Palin Might Also Have Pastor Problems

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin might have had a shot at the presidency, writes Ross Douthat, but she blew it—10 months ago, when she accepted John McCain's offer to join the ticket. Instead of easing her way into the national spotlight, she was catapulted before she was ready, exposing her inexperience and putting her children "through the tabloid wringer." For the New York Times columnist, Palin's failed transformation from hockey mom to "Mrs. Spiro Agnew" was probably fatal. More»

Social conservatives denounce 'attack' article as 'full of holes'

(NEWSER) - Social conservatives are lashing out against Newsweek’s current cover story, “The Religious Case for Gay Marriage,” for what they say is a flawed take on both the Bible and the root of their argument against such unions. The story was “yet another attack on orthodox Christianity” and “full of holes,” said the president of a conservative group. A Newsweek editor said “we welcome the debate,” Politico reports. More»

Her church promotes gay 'cure,' she hoped Alaskan pipeline was 'God's will'

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin's pastors say an abiding faith in the Bible is at the core of her personal and political life, the New York Times reports. She attends the nondenominational Wasilla Bible Church. Its links to groups which seek to convert Jews and "cure" gays have caused concern—but townspeople say the unassuming, conservative church is a true reflection of Alaska. More»

'I wasn't into the Hollywood thing,' says Sarah Palin's daughter

(NEWSER) - Bristol Palin has finally thrown in the towel on Hollywood fame and is back home in Alaska. “I wasn’t really into the Hollywood thing,” she tells In Touch . After her Dancing With the Stars gig, she lost celebrity traction, and a pending reality show was canceled. The incident that finally convinced her to head north was an ugly confrontation with a Palin hater in an LA bar. Besides, son Tripp will soon be in preschool and "we need to settle into a routine," she says. For now, Bristol is staying in an apartment beneath her mom's TV studio on the family's Wasilla property. Something she hates back home: seeing baby daddy Levi Johnston tooling around town in his truck as carefree as you please. “He’s not using his visitation, and he’s not paying his child support,” Bristol snaps. More»

And no, it's not a holiday about 'Jesus's ween'

(NEWSER) - Seth Abramovitch was delighted when he ran across JesusWeen.com , a site encouraging folks to participate in "Jesus Ween," a Christian alternative to Halloween, on Oct. 31. "Jesus Ween is not, in fact, a celebration of Jesus's ween," Abramovitch notes on Gawker ; even so, the whole thing "seemed just a little too good to be true." Fortunately, he was able to get the founder, Pastor Paul Ade, on the phone. More»