Religion

JUNEAU, Alaska — The New York Times reported today that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is a monotheist. This report was confirmed by three anonymous sources who wished to remain nameless.

The Democratic National Committee put out a scathing response: “The fact that Sarah Palin is a monotheist is one further example that she is unqualified to serve as president of the United States. You might be able to be a monotheist in small-town Alaska, but monotheists won’t be able survive in the rough-and-tumble world of Washington, D.C., where people need more than one God.”

An Obama campaign spokesman declined to respond on the record, but said this on background: “This is a big winner for us. She will be seen as a right-wing bigot who hates people who believe in more than one higher being.” Read more...

Bobby Jindal, governor of Mississippi, has abandoned devotion to Kali, the Mother of Death and Life, and adopted the way of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. They say it increases his chances of being chosen as vice president by John McCain. They’ve been saying that about Tim Kaine, governor of Virginia, as well. He’s at the top of the VP list for Barack Obama. Sources close to Kaine say one of the things that makes him appealing for this job is that he is a Roman Catholic.

My own belief systems fall somewhere between the Bodhisattva and Brett Hull, so I shouldn’t claim that much insight into this. Read more...

Barack Obama's speech in Germany made for quite an impressive picture, and any American gathering an audience of 200,000 in Europe — or anywhere, for that matter — is cause for excitement. No dispute there. But as speeches go, Obama's call for global unity was quite bland, cautious and clearly designed to offend no one. He got to tell Americans how much he loves his country, and to call for peace and justice throughout every land, from Berlin to the Balkans to Bangladesh to Burma. Read more...

As Christian leaders go, I am casting my lot with the Rev. Rick Warren this week. The best-selling author of The Purpose-Driven Life and head of Saddleback, the 20,000-person megachurch in California, has managed to do what no one else yet has — get Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) together onstage before the fall debates. (Luke Russert, bless him, managed to bring McCain and Obama together at his dad's memorial service but hey, they didn't have to talk.)

In a forum titled "Compassion and Leadership" on Aug. 16, the candidates will address a key audience. McCain, of course, has struggled with evangelical voters who dreaded his nomination; Obama, whom Democrats originally hoped could attract such voters, is now supported by fewer of them than Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) was at this point in the 2004 race. Warren's event is a Saddleback Civil Forum, which sounds anything but hostile, and he promised to play nice. “Since I’m their friend, I’m not going to give them any ‘gotcha’ questions,” Mr. Warren said, adding that he would ask questions like “What’s the most difficult decision you’ve had to make, and how did you make it?" Read more...

Here’s a headline to stop you in your tracks: “Obama Vows to Expand Bush’s Faith-Based Programs.” To which you can only say: What the hell’s going on?

The White House faith-based office didn’t start with George Bush. It actually started with Bill Clinton. But Bush changed it from a one-man shop into a full-fledged operation. And now Obama wants to expand it even further. Which is a big mistake.

Obama’s right about one thing. There are, indeed, problems that are too big for government to solve alone: poverty, hunger, homelessness, keeping families together. And churches and other nonprofits have always done a great job helping people in need. Read more...

A couple of years ago, I wrote a book called How the Republicans Stole Religion — and how Democrats should steal it back.

Hallelujah! Today, Barack Obama is doing just that — by standing up to the religious right.

When James Dobson, speaking for many evangelists, argues we should govern based on the tenets of the Bible, Obama fires back and says he is dead wrong.

We are not a Christian nation, Obama points out. Therefore, the Bible isn’t common ground for all Americans and can’t be the template for how we govern. Read more...

After a short suspension from his duties of pastoral work, the Rev. Michael Pfledger is returning to Saint Sabina Church in Chicago. Pfledger is infamously known for mocking Sen. Clinton in a sermon, suggesting that she was crying over the fact that a “black man was stealing her show.”

How is it possible for cognizant individuals to feel comfortable following the teachings of such a so-called reverend? His sermons epitomize racism, are inexcusably judgmental, and are mentally masochistic in nature. Both he and his sermons have absolutely no place in or near the pulpit. During his sermons, he appears to be on or past the brink of insanity as he degrades his own heritage. Not only should he not return to his position, but he should also be required to give a public apology for his actions. His offensive misconducts, as with the misconducts of Jeremiah Wright, are completely misguided, unjustifiable, ignorant, and demeaning to the inflicted and the congregation. Read more...

Armstrong Williams questions the followers of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, asking what their support for the reverend says about America.

April 17, 2008, our capital city, Nationals Park, Mark Tuohey’s suite, 7 a.m.

Nationals Park presents itself as light and airy. The weather has been delivered from heaven. The music takes us to the heavens.

I hear a 65-voice Intercultural Choir with members from 35 countries singing in French, Zulu and Spanish, among others. A 250-voice Papal Mass Choir and a 175-voice Children's Choir singing in Latin. An 80-voice Gospel Choir singing in 10 languages out across the stadium. Now I am in some celestial place. Read more...

To my friends (and critics!) on The Hill's Pundits Blog:

I would appreciate your candid comments on the piece below, just published this morning in The Wall Street Journal — whether you agree, regardless of whom you support, that Sen. Obama will face these questions on the Rev. Wright in the fall (that is, if I am wrong and he is the nominee rather than my preferred candidate, Sen. Clinton.) if he doesn't answer all of them thoroughly and transparently now.



I have tried to get over my unease surrounding Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) response to the sermons and writings of his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. But the unanswered questions remain.

I am a strong supporter of and substantial fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for president (though in this column I speak only for myself). I still believe she should and will be the Democratic nominee. But if Sen. Obama wins the nomination, he needs to understand this issue goes well beyond Clinton partisans. Now is the time to address these questions, not later.

Clearly Sen. Obama does not share the extremist views of the Rev. Wright. He is a tolerant and honorable person. But that is not the issue. The questions remain: Why did he stay a member of the congregation? Why didn't he speak up earlier? And why did he reward Rev. Wright with a campaign position even after knowing of his comments? Read more...