President Bush told the Washington Times yesterday he doesn’t “see how you can be president without a relationship with the Lord.”
“I fully understand that the job of the president is and must always be protecting the great right of people to worship or not worship as they see fit,” Bush said.
"That’s what distinguishes us from the Taliban. The greatest freedom we have or one of the greatest freedoms is the right to worship the way you see fit.
“On the other hand, I don’t see how you can be president at least from my perspective, how you can be president, without a relationship with the Lord.”
Bush has often said that he is a religious man who supports freedom of religion, but yesterday may be the first time he has so clearly suggested in his use of words that he harbors the feeling that these two principles are to some degree in conflict.
You don’t use the “other hand” construction for two concepts that complement each other. And his suggestion that someone is not qualified to be president unless they are religious is sure to spark some further discussion.
There’s another enigmatic quote from the same interview:
“I think people attack me because they are fearful that I will then say that you’re not equally as patriotic if you’re not a religious person,” Bush said. “I’ve never said that. I’ve never acted like that. I think that’s just the way it is.”
Has any past president ever explicitly stated that you’re not qualified for the position unless you share that faith? Therein lies the rub.
Honestly, what’s the moron implying here? That unless you’re a Christian you don’t deserve the highest office of the land? Oh, and that you’re just not as patriotic as other Christians? Please, read your Bible and tell me exactly where, chapter and verse, the Constitution can be found.
Okay, so he didn’t even state that to begin with. How exactly did he state it, “explicitly”? Hehe…[/quote]
Huh? “On the other hand, I don’t see how you can be president at least from my perspective, how you can be president, without a relationship with the Lord.”
Okay, so he didn’t even state that to begin with. How exactly did he state it, “explicitly”? Hehe…[/quote]
Huh? “On the other hand, I don’t see how you can be president at least from my perspective, how you can be president, without a relationship with the Lord.”[/quote]
How is that anything like saying that you can’t be qualified if you aren’t a Christian?
Okay, so he didn’t even state that to begin with. How exactly did he state it, “explicitly”? Hehe…[/quote]
Huh? “On the other hand, I don’t see how you can be president at least from my perspective, how you can be president, without a relationship with the Lord.”[/quote]
How is that anything like saying that you can’t be qualified if you aren’t a Christian?[/quote]
I don’t see how you can be a doctor without a degree.
Okay, so he didn’t even state that to begin with. How exactly did he state it, “explicitly”? Hehe…[/quote]
Huh? “On the other hand, I don’t see how you can be president at least from my perspective, how you can be president, without a relationship with the Lord.”[/quote]
How is that anything like saying that you can’t be qualified if you aren’t a Christian?[/quote]
I don’t see how you can be a doctor without a degree.
You suck at language.[/quote]
What a cuttingly insightful reply. Way to raise the tone of the debate.
I’m sure we all know Bush was referring to christian faith when he spoke of “relationship with the Lord” but before this thread blossoms into a post-wasting semantics argument, he didn’t actually say that.
His statement was ambiguous, so it all comes down to interpretation. Perhaps he meant that he doesn’t understand how anyone without belief in a higher power could withstand the rigors of campaigning, perhaps he meant that the American people would never elect an Atheist, perhaps he was just repeating what the voices in his head told him to say. We’ll never know. It’s an interesting statement, but hardly a declaration of theocratic principles.
His daddy said that atheists are neither patriots nor citizens.
His campaign later backed this up as President Bush’s official stance.[/quote]
Thats real nice. Should I wear an x’ed out cross patch on my clothing? I wouldnt want anyone to think I’m a citizen or that I like my country. Do I still have to pay taxes for the overly elaborate government buildings and the stupid ass government xmas trees?
I guess fucking that hag-cunt can make you a bitter old fuck.
“I think people attack me because they are fearful that I will then say that you’re not equally as patriotic if you’re not a religious person,” Bush said. “I’ve never said that. I’ve never acted like that. I think that’s just the way it is.”
The guy says he, from his own perspective, doesn’t see how someone could be president without a relationship with God. And you don’t see that as a statement of theocratic principles? Granted, if only his own, but that’s the core issue here. Faced with the man’s own words – and later denial! – you still can’t see it. I guess it depends on what your definition of the word “is” is.
“I’ve never said that. I’ve never acted like that. I think that’s just the way it is.”
The guy says he, from his own perspective, doesn’t see how someone could be president without a relationship with God. And you don’t see that as a statement of theocratic principles? Faced with the man’s own words – and later denial! – you still can’t see it. I guess it depends on what your definition of the word “is” is.[/quote]
:roll:
Oh yeah, that’s theocracy. Sounds like he’s about to deploy the army to make sure people go to the right churches on Sunday.
The guy says he, from his own perspective, doesn’t see how someone could be president without a relationship with God. And you don’t see that as a statement of theocratic principles? Faced with the man’s own words – and later denial! – you still can’t see it. I guess it depends on what your definition of the word “is” is.[/quote]
:roll: [/quote]
Right. Point, um, taken?
Oh yeah, that’s theocracy. Sounds like he’s about to deploy the army to make sure people go to the right churches on Sunday.[/quote]
Theocracy refers to a government run by officials who believe in divine guidance, not necessarily one that enforces religious worship.
