ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.
The video shows Palin standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft."
"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan," Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."
Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_el_pr/palin_witchcraft_blessing;_ylt=AgH1C5h7HWlusz0sJzbrOy2s0NUE
Religion scares me honestly.It is the perfect example of what group-think can truly do to society and the minds of people.Now,I normally do not have a problem with most religions but the belief that witches and "demonic" forces hidden in society and needing to be "purged" is just a bunch of bullshit carried from the Dark Ages and pulled into our modern society.
What makes it even more terrifying is that the potential Vice-President of the United States actually believes in this nonsense and subjected herself to being "purged".Now ponder for a moment here with me with a hypothetical question,just for the sake of argument.Let me lay it down for you.
1.McCain wins and becomes the next President of the United States.
2.Dies shortly after or retires because he is old.
3.Sarah Palin takes over.
A religious fundamentalist as President of the United States.And that is where the true damage from group think will come.As with any extremist religion,all you need is one major figurehead to start the ball rolling.
Here are a couple of symptoms of group think in relation to religious fundamentalism.
1.Illusion of invulnerability.
Religious fundamentalist observe the illusion that they are protected by God. Everything that they do,say and think can be justified with the "proof" of God saying its so.Anybody that tells them other wise is deemed a heretic ,ridiculed and as in the case of witch hunters ,burned at the stake.They actually think they can do what they like because God,is watching over them.
2.Believe in group's own morality.
The Bible holds the core doctrine for Catholics,Christians and other denominations of this belief but the fundamentalist take it to another level.They use it as voice of reason.A book as a voice of reason,not critical thinking with common sense.Their belief that only The Bible is right and even other books or text from other religions, even from Christian ones are all wrong.The Coptic and Gnostic gospels that were expelled from Christian text during the Councils of Nicea comes into min.Its all about picking and choose what fits into their context of right and wrong,not critical thinking.
3.Shared Stereotypes.
This is an easy one.Many Christian fundamentalist in the United States,especially in the Bible Belt think that they are on some kind of spiritual war with the Muslims.Why?Because a few other religious nutcases decided to slam 2 plans into the World Trade Center.Aha! Now all Muslims are evil! Its like the Crusades all over again.Two religious extremist battling out,because they think they know the whole truth to absolutely anything and everything and that they are right because of a divine force that tells them so.
4.Self-Censorship
Censorship for religious fundamentalist is just an everyday activity.The filtering that happens because they cannot agree with opposing opinions and arguments to their supposed "words" from God is outlines the authoritarian figurehead that Palin might become in the United States.Everybody has their own opinions,sure but it ain't much if it based on complete nonsense.If people want to debate on opinions,it should be based on substantial and valid facts,not wishful thinking.
5.Mind-Guards.
And finally,usually if someone is a hardcore religious fundamentalist ,they always stay that way.It always takes critical thinking to explore facts and knowlegde from both Science and other sources of religion to truly open one's self to the world. but sadly,these people would rather not.They apply barriers or justification and unreasoned facts to counter whatever arguments other people say,especially to policies in politcs in relation to abortion,homosexuals,war,teaching creation in schools,the validity of other religions and the list goes on and on.
I think the United States will make a horrendous turn for the worst if Palin assumes the role of President.Hell,I think it would either way,even if she was just the Vice-President.Religion and politics never mixes well.It breeds terror and hatred,covered in a bubble of "Morals and Rights" and that everyone else is heretical and deserves to burn in a fictitious place full of fire and brimstone.
Want to fight groupthink in religion?
Appoint the Devil's Advocate,but in a country ruled by the belief in witchcraft ,demons and religious hatred,that is just a futile attempt.If the majority of the people want to believe in bullshit,let them rot their souls and minds then.Leave the rest of us out of it!
I leave you with these immortal words from George Carlin (RIP!)
6 comments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx3uHlw8fL0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJFbpCLfvBw
i agree with you that in most religion lies a group think. it is pretty insightful how u managed to link this to Christianity. and like all religion, people choose to believe things that are "not true" however i guess its their way of life. it only gets troublesome when they start to do harmful things. till then i say leave these people alone. let them think what they want. its their lives
Politicians are full of crap anyways.
But religion on the other hand.. It's a touchy subject to criticize. People turn to it to give them hope and fill the void inside themselves. When you start insulting that, people get fired up. It's like stabbing a part of themselves, because they've encompassed their souls to include whatever it is they believe in.
Like Jerome said, let them be. Religious extremists and self-righteous homosapiens exist aplenty. But the average human is just that - a normal person trying to find out the deeper meaning of what to believe in this godforsaken world.
I think I have to make an important point here.
This article was directed to Fundamentalist Christians and that from other religious denominations.As I said,I personally do not care much for the other sane ones.I got no problems with those.
If I have to stab a part of themselves because they feel the need to burn and kill someone because they though God told them to do so,I will continue to do so.
I shall take great pleasure seeing the tears streaming down from their faces trying to justify their stupidity.
Maybe its her way of pulling votes . Perhaps its her strategy of trying to put herself in the same group as these people . So that they would vote for her .
Politicians sometimes just do weird things ..
you know, i suddenly though of Margaret Atwood's THE HANDMAIND'S TALE. can you imagine if palin rule america. *shudders*
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