops to Europe first...Japan was dealt with in due course and in due time.
The left likes to scoff at Christians by mentioning the words.. holy war...
To the left nothing is holy. For if they truly loved freedom, free conscience, human rights.... they would be reporting on the failings of our (western) governments at addressing the appalling nature of human rights issues in islamic countries...where fascism rules...
And when the U.N. is allowing the OIC to run its agenda on human rights..and our so called free media is not letting the public know what the OIC is doing as it is being led by countries like Pakistan...the worst human rights abusers...
and yet seek to establish and sanctify the worst atrocities against humanity as beyond question and beyond criticism because of its islamic origins in sharia...and the media says nothing of this...then it is high time that we tell the public media that they are unholy and unAmerican...and ought to move to countries that have systems of thought that they so desperately defend.
Go!..yes go!...in the name of God!... get out of America, and move to Saudi Arabia...or Iran...and take your putrid papers with you...
Mike,
You're right. Why should Clinton have taken care of the problem when it was more accessable? It wasn't his responsibility. If he had done his job, there wouldn't have been a 9/11.
to prophet
'clinton was working on our fat bellies while he ignored the wolf at the door. Then when the wolf finally bit on 9/11.'
what about bush. he ignored the PRESIDENTIAL DAILY BRIEFING titled 'BIN LADEN DETERMINED TO ATTACK ON US' & the president on 911 2001 is bush. bush was elected on 2000 bec. there was this scandalous, messy election in florida.
is clinton the president on 9112001. you should get your facts straight. hahahahaha hehehe hohohohoho!!
to prophet
At least Bush did something besides get his female employee to give him sexual favors. He went in to get the job done
get the job done? by lying to start a war in iraq that did not even have to do with 911. if he got the job done, then how come bin laden still alive. you cannot answer me regarding OBL why he is still alive if bush GOT THE JOB DONE. hahaha. and once he leaves office, you war mongers will blame the next president for this 'mission accomplish' on iraq. typical, create a mess dump it on others, then blame them.
to seedplanter
al quaida beaten beyond recovery? right now there are attacks in afganistan. hahahahaha. you guys are in denial of the situation bec. you cannot accept that bush presidency is a failre. hahahaha hehehehe. hohohoho
"Since you seem to know your history you should also know that the financial turn around for the US has included at least two key problems that have been a ticking time bomb:
1. The economy has been driven by consumerism.
2. Loose loans by banks who should have known better"
You've got that straight! We got caught catching fanny...mae that is. It's been in trouble for a decade. One more 'bag' Clinton left for Bush to get caught holding.