Posted on 06/23/2004 9:42:09 PM PDT by kattracks
Ron Reagan, one of President Reagan's sons, in a recent television interview, insisted that his father only referred to God in "proper setting(s)," such as churches or "whatever": "The way he practiced his religion, the way I saw it, anyway, in terms of his presidency and his public life, was that he was unabashed about it in the proper setting, in a church or whatever. He would be quite open about his feelings. But he didn't use it in a way, I mean, it was a very personal thing to him, and it wasn't . . . a political chip that he was going to sort of use all the time, and you see that, I think, now. A lot of politicians will use their faith, let's say, such as it is, to gain political advantage, to appeal to a certain demographic in a narrow sense. . . . I think there's a lot of false piety floating around Washington."
"Whatever"? When one serves as president of the United States, are there any public "whatevers"?
At the Ronald Reagan interment, which I was privileged to attend, Ron criticized politicians who wear "faith on (their) sleeve(s)": "Dad was also a deeply, unabashedly religious man. But he never made the fatal mistake of so many politicians wearing his faith on his sleeve to gain political advantage. True, after he was shot and nearly killed early in his presidency, he came to believe that God had spared him in order that he might do good. But he accepted that as a responsibility, not a mandate. And there is a profound difference."
Let's go to the videotape.
At the 1984 annual convention of the National Religious Broadcasters, Reagan not only spoke about religion, but about Jesus Christ: "He promised there will never be a dark night that does not end," Reagan said. "And by dying for us, Jesus showed how far our love should be ready to go: all the way."
At Kansas State University in 1982, Reagan spoke of the "admonition of the Man from Galilee to do unto others as you would have them do unto you," a line Reagan himself personally inserted into the speech.
In editing his own speeches, Reagan often made such changes, according to his speechwriter Ben Elliott.
"He didn't make a big deal about it," said Elliott. "He would want a change like that and he would just write it in." On one speech draft by Elliott and speechwriter Peggy Noonan, they called Christmas "the day that marks the birth on Earth of the Son of God." Reagan added a line: "the birthday of the promised Messiah , the Son of God (emphasis added)."
At an ecumenical prayer breakfast in Dallas, Texas, in August 1984, Reagan said, "I believe that faith and religion play a critical role in the political life of our nation -- and always has -- and that the church -- and by that I mean all churches, all denominations -- has had a strong influence in the state.
And this has worked to our benefit as a nation. Those who created our country -- the Founding Fathers and Mothers -- understood that there is a divine order which transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order is religion. . . .
Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
During his infamous "evil empire" speech before the National Association of Evangelicals in March 1983, Reagan frequently mentioned prayer, faith and Christianity: " . . . There are a great many God-fearing, dedicated, noble men and women in public life, present company included. . . . The basis of the ideas of those ideals and principles (that brought us into the public arena) is a commitment to freedom and personal liberty that, itself, is grounded in the much deeper realization that freedom prospers only where the blessings of God are avidly sought and humbly accepted."
Reagan then spoke of the country's Judeo-Christian traditions, and attacked government "attempts to water down traditional values and even abrogate the original terms of American democracy. Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged."
About the "evil empire," Reagan proposed that his administration would "negotiate real and verifiable reductions in the world's nuclear arsenals, and one day, with God's help, their total elimination."
Finally, Reagan closed his speech with a quote from Isaiah: "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increased strength . . . But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary . . . "
Whatever.
©2004 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
bttt
"Sage from South Central" PING!!!
As of two months ago, I'd have sworn it was a public, oval office address. Instead, President Reagan chose his audience carefully, and delivered his words forcefully.
I remain in awe.
PresReagan mentioned God as much, if not more often then PresBush43 does. One of his famous references was about 'talking to the man upstairs'. Ronald Prescott (Reagan) is nothing like his father. A Bush-bashing liberal and an atheist to boot.
BTTT
ping
Hi...Reagan Man,
You Posted..."Ronald Prescott (Reagan) is nothing like his father. A Bush-bashing liberal and an atheist to boot."
Do You Have Any Evidence...Written Documentation that Ron Prescott Reagan is an Atheist?
And What About the Daughter Patti Davis?
I ask because my kid Sister believes that Ron and Patti are..."Christians"...and I said..."NO WAY are these two Born Again Christians."
Michael Reagan is Born Again and He LOVES The LORD JESUS and he is Not Ashamed of The Gospel or Jesus' Name.
The Eulogy he gave at his Dad's Funeral was the BEST I've heard...May GOD Bless Michael and his Family!
I'd sure appreciate it if you could post this information.
GOD Bless our Great American President Ronald W. Reagan, he is Beholding his Risen Messiah Now...Face to Face!
I for one would never be so presumptive as to suggest that someone is or isn't blessed in the sight of God...You and I do not know anothers heart. Perhaps you should focus on your own state of grace rather than anothers...that would be the Christian thing to do....No man can know what God knows about the soul of another
Last night on LarryLive, Ronald Prescott said he was an atheist. From his mouth to my ears. That's all the evidence I need.
I don't know details about the life of Patti Davis` life. I do know, she was a rebel most her of her life. She dropped "Reagan" as her last name and took her Mothers maiden name of "Davis". She posed nude in Playboy magazine back in the early 1990`s. Not bad. LOL She opposed her Fathers politics throughout her life. Her words at the funeral didn't seem very "godly" to me. In recent years, Patti, Ron and Michael patched up their differences with Nancy and became very close with their Father in his time of need. I know Michael Reagan is a Christian and a conservative Republican. Daughter Maureen Reagan who a few years back was very close to her Father, somewhat of a political moderate and a loyal Republican.
Gotta run.
You should take Your own advice..."Perhaps you should focus on your own state of grace rather than anothers."
IN The BIBLE...THE LORD Yeshua / JESUS THE Christ says that WE will know other Believers by their FRUIT and to whom it is that they Belong.
DO YOU...Belong to JESUS CHRIST?
That is a question that is not your business...I know what my state of grace is and I don't feel the need to share it with you...My previous advice still applies
Skipper, God love him, is a bona fide idiot.
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