First they came for...

First they came for…

Throughout the media and liberal leaning blogs, Sarah Palin’s religion is once again being trumpeted as evidence that she is in some way unfit for public office...more than that, the implication is being spelled out that she and her faith and the people ascribing to that faith are in essence crazy, backwards, out of touch, intolerant, extremist and just plain old weird. Yes, they are saying, these are the Christians who Rosie O’Donnell says are just as dangerous as radical Muslims.

It began with people who largely know nothing about the charismatic expressions of the Christian religion (and many knew nothing about Christianity to begin with) claiming that a video of Palin talking about the troops in Iraq demonstrated that she believed that the effort there was God’s will. In essence, that it was a crusade and from the way the media and bloggers spoke about it you would think that she had cried out: “God wills it!” and then called in the recruiters to sign people up while arming them with M4’s and religious tracts to hand out. Of course none of this was true at all. Having listened to the entirety of the recording it was clear to me what her point was: trust and hope that God’s plan will in some way be fulfilled in what we are doing there. A far cry from the calling for a Holy War, it was not even as overt an act as Russian Orthodox Priests sprinkling Holy Water on tanks and planes headed for Georgia, which of course did happen and would require a fair amount of explanation were I running for VP: Is Orthodoxy a war mongering religion? No more than Sarah Palin’s.

Then came news that Palin’s church (whether her old one, from which much of the news is being generated, or not I do not recall or care) believes that homosexuals can be cured. Naturally this is terribly offensive to the world. To believe that a person with homosexual cravings could actually have those cravings removed from them is seen as an argument that those cravings are learned and not genetic. I have no doubt that many in the AG believe homosexuality is a learned behavior, but the greater question for us Orthodox, who are perhaps more comfortable with the idea that people can be born gay, is: SO WHAT? First, I believe in a God who can take a man who has no eyes and make him see, so I guess I don’t quite understand why we cannot believe that God could change someone from gay to straight. Does He, though? I don’t have any idea...but I have met people who claimed they were gay and are not so anymore and so am I to assume that they are liars? Self-deceived? Either way they were caught up in the very worse of the gay lifestyle and were able to walk away from it...what part of THAT story should offend us Orthodox? In our tradition we may not offer prayer services for their deliverance (maybe we should?), but we do do something that the media would see as just as bad: we expect them to remain absolutely celibate.

In the end, the issue is that the AG see homosexuality as abnormal and this is an offense to our culture today. Well, my fellow Orthodox, we too see homosexuality as abnormal and the fulfilling of those desires is considered a sin. Thus, were I to run for office, this would also be a millstone hung around my neck...but, ironically, only because I would generally support conservative social policies. Orthodox politicians who play the liberal game apparently get it both ways: they can belong to a very conservative church and yet not have the eyes of the media noting this...because they generally opt not to vote the conscience of their Church. Whatever their reasonings may be...I will not argue that.

And most recently, a video has surfaced in which an African preacher visiting Palin’s church prays for her protection against “witchcraft.” So I suppose right off she’s lost the all-important wiccan vote. But again this is seen as evidence for Palin and her religion being totally and completely wacky. A couple of thoughts: belief in the power and prevalence of witchcraft is a VERY big deal amongst Africans, whether Christian or otherwise and while this may conjure up images of green skinned ugly old ladies, it should really be seen as no different than the prayer at the bowing of heads at Vespers where the priest also asks for each one of us: “Guard them at every moment, during both the present evening and the approaching night, from every foe, from every hostile operation of the devil.” Certainly if someone wished to make much about that being prayed (and believed? GASP) over my head – were I running for office – three times a week even, then I imagine they certainly could.

I watched the 10 minute video in its entirety and I rather found it interesting. They proceed from the hope that they can transform our culture, that they can make a difference in this world to steer it more toward Christ: by bringing more believers into the media, into Hollywood, and yes even into politics. We may laugh at their optimism, but as we do so (in arrogance?) can we perhaps take a moment to wonder about our own pessimism? Regardless, I do not sense the need for ominous music to be background for this pastor’s sermon. The other side of the fence does – BIG TIME. I would suggest in truth we Orthodox are not really welcome on that side of the fence either.

I don’t have any doubts that the Assemblies of God is out of step with contemporary culture (that being said...Palin is still running a pretty close race - EXTREMELY close given the circumstances that by all accounts should have her rival up by double digits), but this certainly doesn’t mean that the people in that faith are incapable of interacting and dealing with the culture, at least not more or less than anyone else with any particular worldview. Fact is, our religion is SUPPOSED to be out of step with our culture. I mean, have you ever stopped to wonder why in your own personal life you have not seen our Lord’s words proved true: “People will hate you because of me.”

It grieves me...seriously...it hurts my heart to see the AG and the people therein dragged through the mud. The comments over at Huffington Post and Daily KOS and even the MSM websites are heart wrenching. I certainly have my disagreements with the AG, but I came to know Jesus through that faith expression and it will always be special to me. I know it far better than the people in the media and on blogs spewing venom. More than that, I know the people. And I will say simply that they are good people and do not deserve this. It’s fine for me to pick on charismatics, but when someone outside the family does...I’m going to stand up for them.

Why? Well if you have not discerned it already: the secularists and the Christian left (who apparently have a good deal of weight in the media) are presently hammering on the “insanity” of the AG, don’t you dare stop to think they won’t come after us next. Because the attacks they are laying on the AG could just as easily be laid on us...and perhaps even worse. Here’s few headlines I thought we might see if I were to run for office:

“Ferrenberg believes his church is the ONE TRUE CHURCH.”
“Candidate bows down before pictures (accompanied by images of full prostrations).”
“Reverence for cadavers?”
“Ferrenberg says he believes that icons can miraculously weep and dead bodies of saints ooze sweet smelling oils.”
Imagine if they found out I REALLY like the book “Mountain of Silence”? Do you remember all the wacky miracles accounted in there? Time Travel even!
“‘Gays should remain celibate’”
“Ferrenberg’s Church criticized by women’s groups: male only leaders!” (Curiously, the AG do not have this problem as they do ordain women.)
“God as President? Candidate believes he can be ‘deified’”

You know, when secularists and the media and the liberals attack conservative faiths that seem on the fringe of pop-culture (though we should note there are a great many people in the AG), we Orthodox have a tendency to distance ourselves from them. We may nod our heads in agreement when they express shock and horror at the practice of speaking in tongues. We will be quick to try and demonstrate that we are totally different - not at all crazy...very agreeable and normal people. Unlike THEM. But, my friends, don't kid yourselves. What we do every Sunday is an offense and a stumbling block to them - AS IT SHOULD BE. And so the next time I hear them bashing the AG, I am going to stand with the charimaniacs and tell them about all the crazy things my Church believes.