December 6, 2003
EVERY ELI SHALL BE EXALTED:
God and Politics: The Controversial Faith of George W. Bush (Melissa Charbonneau, 12/06/2003, CBN News)
White House insiders say, despite his public professions, the President's convictions are intensely personal. "He's not someone who wears his religion on his sleeve," said Jim Towey, the President's handpicked director of the Office of Faith Based Initiatives."He may talk about the importance of God and the primacy God has in his life, but beyond that you're not going to see him, I think, sharing personal thoughts about his own journey," Towey said. "And I think that's because he sees himself as unworthy of God's favor, and grateful for it. And that's why, I think, there's a real humility to how he accepts the graces and favors God has conferred upon him."
The President's openness about his faith makes him both the subject of praise and the target of ridicule. On the religious Left, some call Bush's religious rhetoric reprehensible, saying his framing the war on terror as a "fight between good and evil" stirs anti-American sentiments.
In his 2002 State of the Union speech, Bush said, "...we've been called to a unique role in human events." And critics say such statements reveal Bush's belief that he is chosen by God to combat the forces of terror, and they claim it is proof of a "Messiah complex."
Well, as the Left is fond of telling us, he certainly wasn't chosen by the American people... Posted by Orrin Judd at December 6, 2003 11:50 AM
Could it possibly mean "we've been called" by events we didn't ask for ... or are they too dense to reason beyond their own hatred.
Posted by: genecis at December 6, 2003 12:57 PMAnti-religionists are so ignorant. "Called upon" and "chosen" are two different things to the faithful. So exasperating.
Posted by: NKR at December 6, 2003 1:30 PMSo if Bush is private about his religious thoughts, how does Towey know about them?
My own take is that, like most successful (and many unsuccessful) politicians, Bush does not delve into doctrine publicly for the very good reason that Americans don't like that.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at December 6, 2003 3:18 PMI think Bush has found a way to frame the influence of religion upon his decisions without inciting sectarian or secular distrust among all but the most easily annoyed.
That's quite a gift.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at December 6, 2003 3:47 PMBut we can always keep our fingers crossed for the sectarian violence to break out.
Posted by: oj at December 6, 2003 4:02 PMI respect "W" much more so than his father on the religion question. When Sr. was once asked on the campaign trail how he felt about atheists, he said something to the effect of " I don't consider them patriots, or citizens, for that matter".
I read last year that GWB said something to the following effect: "America is a land of many religions, and there are good Americans who have no religion".
It may seem a small thing, but the fact that he could easily get by politically without ever acknowledging that the non-religous can be good Americans gives me reason to trust his sincerity.
OJ
If you are hoping for sectarian war, this is not the president for you. You missed your chance with Pat Robertson.