Alas For You, or Bush is NOT a Christian!

[Brigid]

Alas alas for you
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites that you be
Searching for souls and fools to forsake them
You travel the land you scour the sea
After you've got your converts you make them
Twice as fit for hell
As you are yourselves!

Alas, alas for you
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites that you are
Sure that the kingdom of Heaven awaits you
You will not venture half so far
Other men who might enter the gates you
Keep from passing through!
Drag them down with you!
You snakes, you viper's brood
You cannot escape being Devil's food!

I send you prophets, I send you preachers
Sages and rages and ages of teachers
Nothing can mar your mood

Alas, alas for you
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites to a man
Sons of the dogs who murdered the prophets
Finishing off what your fathers began
You don't have time to scorn and to scoff
It's getting very late!
Vengence doesn't wait!
You snakes, you viper's brood
You cannot escape being Devil's food!

I send you prophets, I send you preachers
Sages and rages and ages of teachers
Nothing can mar your mood

Blind guides! Blind fools!
The blood you've spilt
On you will fall!
This nation, this generation
Will bear the guilt of it all!

Alas, alas alas for you! Blind fools!!

This song is by Stephen Schwartz, and is from the musical "Godspell." It is a brilliant distillation of Matthew 23. It is perhaps Jesus's most scathing indictment of the religious hypocrites and powermongers of his day. Morally pure to all appearances, but "whitewashed tombs," as he put it.

What does this have to do with Bush? Only that the right touts him as a great Christian, even though he is every bit as hypocritical as the Pharisees ever were. Like the prophet Amos of centuries before Jesus, Jesus would scarcely change a word of what he said if he were to confront Bush today. Check out the book of Amos in the Old Testament for yourself sometime. Bush certainly doesn't seem to have done so.

There is nothing remotely Christian about spreading the poison of anger and fear throughout the nation to gain support for a pre-emptive war (that concept itself being antithetical to eveything Jesus taught) that is being fought to benefit the rich and powerful. There is nothing Christian about dismissing the troops killed in that war as "just a number," and not even bothering to count the number of innocent dead. Whatever happened to "blessed are the peacemakers?" There is nothing Christian about claiming "executive privilege" to commit espoinage against your fellow American citizens, with the implicit threat that information gained this way could be used against political opponents, then piously feigning outrage when a still nominally free press calls you on it. There is nothing Christian about discriminating against an entire group of people just because you think what goes on in their bedrooms is any of your business. There is nothing Christian about making criminals out of women who make their own decisions about their own bodies and their own futures.

To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more." He offered her mercy, without minimizing the sin. Blessed be the merciful -- remember that one? To the Pharisees, he said, "Not everyone who calls me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive yout demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23).

What is Jesus looking for in his followers? Hear these words from another Old Testament prophet, Micah: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To love justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) Jesus echoes those words in Matthew 7:37:40: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' That is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Now I ask you: Does that really sound like our arrogant, swaggering chief executive, he of the "Bring 'em on," "Smoke 'em out," and "Mission Accomplished?" I don't think so. If he is your idea of a Christian, fine -- but leave me out of it.

*Author's Note* Bible verses are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. I suspect if Jesus were around, he'd say not to worry about the labels.

Treat people decently and don't bother giving it a name.

[niyad]

2. I think * is living proof that there is NO god, for surely a deity in

whose name this lunatic is committing such atrocities would strike him down for blasphemy or, at least, REALLLLLLY bad PR.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Yeah, he really needs some better PR.

He's got folks like Bush, Pat Robertson, and Fred Phelps screeching from the rooftops about how they are acting in daily concert with "him". Meanwhile, some of the best, most decent, compassionate, smart, funny, creative and forward-thinking folks on the planet are outspoken atheists.

I'd say "he" needs to find a new agent.

[Swamp Rat]

4. Right. He's an ANTI-Christian!

Bushler HATES Jesus!

[dogday]

5. Jesus would of kicked Bush's ass all

over this country if he was here and rightfully so...