Right-Wing Exposed

After seven long years of the Bush Presidency I thought it appropriate to consider the results of the combination of Bush’s religion and his politics.  He began his drive for the Presidency by securing the support of America’s Evangelicals when He said that Jesus was his hero in Iowa in 2000, and he rode their support to victory over Al Gore in the famous “judicial election”.  And, it was certainly the Evangelical vote that gave him his narrow victory over John Kerry in 2004.  Bush’s professed Christianity was unquestionably his political salvation in both elections.

Now, in retrospect, how did Bush’s religion influence his politics in the Oval Office, and how did his politics influence his religion?  Certainly Bush’s invasion of Iraq will be viewed as his most controversial decision.  Was it possibly influenced by his religion? 

There is a doctrinal belief held by many Christians known as predestination.  This doctrine teaches that God has predestined everything for every person He creates, including every word that we speak and every thing that we do.  Naturally people who believe this doctrine have an extremely strong sense of purpose and mission, as well as an unwavering confidence that they are making the right decision at all times.  This is because they believe that all of their decisions and actions are God’s will in motion.

Why do I bring this up?  Because President Bush has exhibited these same characteristics throughout his Presidency.  He stubbornly goes ahead with whatever he wants to do regardless of the opposition.  And, it is obvious that he thinks his decisions are always right.  In fact, in one of the Presidential debates with John Kerry, when he was asked to name just one mistake he had made while in office, he could not think of one single mistake.  That’s an amazing accomplishment!  President Bush completed his first four years in office without an error.  Only a Christian who believes in predestination could possibly have such confidence; only someone who does indeed believe that all of his decisions have been controlled by God Himself.

It is also noteworthy that the history of both Bush Presidencies and their mutual experiences with Iraq certainly create a perfect predestination scenario.  Did President George W Bush consider it his divine calling to invade Iraq and to complete the work begun by his father in 1991?  Does he believe that God predestined the Bush Presidency, as many Christian conservatives suggested after the 9-11 attacks, and that he is doing the predetermined work of God in his “war on terror”, which mutated to his invasion of Iraq?  If he adheres to a predestination philosophy, this is unquestionably his view, and his words and actions in the Oval Office seem to agree.  Have we possibly sacrificed the lives of 4000 brave American soldiers and countless thousands of Iraqi civilians over a religious mindset of our President?

Did Bush’s religion also influence his decision to channel federal funds through religious organizations via his faith-based initiative?  Besides the obvious concerns over separation of church and state, there is probably a far greater issue that dwarfs the church and state question.  As I clearly document in my book and in blogs and podcasts on this website, the American Church has degenerated into a selfish, greedy, materialistic organization with corrupt dealings that include practices of price gouging to the tune of 2000% markups on the “free gospel”.  Should we be channeling federal funds through such an unethical organization?

And, has a demented teaching within Bush’s religion also been responsible for Bush’s approval of the use of torture upon enemy prisoners?  I encourage you to listen to my podcast titled, “Evangelical Sadism”, which will alarm and appall you.  It should suffice to say that anyone who considers it to be fair and just punishment for their God to torture people two million years for every hour they lived on this planet, has a warped and sadistic sense of what constitutes equitable justice and punishment.  Obviously, for such a person, toruring enemy prisoners for a mere few days or weeks would probably seem to be extremely fair and just by comparison.  And, President Bush’s Christian denomination does indeed espouse this demented religious belief.

We’ve seen how Bush’s religion has influenced his politics, but how has his politics influenced his religion?  To begin with, it has taught him a new style of prayer.  Jesus told His followers to pray to God in His (Jesus’) name.  Why have none of President Bush’s public prayers over the past seven years been offered in Jesus’ name?  The answer is obvious.  It would have been political suicide.  It is also obvious, therefore, that President Bush’s political office is more important to him than being faithful to Jesus.  Perhaps he should not have run for political office if it was going to cause him to disobey Jesus with every public prayer he’s offered over the past seven years. 

Also, what about all of the misleading and inaccurate statements concerning Iraq?  Does President Bush know that one of the Ten Commandments deals with deception and dishonesty?  Does he think that it is alright to stretch the truth if you’re in public office?  What is more important to him, Christian principles that include honesty, or maintaining political power?

Furthermore, wasn’t President Bush aware of another one of the Ten Commandments regarding not bowing to idols?  The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan was erected to house the spirits of the late emperor Meiji who revitalized Shintoism’s emperor worship.  Shinto worshippers clap to awaken the emperor’s spirit and then bow in worship to him.  Although knowing that it is forbidden for a Christian to bow before idols, President Bush participated in Shintoism by also clapping to awaken the spirit of Meiji and then bowing before him in worship.  He may have shrugged it off as foreign diplomacy, but Christians in Japan called it public idol worship.  It is apparent that President Bush’s political priorities frequently outweigh his Christian principles.

What we’ve had the privilege of watching the past seven years is the President Bush “two-step dance” between his politics and his religion.  And, he hasn’t done either one very well.  You can’t have it both ways, George.  You’re either a Christian who adheres to Christian principles even if it results in political suicide, or you’re a politician who does what it takes to stay in office.  Your double-life has been painful to watch and a continuance of compromises and contradictions.