Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: Bush and God
From: Johnny Deadman <lists@johnbrownlow.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 12:08:17 -0500

Well, indeed, but isn't the US supposed to be a constitutionally 
secular society (and hooray for that)? You can't refer to God in a 
primary school but, hell, it's okay for the President to use religion 
as a justification for war? Something's a little out of kilter there I 
think.

You might also have thought that given all the Al-Quaida rhetoric about 
this being some kind of neo-crusade it would have made sense to 
de-emphasize some the religious conviction stuff during the megaphone 
diplomacy phase at least. But apparently not. Quite what Islamic 
radicals will make of what is clearly going to be an occupation of an 
Arab state by an invading Christian force is enough to give me the 
heebie-jeebies.

I am curious as to exactly WHICH God is on Bush's side, since in 
England the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Roman Catholic Archbishop 
of Westminster seem to have an altogether different view of the matter, 
as do the African-American religious leaders who are in Baghdad right 
now.

An appeal to a metaphysical authority is not an argument. If Bush said 
"I believe we are right" then I could respect him.

JB



On Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at 11:31 AM, Douglas Herr wrote:

>> an examination of leaders who believe that God was on their
>> side would reveal he is in some dubious company.
>
> I suspect that in time of conflict nearly any political leader will 
> justify his/her actions to a nervous population by claiming moral 
> righteousness in whatever way is common in his culture.  I'm not 
> condoning these claims, but it's not unusual.
- --
John Brownlow

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com

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Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com> (Re: [Leica] OT: Bush and God)