From Sarah Pulliam at Christianity Today:
The Washington Post is taking heat for posting a cartoon caricaturing Sarah Palin speaking in tongues and God telling St. Peter “All I can hear is some dam’ right-wing politician spouting gibberish.”
The Washington Post Ombudsman Deborah Howell wrote on Sunday that 350 readers have complained since the cartoon was posted online September 9, saying the cartoon lampooned their faith.
Cartoonist Pat Oliphant depicts John McCain saying, “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.”
“Readers were right to complain; I will deal with political cartooning in another column,” Howell writes. “Political cartoons and comics aren’t selected at washingtonpost.com the way they are for The Post in print; they are automatically posted.”
Universal Press Syndicate, which distributes Pat Oliphant’s cartoons, writes: “No one is safe from the acid brush of Pat Oliphant. Oliphant is acknowledged as the nation’s most influential political cartoonist. A master of what he calls “confrontational art,” Oliphant spares neither the liberal nor conservative, sinner nor saint.”
The cartoon is in poor taste, but my view is: let the mockers mock. I have endured similar ridicule for 27 years because I, a Jew, believe in Jesus. I’m okay with it. Let them laugh, and maybe have a good laugh at yourself. Meanwhile, their underestimation of you will be their undoing. It always worked for Columbo!
Chris,
I listen to Paul for that same reason, the other day I couldn’t help but laugh at myself when I realized that I was yelling at the radio as if Paul and the person he was interviewing could hear me.
My apologies; I agree with you about the blasphemous nature of the cartoon and that Palin (and Obama and MCain and Biden) are all fair game.
As someone who works in the media (I’m a reporter for a weekly paper), I may be a bit partial to not wanting to blame Washington Post for this. However, I think when they say cartoons are “automatically” posted, it’s saying that the various syndicates have contracts where they automatically post their content on there–no average joe can just post anything. If that is the case, then the responsibility here would be with Universal Syndicate, who should have known that the cartoon would be upsetting…Universal, however, likely wouldn’t have refused it because they don’t want to upset one of their famous artists.
But I still take offense at the “Land of Fruits and Nuts” comment. It’s mean-spirited and does not showcase the love and compassion we are to have for the lost. However, I do admit this: I am a slightly-left leaning independent who often disagrees with you on politics (although theologically you’re right-on…and that’s what matters more)…but at least you phrase your arguments within the realm of discussion instead of angry soundbytes. That’s why I listen…it causes me to think, even when I don’t draw the same conclusion.
Keep on keeping on.
Yeah, when I do I apparently automatically “lose” the argument. 😉
Bob,
Just make sure that you don’t quote scripture and cuss at the same time, OK?
“Dam'” is an expletive? I wasn’t aware of that. Anyway, in context it seems appropriate – I could see God damning a “right-wing Republican politician” (as well as many other kinds of politicians). He__, I’ve said worse on this site already… 🙂
Chris,
Listen to the program again. I made it clear that I was NOT offended by the parody of Palin. As a public figure she is fair game up to a point. My offense was the cartoonist putting an expletive in the mouth of God.
My referring to California as “the land of fruits and nuts” is not in anyway contradictory to my offense at this cartoon.
It was a joke Nancy, Here are the facts to both. A McCain advisor made a gaffe the other day claiming he was responible for the invention of the Blackberry cell phones. Al Gore worked on a Bill in the early 90’s to make the military only used internet available to the public. Of course, all right wingers had a field day when there was a gaffe made in the Gore camp about his responsibility in making the inet public. As if he spent nights while he was a Senator “programming” the internet.
Pixel…I just want to SEE where McCain invented the Blackberry…I don’t believe his name appears on it…Gore however, all over the internet….
Hey, for all you Al Gore invented the Internet folks, guess what, John McCain invented the Blackberry. These politicians are amazing……
Nothing really bothers me about the depiction of Palin in this cartoon; I think she does come across as a bit of the “nutty” version of Christianity that kind of embarasses me. I DO, however, find myself offended at the idea of God cursing in it. I think people’s faith and beliefs are open targets for satire–we need to be able to laugh at ourselves–but I think when it crosses the line and makes fun of God Himself, that’s another matter.
However, I do find it interesting that Paul was offended by this cartoon and wondering if nothing was off-limits…and then 10 minutes later he referred to California, in a story about gay marriage, as the “land of fruits and nuts.” Why is it alright for us to poke fun at people and call them names if they don’t share our beliefs, but then we get offended when they attack us. We either have to eschew all political correctness and realize our faith is fair game if we’re going to be calling out others, or we have to be the bigger person and say “because I don’t want to be offended I’m going to take the high road and not poke fun or make light of other people.” Treat others as we want to be treated…seems like someone said that before.
I also want to make it clear that while I disagree with the cartoon, I think we as Christian need to be cautious about making proclamations like sacrilege, and other claims of being insulted on behalf of God. God can take it, we live in a fallen world and people in a fallen state will do foolish things. We can’t run around “offended” because the blind are leading the blind, it will only cause more division and anger from the other side. Did the fundamentalist Islamic folks gain any world sympathy for going crazy over the Muhammad cartoons? Of course not, we need to be above the tactics of the world and the principalities of darkness and have confidence that our Lord reigns. Like I said, our God is big enough to handle this, overreacting to a cartoon does nothing to further his kingdom, a fair reading of his actions and teaching would clearly show that Jesus would have thought nothing of this type of thing. Go God!!!!! 😉
Vivian,
Obama is a Christian, history and facts prove that. Regarding personal morality and ethics try comparing Obama’s family life to that of his challenger McCain. Look into the reason why he left his first wife, repentant or not it was very low.
Regarding the following statement: “her belief in Christ would make her a good president” How is that working for the current president, the one that said that the greatest philosopher was Jesus Christ, yet never follows His peaceful philosophies? How is that working. Faith should never be a litmous test.
I think the cartoon is the height of sacrilege. Sarah Palin’s Christian background is personal and based on her belief in Christ would make her a good president. B U T, the cartoonist using God the way he did is an absolute insult to everyone who believes that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I wonder if some of these bloggers have given any thought to Obama’s religion. It seems they are more concerned about Palin’s Christianity than they are about the way they have depicted God in the cartoon.
Bob,
You are right, political satire is meant to exaggerate. However, this one touches on one of the Holy Grail’s of criticism, Faith, family being the other. What people need to understand though is a person’s faith determines their worldview and worldview determines policy. While I think this cartoon is a bit too much, I also think it does nothing to present truth in a funny way, ala John Stewart. This particular cartoon is just plain insulting, especially since she is no longer attending the church. I think the person that made this cartoon has the right to create it and publish it, I don’t think it will have the effect that other more honest satire does. As I have said I am hands off for Palin on her faith and principle, she seems solid their. However, like most Christians that become politicians it appears that the “there is a way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof is death” principle seems to be at work with her. I was talking to my wife about how she replaced qualified governmental employees with friends and church members, some Christians might say, Bravo, Godly government, but the ethic is wrong to replace people who are not qualified into positions just because their are on “your side”. This happened many times in the GWB administration, Monica Goodling being the most infamous of them. She was put into the 3 highest office of the justice department without any practical experience. The common thread, Regent University.
Touchy, touchy – most political cartoonists exaggerate in their satire. It’s part of this thing called “free speech”, which used to be encouraged in this country (but not much in this current regime…unless it agrees with the current regime). We are “empire”, folks, and it looks to me like we’re on our way down. I don’t relish the thought at all, but “if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Something other than spend trillions that we don’t have on war, but that is not to be…
To me Palin is a prime example of everything wrong with faith and politics. I am an admitted free willer, and to me it is important how we present ourselves to the world. The Charlie Gibson interview was so revealing, he called her out on a few lies that she had already told about her policy and governance. Yet most evangelicals that I talk to are “fired up” about her. It seems that Trooper gate, the bridge to nowhere, blatant cronyism, her complete and utter ignorance of foreign policy as displayed on the Gibson interview, are of little issue to evangelicals. All those and more matter none to christians, why? she has the right world view. This is insane, she showed quit clearly that she is trigger happy when it comes to dealing with foreign policy issues. I think it was Martin Luthur who said he would rather be led by a competent Turk than by an incompetent Christian. I agree……..
rebuttles welcomed, let’s talk about this.
Welcome Back, Paul!
I agree with b/Bo. things have been rather dull since you’ve been gone. It’s been anything but dull on the political front. In fact, it’s been a whole lotta fun. Sarah’s got the left running scared and I’m loving every minute of it.
Great to have you back, my friend. I’m looking forward to the regular posts again.
Also, I concur welcome back…….
This video has to do with some of the crazy stuff that was going on in her church with the New Apostolic Reformation. The left is going too far on this because 1. she stopped attending in 2002, 2. she was never known to participate in this crazy stuff. I come from a Pentecostal background so I know what this stuff is all about, the C Peter Wagner, Rick Joyner stuff is pretty far out there. However, painting Palin as one of them is a stretch. I am more concerned with her alleged cronyism, secrecy, and trooper gate stuff. It seems to have more legs than her faith. BTW, I find it very interesting that she was willing to cooperate with the investigation and now she is not, very Nixonian and GWBesc. Elect her and BigMac and we will never see transparency in our leaders.
You’re BACK! WHEW! I have nothing at all to say about this post (yet), but boy it’s been stale around here without you… WELCOME BACK!