Five years in….President Bush to religious broadcasters
I thought the current Commonweal editorial an excellent one, worth highlighting here and elsewhere. For a taste:
Many bad arguments have been advanced for the war in Iraq, and the president has used almost all of them over the past five years. He has variously claimed that Iraq posed an imminent military threat, was involved in 9/11, demanded humanitarian intervention, or that it offered a rare opportunity to establish democracy in the Middle East. Yet surely the worst, and perhaps the most offensive, argument for launching such a preventive war is the claim that every human being bears the image of our maker. Christians and non-Christians alike should tell President Bush to stop it-to stop using Christian language to justify his decision to go to war. The last people to applaud such sentiments ought to be religious broadcasters.
What do you expect from a lying, petulant war criminal? Even he has to sleep at night with the (deeply repressed) knowledge that his hands are stained with the blood of thousands. So he and his speechwriters (taking a cue from Michael Gerson) will employ any excuse, especially the most exalted, that enables him to slumber.
What’s more worrisome is the apparently supine deference from the religious shills — er, sorry, broadcasters.
Eugene McCarraher: Have you been listening to Jeremiah Wright’s sermons again?!
I too thought it an especially fine editorial (and Cathleen Kaveny’s column is a keeper, too). Interesting that one of the toughest critiques of Obama’s speech was none other than Michael Gerson. Hmmm…
David: No, I’ve been watching Bush for the last seven years.
It’s long past time for the truth about Bush and Co. to be articulated in the strongest possible terms. There’s no “charity” in holding back about the duplicity and carnage this administration has wrought, and with the active, dimwit encouragement of “religious” figures.
In that regard, I’ll be interested to see what Benedict says to Bush. He has an opportunity to make a real impact.
The new ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon, indicates that won’t be the tenor of their talks, but she may be voicing the Administration’s hopes:
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=57452
What I really appreciate about the editorial is how it delineates that war is so Unchristian. That leaders have invoked the name of God throughout Christian history (especially after Constantine) is a surefire sign of corruption. Refreshing to see Commonweal frame the Christian position so well.
Benedict and John Paul have both come out against the Iraq war. Sadly, they have not done it with the vigor that they have gone after some Catholic theologians. I am sure he will address it when he speaks at the UN. The emphasis will make the difference. John Paul II’s decision to let Bush visit him with a mild reprimand was not a great moment.
Of Course, Benedict has other accounting to do and Catholics who are concerned with doing something about reform and just not in words, plan to take some action.
http://votf.org/pope/ad.html
National politics is like the Roman circus in first century Rome.
It is entertainment to keep us distracted from the real issues.
Stanley Hauerwas
Taylor bRanch has a superb op ed in the nYT today on Dr, King’s legacy,
We have not inculcated his message of non-violence into our souls, been asleep at the switch (not just Bush) as useless wars go on. We’ve failed to see (in the Lazaru, Dives, Abraham story) the unique personhood of each individual!