Sarah Palin’s church

During the 2004 election season, [Palin's pastor, Ed Lanins] praised President Bush’s performance during a debate with Sen. John Kerry, then offered a not-so-subtle message about his personal candidate preferences. “I’m not going tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation. I’m sorry.” Kalnins added: “If every Christian will vote righteously, it would be a landslide every time.”

So there we have it — Kerry supporters are going to hell.

And that church’s nonprofit status should surely be in question — telling people they’re likely damned for voting for a particular party is outside the pale for a tax-exempt organization that’s forbidden to engage in political campaigning.

Kalnins bristled at the treatment President Bush was receiving over the federal government’s handling of Hurricane Katrina. “I hate criticisms towards the President,” he said, “because it’s like criticisms towards the pastor — it’s almost like, it’s not going to get you anywhere, you know, except for hell. That’s what it’ll get you.”

Criticize the president for gross mismanagement that costs Americans their lives and you’ll go to hell too.

We need to think like Jesus thinks. We are in a time and a season of war, and we need to think like that. We need to develop that instinct. We need to develop as believers the instinct that we are at war, and that war is contending for your faith. … Jesus called us to die. You’re worried about getting hurt? He’s called us to die. Listen, you know we can’t even follow him unless you are willing to give up your life. … I believe that Jesus himself operated from that position of war mode. Everyone say “war mode.”

But on the other hand if you support invading Iraq you’ll go to heaven.

I wonder if the recordings of these sermons are going to be played by the major news outlets on a tape loop, as were the reverend Jeremiah Wright’s comments such as his quoting a white diplomat’s statement that 9/11 was “the chickens coming home to roost”?

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