The nutty pastor

It's a free country (supposedly), and you can worship (or not worship) in any manner you please.

But if you're a pastor who says I'm going to hell because of my politics - and if a major vice-presidential candidate is among your followers - you can count on me to rake you through cess.

Pastor Ed Kalnins heads the Wasilla Assembly of God in Alaska. Sarah Palin attended this church for most of her life, and now she attends a related church. Kalnins still hosts appearances by Failin' Palin.

Kalnins has some rather, um, interesting views. In his sermons, Kalnins has preached that anyone who criticizes Bush is damned to hell. Kalnins has also questioned whether anyone who voted for John Kerry will get into heaven. After seeing a debate between Kerry and Bush in 2004, Kalnins told his congregants, "I'm not going tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation." After Hurricane Katrina, Kalnins said that criticizing Bush is "not going to get you anywhere, you know, except for hell."

When Palin was invited by Kalnins to speak at the church, she called the Iraq War "a task that is from God."

The right-wing media has been driven so batshit by Barack Obama's candidacy that they've dwelled on his membership in Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church for months - even though Obama condemned Wright's controversial statements. But there's not a peep from the dinosaur media about Palin following Kalnins, joining the pastor in appearances with him, and never condemning his remarks. While nothing suggests that Obama would have policies influenced by Wright's controversial words, it's clear that Palin's policies are inextricable from Kalnins's fiery preachings.

Although Palin now goes to an Assemblies of God church in Juneau, she also now attends Wasilla Bible Church, a nondenominational evangelical house of worship, when she goes back home. The vice-presidential candidate's relationship with this church is also controversial.

Sarah Palin was present during an anti-Jewish tirade that was delivered by a guest at that church. Palin has not condemned this hate speech.

This is the best running mate McCain could find?

(Source: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20672.htm;
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/3/84555/55316/359/584418)