Church head slams cartoon mocking Sarah Palin and Pentecostalism
by Michelle A Vu, Christian Post
Posted: Monday, September 22, 2008, 7:40 (BST)
The leader of the world's largest Pentecostal denomination denounced a cartoon in the Washington Post that mocks Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, Pentecostalism, and Christianity as "despicable".
"The cartoon is despicable," decried Assemblies of God's chief executive officer, George O Wood, in a statement last Friday. "Millions of Christians today follow the example of first century Christians who prayed in other tongues.
"The Washington Post would not think of printing a cartoon that mocked members of the Muslim or Jewish faiths," he charged. "It should be ashamed."
In the cartoon, posted online September 9, Palin is illustrated talking on the phone at a podium in an incomprehensible language. Republican vice presidential nominee John McCain stands near Palin and says with a grin, "She's a Pentecostal and speaks in tongues, and only God can understand what she's saying. But it gives my campaign a direct line to the Almighty."
The next drawing shows "God" in heaven holding a phone saying to an angel, "Peter. What's wrong with this phone? All I can hear is some dam' right wing politician spouting gibberish!"
Wood criticised the political cartoon for not only revealing the cartoonist's lack of understanding of Pentecostal beliefs, but also of God.
The cartoonist portrayed God as cranky, befuddled, a user of profanity and not omniscient.
"Since God is multi-lingual, I'm sure He doesn't have problems understanding any prayers - whether they are articulated in a known or unknown language," Wood said. "He looks for prayers that come from the heart."
Furthermore, the Pentecostal leader noted that Palin, to his knowledge, has never said she prays in tongue.
Palin was raised in a Pentecostal church and attended one until six years ago, when she and her family switched to a non-denominational evangelical church. She now identifies herself only as Christian, and a spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign says Palin does not consider herself Pentecostal.
Still, the Republican vice presidential candidate and her ties with Pentecostalism have been subjected to scrutiny and commentary by secular reporters, who mainly portray the denomination as peculiar and unconventional.
According to Washingtonpost.com representative Deborah Howell, Washingtonpost.com received some 350 complaints from readers about the cartoon by Pat Oliphant, which they said lampooned their faith.
"Readers were right to complain," she said, according to AG News, the news service of the 5 million-member Assemblies of God. "I will deal with political cartooning in another column."
She also noted that Oliphant's cartoons are automatically posted on the washingtonpost.com site without anyone editing or reviewing the material prior to its posting.
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Added: Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 13:32 (BST)
I found the cartoon to be funny, and spot on.
Besides the god of the bible is cranky, offensive, and cruel.
Palin is offensive, cranky, and cruel.
Now I am not one to take issue with her hunting and fishing, I do so myself, I believe she advocates cruelty towards humans - this is my issue with her. Personaly, if find everything she says to be gibberish - whether she is rolling on the floor and "speaking in tongues" or at a podium giving a speach.
As for the religious sensibilities of so called "christians" being offended: GET OVER IT. This is just one more example of you trying to put your particular and personal religious adjenda on others.
BTW - are pentacostals actually "christians"? I lump them together with the Mormons and JWs and the Seventh Day Adventists....interesting and quaint but ultimately dangerous.
Gerhard Gehrmann, Kenora Ontario Canada
Added: Saturday, September 27, 2008, 14:59 (BST)
I am perhaps one of the 350 or so people that emailed the Washington Post to express my displeasure. Below is the text of my message to them.
"Your staff cartoonist, while representing your apparent anti-Christian bias should do his/her/it's research better. Ms. Palin's first pastor, Paul Riley, stated in an interview for Newsweek that “The practice (of speaking in tongues) wasn’t encouraged in Palin’s church when she was young,” and that “Palin didn’t speak in tongues...” See http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/2. So she could hardly be called a Pentecostal and she herself stated that she does not consider herself one. See http://www.newsweek.com/id/156679/page/2
I however, am a Pentecostal. I do speak in tongues. This experience is not some far out fringe of Christianity but rather is "the promise of the Father," that Jesus Christ himself spoke of in the Bible. You can read about this promise in the Bible, the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1 verse 4. If you read on in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, verses 1-4, you will find that this was the experience that all the apostles had on that day. Further, the Apostle Peter said in Chapter 2, Verse 38 and 39, this promise of the Father was to "all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Thus what is known as the Pentecostal experience which Mr./Ms. Oliphant so cavalierly made fun of is very real and is available today, for you and for me. You may be interested in reading my personal testimony at www.thepentecostalpreacher.net I have been a Christian for more than 43 of my 67 plus years of life and can assure you and Mr./Ms. Oliphant that God understands what I pray when praying in the Spirit for as the Bible says, it is the Spirit that gives the utterance.
My prayer for you is that you will receive the revelation of Jesus Christ and believe and obey the gospel and be saved.
Sincerely, John Dinwiddie"
It is my sincere prayer that all people will acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives and be saved in the day of His appearing. It will happen!
John Dinwiddie
J C Dinwiddie, Portland, Oregon
Added: Friday, September 26, 2008, 21:44 (BST)
As you all may or may not be aware, the WashingtonPost.com posted a cartoon of Sarah Palin, McCain and "God". This cartoon was very offensive and showed how the Washington Post is bias and Anti-Christian. Although the Post states that they are fair and non-political and tolerant of religions, this cartoon shows and proves that they are not. Many letters have been sent to the Editor who has responded with a formal "canned" response about the Washington Post 5th amendment. The Washington Post stated last year that they would NOT post the Muslim cartoon (click link below). This is why the Washington Post is not a reliable source and this should be pointed out in the media.
Protest the Post is now organizing a media blitz to bring this cartoon and the Washington Post's actions to light. Many of the talk shows have been contacted as well as Christian organizations around the US. We are asking for Christians to sign up on our site and post your views. We will be organizing a protest on the steps of the Washington Post Headquarters in DC in the near future.
It is time for the Christians to unite with one voice and stand up to the media to protect our values and faith in this crucial time in our country.
Please sign up today!
www.protestthepost.com
Bryan, Washington DC
Added: Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 22:33 (BST)
Though I don't believe that these gifts are for today, I do agree with susan in that "freedoms" that trample on any of our "american" rights are boldly being taken and thrown in the trash heap-all other people groups have more rights than the majority of God fearing people...sad day in our towns!!! Where are the Christians, whose lives are not their own. Why don't "religious" take on this apostacy and defend our rights? Because the Word says there will be a falling away, even so Lord Come!!! Amen
maggie, portland, oregon
Added: Monday, September 22, 2008, 22:01 (BST)
I think the person that wrote the cartoon does not enough know who God is. I'm sure they have never read or understood the King James verison of the Bible. I would hate to be in their shoes and make a mocker of God.
The person needs to be fired.
Janice, Jackson Tn.
Added: Monday, September 22, 2008, 9:31 (BST)
They should be very lucky christians arnt like muslims, or we would be running riot throughout the world killing and blowing people up over this!!
susan, colchester
