"All that is old and already formed can continue to live only if it allows within itself the conditions of a new beginning."
Leave Evangelizing
to the EvangelistsPosted 6:39 p.m., May 1, 2004
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I just finished watching Thursday's "Frontline" segment, "The Jesus Factor."It outlines the depth of George W. Bush's religious convictions and the role religion plays in his decision-making. (The president says his faith plays no role in his policy decisions, though given the frequent God-talk that he engages in, that seems a bit dishonest.)
I could blog for a week on this. But I'll stick with one point that I haven't seen examined elsewhere in the little bit of attention that the mainstream media has paid to the broadcast.
Full disclosure
First, it's probably appropriate to disclose that I am a member of the Minnesota Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, a liberal religious organization--meaning a church that keeps an open mind on religious questions. (I am not a political liberal.) Unlike some of my church mates, I do conceive of myself as a Christian, a believer in the word of Jesus. I do, however, read the Bible with some mild skepticism, as did Thomas Jefferson--allow me to recommend to you a copy of The Jefferson Bible.
See UUA.org if you're curious to learn any more about this.
Moving right along. ...
Of all the elements of the Frontline broadcast, one in particular sticks out for me.
It's actually an old revelation from the 1994 Texas gubernatorial campaign, when the Houston Post ran a story juxtaposing differences between Bush and his ex-president father. In the course of an interview with reporter Ken Herman, Bush related "a surprising anecdote."
"[Bush] and his mother were having a difference of opinion about whether you have to accept Christ to go to heaven; a perfectly legitimate thing for a family to discuss. His mother's belief was, as Bush told me, 'Maybe you don't, but more importantly, maybe you shouldn't worry about it and just sort of take care of yourself and we'll see what happens when the times comes.'"To make the point that this family operates differently from others, through their longtime contact with Billy Graham, they decided, let's get Billy Graham on the phone. You know, kind of God's right hand man right on the planet. As it turns out, Rev. Graham sided with his mother, saying, 'Just don't worry about it. Live your life the way you're supposed to, love everybody and move on.'
"Bush, however, said that despite what Billy Graham had said, he held the personal belief that you have to accept Christ to get into heaven."
-- Ken Herman, former reporter, Houston PostHere's the relevant portion of that Houston Post story, as displayed on the TV screen:
"...Bush felt sophisticated enough about religion to declare to his mother there is no place in heaven for anyone who does not accept Jesus Christ as his personal savior. Barbara Bush disagreed, and got an expert on the phone. She called Billy Graham.Now, I'm partially prepared to cut the president some slack here. Frontline did not make clear in its narrative that Bush took away from his chat with Graham a notion that he should not "be harshly judgmental of others." That does seem to partially mitigate what was said. I was able to read the story on the screen only because I have digital cable with the PVR function that allows me to pause live TV. (Very useful, highly recommended.)"'Billy came on the line ... and he said, 'Look, I happen to agree with what George says about the interpretation of the New Testament,' but he said, 'I want to remind both of you, never play God,' Bush recalled.
"The lesson, according to Bush, was 'listen to the New Testament but don't be harshly judgmental of others.' He remains convinced that acceptance of is a prerequisite for eternal bliss."
Still, the reason why it would be alarming to people that Bush holds this rather fervent opinion, if it's not obvious, was enunciated by Doug Wead, a former advisor to the first President Bush.
"The implications of that were huge. You mean, if I'm not Christian, if I'm Jewish or some other faith, I'm damned? ... [Bush] doesn't talk about that anymore."-- Doug Wead, former advisor
to George H. W. Bush
Changing Tone
Since 9/11, the president has taken on a more stridently religious tone in his rhetoric, troubling a lot of people around the world, particularly Muslims who see him conducting a war against their religion when he really needs to target extremists who are trying to hijack the faith.
Bush put it on the line in a State of the Union address.
"Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty have always been at war. And we know that God is not neutral between them. ... Every nation in every region has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
-- President George W. BushJim Wallis, the editor Sojourners Magazine, a liberal evangelical organ, worries that the president's tone has mixed politics with religion to a powerful and troubling degree.
"To say they are evil, and we are good, and if you're not with us you are with the terrorists, that's bad theology. ... This language of righteous empire and our having this divine mission, I think this creates a framework for the misuse of religion. And I think the rest of the world hears this and it frightens them, particularly in the Arab world. Because they are afraid that we see this as a clash of civilizations and that this is a religious war."
-- Jim Wallis, editor Sojourner's magazineCertainly, the comments attributed to Bush in Bob Woodward's new book Plan of Attack--that the president obstinately insisted he is troubled by no doubts about the war in Iraq, regardless of the number of deaths and mistakes made--seem sensible only in the context of a kind of evangelical religious fervor. Even Tony Blair acknowledged he has privately been plagued by that kind of doubt--it only seems human that it should be so.
A Right to His Own Faith
Look, I don't dispute the president's right to practice his faith. I don't even argue that his faith should not inform his decisions--particularly those elements that stress ethical behavior. (Remember "Thou shalt not lie?")
But I do think it would be well for President Bush to recall that he is the chief executive of the nation, sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States. And it would be well for him to leave the preaching to the preachers, the evangelizing to the evangelists, even if it means disappointing some of his more fervent religious conservative backers.
And just be our president.
This is a president who failed to seek the counsel even of his own father--the only other living human being who has presided over a war with Saddam Hussein. Instead, Bush told Woodward:
"...I am briefing [George H. W. Bush] on what I see. You know, he is the wrong father to appeal to in terms of strength. There is a higher father that I appeal to."Considering this, the president would also do well to remember one of the primary lessons that Jesus left us with, if not distinctly in his word, then clearly in his deeds.
-- President George W. Bush
as quoted in "Plan of Attack"God does his work on this earth through the people that walk the earth.
