Agents Of God
Today, President Bush ventured into---ummm---hostile territory: The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. His speech was familiar, and he took no audience questions. But one sentence really stood out: "I believe there's an Almighty. And I believe the Almighty's gift is freedom to every single person in this world." These aren't new words from Bush, of course. But his delivery was notable: fiery, almost shouting, with body motion to match. The audience responded with by far its loudest cheer of the day. If you can, watch the tape and see for yourself.
This president is obviously under a lot of pressure, so maybe it's easy to make too much of this. But watching Bush's stemwinder today was disturbing and brought to mind zealots from the past who've invoked a higher power to justify conquest.
There are many good reasons why Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. But after hearing the crowd of unquestioning Bible-Belters erupt in lusty applause at the president's messianic vision, I understood a bit better why Iran and other nations would be interested in owning the ultimate deterrent.
This president is obviously under a lot of pressure, so maybe it's easy to make too much of this. But watching Bush's stemwinder today was disturbing and brought to mind zealots from the past who've invoked a higher power to justify conquest.
There are many good reasons why Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. But after hearing the crowd of unquestioning Bible-Belters erupt in lusty applause at the president's messianic vision, I understood a bit better why Iran and other nations would be interested in owning the ultimate deterrent.
posted by The Cunning Realist at Wednesday, February 01, 2006
23 Comments:
How many Julius Caesars and Jesus Christs are locked up in asylums?
First, is this real or do you think it is a Karl Rove political strategy and part of the Bush act... He knows how to con and work an audience we know that from history.
But anyway, I'm glad our President is a spirtual man; he hasn't always been and certainly some of his actions today aren't Christain like. But during these events he uses the Lord like a cheap suit; that's very offensive.
There maybe lots of reasons for doing something, but for the planet's and civilization's survival our chances increase greatly if our leaders use rational, critical thinking skills and talk to experienced experts from diverse professions.
Isn't this why the execution of the Iraq occupation has gone so badly and so many have suffered because our administration didn't bother to learn about their enemies, so more time, more money, more lives.
I really which Bush Jr would talk to Bush Sr. What do you think the Almighty thought when Bush joked about not finding WMD's and our men and women were dying and losing limbs... Or when he stayed on his long Texas vacation again as Americans died in the Gulf and laid in the streets decaying. ...corruption, silencing of voices, secrecy, and accumulation of power.
Yes, these are very concerning times. Not only for the worldly dangers, but our leadership seems a little sleazy, if not out in left-field all together. I sure hope it wasn't the Armageddon clans again.
Kinky Friedman For Governor of Texas
What is even more worrying, and should be obvious to many, is mainstream media's change of heart over the past several months. First they loved Bush, and now it's as if they want to get rid of him. Why is this?
Anon 9:43, (looks like a bible verse, lol) the media neither loves nor hates, they fear and obey, they sell advertising. Once in a very great while, they report.
Re this article, I think those who listen to Bush will listen to him no matter what. He's just putting on a show. It means nothing. If he had said anything good or substantive would you have believed him?
now it's as if they want to get rid of [Bush]. Why is this?
Shrewdness?
Anon 9:43:
Which media are you watching? I would love to tune in.
nil,
Too funny! But, then again, what a straight line...
the religious "folks" are bound to Bush in fear and awe. believers at religious gatherings think the minister as the agent of God. Whatever idiosyncracies or personal defects the minister might have, believers eagarly overlook them or those who bring them up are chastized into silence or ostracized. you know those communities. Bush as the agent of God frightens and mollifies the same demographic group, who at whatever cost would not and could not see the hypocrisy and deception what Bush Jr. is really are.
Great. God made men and women free.
Free to what?
Have abortions?
Have assisted suicide?
Have homosexual relations?
Practice birth control methods?
Live without religious tyranny?
I think he meant that God made men and women free to live like religious people want us to live.
What a crock!!
Here is what Bill Clinton said in Davos - People around the world "basically want to know that we're on their side, that we wish them well, that we want the best for them, that we're pulling for them" Contrast that message with Bush's 'God talks to me and I'll tell you what he says' wartime president message. Contrast that with Bush's manly man ridiculous 'war on terror' marketing message. It is not lost on the world that declaring a war on terror is much like declaring a war on zits. Its an open ended, half thought out marketing ploy.
Bush is a pessimistic zealot, a talking head with no ideas. No one I know really believes that Bush comes up with anything on his own, he is a living example of why democracies can go wrong just as dramatically as the Palestinians electing Hamas is an example of the same.
Heh, indeed. Or something.
I wonder how many of his supporters support him not on the basis of his declared mission but see in him the bringer of the end of days. They are probably overjoyed with Iraq.
Hey, lots of Republicans think their party's official name is "Hezbollah" now... no joke. "God's own party" is what they say, which is about the same as Hezbollah, in translation.
Ironically, in some ways the election of Hamas candidates shows better judgment than the election of Bush's crew. Hamas has a history of providing good social services honestly for the Palestinian people, doing all the things the government should have but didn't, from clean water to health care to schooling, and doing it honestly and without any major corruption. Our terrorists didn't come with good government advantages.
Very good article, "What isolationism?"
It's a free sign-up to read. Just some highlights, Bush doesn't mean isolationism in the traditional meaning. It's a political "cheap device" to "conjur up bogus fears".
"After 9/11 the born-again Christian became a born-again Wilsonian, embracing the American mission of spreading liberty around the world." [Bush: "we accept the call of history to deliever the oppressed."]
"Can America be America absent Wilsonian ideals? Perhaps not. But an America intoxicated with its self-assigned mission of salvation while disregarding prudential considerations will court exhaustion, both moral and material. Our present circumstances may not dictate a full retreat. But they do require a revived appreciation of what we can and cannot do. Contriving phony charges of isolationism to dodge tough, practical questions is not only dishonest, it is reckless and irresponsible."
Good article, it deserves a read.
The Nation reminded me that the "War on Terrorism" was replaced last year with "The Global War on Terror", and now it's just the "Long War"
"So this is how liberty dies - with thunderous applause." -
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Here's a little bit more on the documentary "Why We Fight" from the director Eugene Jarecki.
I didn't know, but it makes sense, that virtually every state makes military parts, and this is done by design, so every state representative has a stake and the defense business can put the squeeze on them. I suspect the majority of Americans don't understand the Defense Department, the Pentagon, and the civilian controllers and counterparts.
At this same time PBS showed the documentary, "Missing, Presumed Dead: The Search for America's POWs". I didn't realize that hearings were still being held on Vietnam and Korea on POW's. This documentary definitely gives you a different view of both McCain and Kerry, and not in a good way. That thing we always hear about not leaving our men behind at any cost, well not so much.
It just enforces that we can not go blindly, without questions, accountability, and transparency, following our leaders.
The scam artist posing as fire and brimstone preacher is one of the oldest con jobs around. Brother George should have gone into preaching instead of politics. He belongs on one of those evangelical tv shows scamming money off poor people in exchange for prayers. There is a sucker born every minute.
'hearing the crowd of unquestioning Bible-Belters erupt in lusty applause at the president's messianic vision'
PBS ran the documentary on Bonhoeffer. I believe it is the 100 year anniversary of his birth. He was a German pastor, theologian and Nazi resistor. His story is about ethics, spirtuality, Evangelicals who supported Der Fuhrer, and his attempts to stop him; Evangelicals were instrumental in the rise and power. You gotta wonder what were the German people thinking...
We know all Christians are not Evangelicals, and there are many brands of Christianity, although certain ones have appointed themselves as the only voice.
I got to wondering, is there something inherit in the brand of Evangelicals that causes them to be susceptible to misinformation from people that lead and claim they know the truth. I wonder did Karl Rove really know what he was unleashing when he purposefully combined the Republican party with this brand, and only this brand of Christianity.
This just proves that separation of religion from government is imperative for a countries stability and long-term success.
Jimmy Carter talks about his in his book, "Our Endangered Values : America's Moral Crisis"
As did Christine Whitman in her book, "It's My Party, Too: The Battle for the Heart of the GOP and the Future of America".
I find it really troublesome when I read stories that Karl Rove is threatening people in the Republican party if they think for themselves and put country before party.
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