Bush: All religions pray to 'same God'

President George Bush has repeated his belief all religions, "whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God" – an assertion that caused outrage among evangelical leaders when he said it in November 2003.

Bush made the statement Friday in an interview with Al Arabiya reporter Elie Nakouzi.

As the president and Nakouzi walked from the Oval Office to the Map Room in the White House residence, Nazouki asked, "But I want to tell you – and I hope this doesn't bother you at all – that in the Islamic world they think that President Bush is an enemy of Islam – that he wants to destroy their religion, what they believe in. Is that in any way true, Mr. President?"

"No, it's not," said Bush. "I've heard that, and it just shows [sic] to show a couple of things: One, that the radicals have done a good job of propagandizing. In other words, they've spread the word that this really isn't peaceful people versus radical people or terrorists, this is really about the America not liking Islam.

"Well, first of all, I believe in an Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That's what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace. And I believe people who murder the innocent to achieve political objectives aren't religious people, whether they be a Christian who does that – we had a person blow up our – blow up a federal building in Oklahoma City who professed to be a Christian, but that's not a Christian act to kill innocent people.

Most who advance in Physics overcome the Heisenburg Uncertainty Principle early in their career. Some refer to it as the Heisenburg Hurdle. Many used it as justification than individual atoms and electrons could not be arranged or manipulated,...at least until Bell Labs etched out cute little messages using individual atoms. (hint: maybe the momentum and position aren't the gauge invariant you seek)

To answer your question, "when you discover that your mental map of the world is in conflict with reality do you change your mental map or do you deny reality and persist in maintaining your mental map?"

We respond by going to that which we find most trustworthy. For example, if one experiences a supernatural event, investigates that event by all available science, but then finds that the simplest answer might be the most reasonable, it would be more absurd to deny the event than to alter one's thinking as to its cause. So even though in my worldly thinking I might attempt to rationalize away faith, it nevertheless exists regardless any attempts I might make to deny it by denying God.

The more one investigates, the more trustworthy we find God to be through faith in Christ.

Our 'mental map' as you have named it, is also referenced in Scripture as the soul composed of both the mind and the heart. Discernible from the human spirit, which isn't understood by those who are dead in the spirit.

All men are born with a soul which is scarred from the original sin. Our souls are continually remapped in our daily thinking. One major function of the Holy Spirit in our lives occurs with the renewing of our minds daily.

It is possible to remap our mind through faith in Christ or independent of Him, which also results in a scarring of our souls and failure to perceive the spirit life He blesses us through...

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.