I facetiously noted yesterday that Sarah Palin probably wasnt to blame for her use of the expression blood libel a term associated with anti-semitism since the Middle Ages because she had probably just picked it up from an editorial in the Wall Street Journal. As politicians like to say, Im now re-thinking what I wrote because it looks like Palin has a bigger Jewish problem than just parroting an old expression. This morning, when I read an in-depth piece in Huffington Post, written by Jordan Zakarin, it reminded me of Palins long association with Wasilla Bible Church, and her stated religious views which, to this writer, were the first indication that shes well into nutjob territory.
Wasilla Bible Church, which is affiliated with the Pentacostal Assembly of God, is part of the creepy, theocratic Third Wave movement, whose members believe they are called to conduct spiritual warfare and do battle for Jesus to help them take dominion over the United States. They also believe in demonic possession of entire geographic regions and in the spread of family curses. If this reminds you of darker aspects of the Middle Ages, then bravo, youre up on your history. Which is more than you can say for the members of Wasilla Bible Church.
In terms of the churchs views, were talking the extreme fringe of fundamentalist delusions. To sum up one of their main tenets, Jews need to change their ostensibly materialistic, money-grubbing, abortion-encouraging ways and follow the lead of Christian Zionists like the fine folks in the Pentacostal Assembly of God. All Jews, they believe, should return to Israel, so a supposed biblical prophecy about the end times can be fulfilled; once all Jews are back in Israel, they will hand over control of the world (I kid you not) to proper Christians. The Jews return to Israel will then trigger the second coming of Jesus, maybe even with a nuclear war on Iran thrown in as part of the deal. Whats scary is that this kind of hogwash makes sense to a substantial number of people in America, including Sarah Palin.
Palin has been anointed, or given blessing, three times by three separate apostles of the Third Wave movement. One of the apostles who laid hands on Palin is Rev. Thomas Muthee, an African cleric known for claiming to have driven out the spirit of witchcraft in a town in Kenya. He spoke at Palins church, anointed her, and called for Christians to take back the banking system from the Jews. Palin called that particular church event awesome. Theres much more information in Zakarins article information that would be readily available to the U.S. press (the ones Palin calls the lamestream press) if theyd bother doing their job. Palin needs to be asked just how much of her churchs deluded claptrap she subscribes to. She has every right to believe whatever she wants, but Americans also have the right to reject her for being too extreme.
Sarah Palin: Gettin' ready for that big End Times round-up