--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > But I> do agree the volume of viral email smears on Palin in such a > > > short> span of time is one for the Guinness Book of Records. > > > > > <snip> > > > Saying that Palin is not ready for this job is not a smear. > > > > Did raunchydog say that was a smear? I don't believe so. > > No she didn't. I was making the point that the most important > information going out about her has nothing to do with smears. > > I think the clarification about the library books question is > important. I work with schools and PTA members and have heard stories > about how most are approached to ban certain books by super religious > people. I heard that she just asked the librarian what the procedure > was and didn't pursue it. I don't think that would fly too well in > independent Alaska. But it is not a bad line to keep an eye on for > anyone in a position of power. > > I understand that people, myself included have to be careful > about jumping to conclusions about her. But I have some > experience with people who are as outspokenly religious as > Palin and so her positions are not completely unexpected. She > doesn't believe in abortion in the case of incest or rape. > This is an extreme position even for a pro-lifer.
Actually, it's the only *consistent* position for a pro-lifer. It suggests that she really is concerned with the "sanctity of life" rather than with curtailing women's sexual freedom. (And as I noted elsewhere, it's not *necessarily* a purely religious position. You don't have to be religious to be against abortion.) I saw her answer this question so I am sure this is not a > smear. No, this isn't a smear. (That she curtailed funding for a home for pregnant teens is a smear.) As far as I'm aware, abortion is the *only* issue on which she has indicated any desire to impose her personal view on others; she's for the repeal of Roe vs. Wade, as I recall. But as I noted earlier, if you genuinely believe abortion is murder, *of course* you're going to be in favor of legislation or court decisions to prevent it. I checked out her new church's beliefs from the Website you > included, thanks for that. Given their stated relationship to > scripture I have a few areas of culture (gay rights for one) > that I will be watching her words very carefully on. Might want to have a look at the transcript of an interview Fox's Greta Van Susteren had with the pastor of Palin's current church. It appears to me that he doesn't take the fundamentalist position that being gay is a choice, FWIW, nor does it look as though he believes prayer can change one's sexual orientation: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420093,00.html I'm reading somewhat between the lines here, but I get the distinct impression that although this pastor is a traditional fundamentalist Christian, he's more compassionate and thoughtful than most. I suspect he's struggling with the way the Bible passages dealing with homosexuality present it as a choice, because his experience with counseling gays seems to contradict this. Here's video of the interview: http://tinyurl.com/5wlzky (There are a lot of "[unintelligibles]" in the transcript, but the video is clearer, and you get to see what the guy is like personally.)
