George Bush and God

[emad]

A hot line to heaven

Dec 16th 2004 | WASHINGTON, DC
From The Economist print edition
Reuters

Is George Bush too religious? Here is a closer look at what a much-misquoted president actually says and how it compares with his predecessors

“I BELIEVE that God wants me to be president.” What? Did George Bush really say that? Does the president imagine he has a divine mission?

Well, he was quoted to that effect by Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention. The full quote, however, does not quite sound as if Mr Bush is labouring to scrap the republic and replace it with a theocracy. “But if that doesn't happen, that's okay,” the president continued, “I have seen the presidency up close and personal. I know it's a sacrifice, and I don't need it for personal validation.”

Still, the first part of the comment goes to the controversial nub of Mr Bush's religiosity. If you believe, along with him and John Calvin, that God involves himself in the workings of the world and all our lives, then you are always going to be vulnerable to the accusation that you think you have some sort of divine mandate.

Mr Bush clearly does believe God is involved in his life. Asked at a debate in the Republican primary contest in 1999 which philosopher he most identified with, Mr Bush replied promptly, “Christ—because he changed my heart.” At a national prayer breakfast in February 2003, he said he “felt the presence of the Almighty”. The president has talked of making decisions “on bended knee”.

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3502861

HAS God got a plan for Shrub? Maybe something special for Christmas????

[AllegroRondo]

1. The man claims god talks to him

if he weren't christian, he would be locked up in a psych ward.

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. Why is it that if you hear voices, you're crazy....

but if you only hear one voice, and you refer to it as god, you're special?

[havocmom]

3. Only special if you have political clout to keep you outta jail

when people die from your actions based on hearing that one voice. Most everybody else get locked up for good.

[Not_Giving_Up]

4. True! n/t

[OneBlueSky]

5. it's the devil disguising his voice . . . George fooled again . . . n/t

.

[kclown]

6. This is the most breathtakingly credulous article I have ever seen

This author assumes, against all evidence, that Bush writes his own speeches and believes all he says. The entire history of the Bush family argues the exact opposite.

Parsing Bush's prepared speeches to assess his character is a complete waste of time. He is nothing more than a walking billboard.

I have no intention of ever voting for brother Jeb, but he at least changed his religion to no particular public purpose. In other words, he DID something.

The most instructive moment in W's history is in 1990, when he approached the Texas Republican party with a candidacy for governor. He was told to forget it because "you've never done anything". He then was handed the Texas Rangers and campaigned for the new stadium, quite publicly (where oh where is this videotape?) for a tax INCREASE to fund it, and won. Having finally done something, he was now considered qualified for the nomination in 1994.

He signed a lot of execution warrants in the next six years. Can't argue he never did anything. He apparently discovered killing to be his particular talent.