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Crapula
explorer
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Bush Increasing Religious Allusions
#1320780 - 02/19/03 11:44 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Bush Increasing Religious Allusions WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush, often portrayed as using a strict good-and-evil compass to navigate national issues, has always peppered his speeches with exhortations to moral and civic duty. With war, tragedy and terrorism confronting him now, his allusions to spirituality and morality seem to be increasing.
"I welcome faith to help solve the nation's deepest problems," Bush told a convention of religious broadcasters last week. Referring to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said, "We carried our grief to the Lord Almighty in prayer."
Earlier, in his State of the Union address, he said, "The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity."
Hours after the shuttle Columbia disintegrated, Bush turned to religion and a quote from the book of Isaiah to help console the nation.
"The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home," the president said.
Expressions of faith and values are familiar ground for American presidents, and this one, who became a born-again Christian in the 1980s after concluding he was drinking too much, is no exception. Yet lately, Bush has gone beyond his usual broad remarks on the power of faith in general to use language and ideas specific to Christianity.
It is a welcome message for some, particularly the evangelical Christian conservatives whom Bush is courting as he seeks a second term. Some others are uncomfortable.
"This president is using general references and, beyond that, terminology and vocabulary that come straight out of a very particular religious tradition, which is evangelical Christianity," said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, a Louisiana pastor and executive director of the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, an umbrella interfaith group.
"I think his rhetoric implies a lack of appreciation for the vast pluralism of religion in this nation," Gaddy said.
Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said Bush speeches have started sounding "more and more like a sermon in a church" and risk alienating significant chunks of his constituency.
"When presidents start to become theologians on a regular basis, they begin to exclude people from their audience," Lynn said.
White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush is comfortable speaking about religion because of its importance to him personally.
"The president when he speaks, speaks in a very inclusive way, very respectful ... of the fact that we are a nation whose great strengths come from the fact that we have people of so many faiths and people who have chosen not to have any particular religious affiliation," Fleischer said.
In his State of the Union address, Bush reflected on the challenges facing the nation as it prepares for possible war:
"We Americans have faith in ourselves, but not in ourselves alone. We do not claim to know all the ways of providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life and all of history. May he guide us now, and may God continue to bless the United States of America."
In Nashville, Bush praised Americans' "deep and diverse religious beliefs." But he also singled out a special place for Christianity, calling the gospel that the broadcasters share over the airwaves "words of truth."
More generally, the president has delivered several passion-filled speeches recently on behalf of his proposal to spend billions more to combat AIDS abroad. In Grand Rapids, Mich., the day after his State of the Union address, Bush said the humanitarian crisis is a chance "a moral nation" cannot pass up to use its riches and know-how for good.
This guy gets more scary by the day....
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Learyfan
It's the psychedelic movement!
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Crapula]
#1320809 - 02/20/03 12:15 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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It's true. Click the .wav button to hear Bush practicing the speech he will give to the world when he officially declares war.
Creepy huh?
-------------------- -------------------------------- Mp3 of the month: Sons Of Adam - Feathered Fish
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Ellis Dee
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Learyfan]
#1321456 - 02/20/03 06:40 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Reminds me of Pulp Fiction.
-------------------- "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do."-King Solomon And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Crapula]
#1321468 - 02/20/03 06:46 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Why does this matter to you at all?
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silversoul7
Chill the FuckOut!
Registered: 10/10/02
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1321478 - 02/20/03 06:51 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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It won't bother me until he starts using religion as an excuse for war.
-------------------- "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."--Voltaire
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: silversoul7]
#1321481 - 02/20/03 06:52 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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We'll be waiting a while before that happens. A long while.
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silversoul7
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1321483 - 02/20/03 06:53 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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I sure hope so. Let's just hope John Ashcroft doesn't become any more influential than he already is.
-------------------- "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."--Voltaire
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Skikid16
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1321675 - 02/20/03 08:16 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Why does this matter to you at all?
Because the country elected a president not a minister.
-------------------- Re-Defeat Bush in '04
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flow
outlaw immortal
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Skikid16]
#1321908 - 02/20/03 09:29 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Why does this matter to you at all?
Because the country elected a president not a minister.
the country elected a born again christian president, what do you think his speeches are going to be about?
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Rono
DSYSB since '01
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: flow]
#1321971 - 02/20/03 09:44 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Obviously Religion should have no place in Politics, but the sad fact is that it plays a huge factor. I.E....what do you think the chances are of a Muslim or Hindu president?.
-------------------- "Life has never been weird enough for my liking"
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Skikid16
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: flow]
#1322144 - 02/20/03 11:04 AM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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The president was also cocaine user, why aren't any of his speeches about that?
Keep your personal life out of Public Affairs.......
-------------------- Re-Defeat Bush in '04
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Skikid16]
#1322285 - 02/20/03 12:05 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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The country elected a Christian to office, and if he wants to put religious symbolism and whatnot in his speeches, I really don't care. Religion has a place in all of our lives, whether or not we like to admit, and is a big part of politics. And, to my knowledge, Bush hasn't said much or anything about Jesus, his personal God.
Of course, none of this matters, because some people here will bitch about Bush no matter what he does.
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Skikid16
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1322395 - 02/20/03 12:55 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Oh, believe me, his christian references are the least of my concerns, I couldn't give a flying fuck who he prays to. I'm just saying it should be a part of his speeches when they are speeches concerning public policy.
And religion does not have a place in my life.
If Bush repeals the Patriot Act, and settles down on his drive for war, I will commend him, not bitch. But until he does anything worthy of praise, he will get bitching.
-------------------- Re-Defeat Bush in '04
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Crapula
explorer
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1322590 - 02/20/03 02:14 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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hmmm....why do I care? I just find it pretty scary (Jerry Falwell scary) that he's been talking more and more about god in his speeches. I have personally noticed this before this article even came out. I think he is highly delusional if he thinks god cares about America or is looking out for America in any way above any other country. Albeit an extreme example...we think the terrorists are nutty as hell because of what they do in the name of their god and religion. So whose side is god on...Christian or Muslim??? What if there is no god?? If there is a god...would he/she want us running around killing each other in his/her name?? Who knows? It's just very silly, in my opinion, to bring up god and religion in government. The need of having separation of church and state was our forefathers opinion as well.
On a side note..no I don't really give a rats ass what he or anyone believes in on their own time, that's their business.
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Skikid16]
#1322605 - 02/20/03 02:19 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Religion is the foundation of society as we know it. This debate has be run over a few times in S&P I believe, so I won't go into it. The fact is, the guy can say whatever he damn well pleases. You know, the president is protected by the First Amendment too.
Nush has done many things I feel are praisworthy, including tax cuts and pay raises for our soldiers. But he is a Republican, and thus probably will never get praise from you.
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silversoul7
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1322671 - 02/20/03 02:39 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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There are a few Republicans(albeit very few) whom I find to be praiseworthy. John McCain comes to mind. Also, who was that governor of Arizona that wanted to legalize weed? Also, Tom Campbell(from my own state) seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Until recently I respected Colin Powell(I lost that respect for him when he bent to the pressure of his compatriates to push for war with Iraq). Don't assume that as liberals we automatically hate all Republicans.
-------------------- "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."--Voltaire
Edited by silversoul7 (02/20/03 02:40 PM)
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: silversoul7]
#1322678 - 02/20/03 02:42 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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McCain is the Republican I hate the most. Not a respectable guy at all.
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Crapula
explorer
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1322681 - 02/20/03 02:42 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Religious beliefs have been the reason behind many if not most of the wars that have been fought on this globe. Pretty much millions upon millions of death's over whose god has the biggest dick. Religion maybe the foundation of society as we know it, but it may also be its downfall.
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silversoul7
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: Anonymous]
#1322685 - 02/20/03 02:45 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
McCain is the Republican I hate the most. Not a respectable guy at all.
And why is that? Not enough of a warmonger?
-------------------- "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."--Voltaire
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Anonymous
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Re: Bush Increasing Religious Allusions [Re: silversoul7]
#1322712 - 02/20/03 02:55 PM (21 years, 1 month ago) |
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Actually I thought he was OK until he started pushing for his "gunshow loophole" bill. He did a complete 180 in his stance on guns right at the time he lost the primaries to Bush. And when the 9/11 attacks occured, he used the instance to shamelessly promote this bill, saying terrorists can get guns at gun shows and such. This is the kind of shit I'd expect from a Democrat.
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