Posted on 01/23/2005 8:04:22 AM PST by Arthur Wildfire! March
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3003570
snip
"I think he took it to a higher level ... , without a doubt," Rozell said. "It is not the first time he has invoked religion in his speech, of course, but he did so in a much more direct way."
Bush, a Methodist who is a born-again Christian, has made ample use throughout his political career of religious rhetoric. But more often, the president has spoken of religion in terms of values and personal responsibility.
Presidents as far back as Washington frequently invoked faith and religion in their public statements. Some scholars have said President Clinton made more frequent mention of Jesus Christ than has Bush, who is more closely associated with devout Christianity than his predecessor.
Even so, Bush's lyrical and at times defiant knitting together of religion and American democratic principles was widely noted, to mixed reviews.
Peggy Noonan, a conservative author and former speechwriter to former Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan, on Friday in the Wall Street Journal criticized the president's speech as "God-drenched."
Terry Lowry, a Christian broadcaster in Houston who is also active in politics, said some might be offended by Bush's speech, but also that some might be too easily offended.
"I think he was trying to be more inclusive and tolerant and he was careful to not be offensive," Lowry said, adding, "America has been built by more than just Christians."
In truth, Bush mentioned God infrequently in the 21-minute address. Instead, the text was larded with phrases and allusions that would resonate with believers of several faiths. In speaking of "a day of fire," Bush was describing the 2001 terrorist attacks in language commonly associated in Christianity with Judgment Day, according to Deborah Caldwell, senior editor at Beliefnet, an online magazine about religion and values.
"It had so much layered meaning," Caldwell said, noting there is also a Christian rock band called Day of Fire.
The phrase "ennobled by service and mercy and a heart for the weak" was aimed at Catholics, whose liturgy and prayers often use such language, Caldwell noted. Catholics also would recognize Bush's use of the phrase "human dignity," which is a term Pope John Paul II frequently uses in speaking against abortion and euthanasia.
A memorable line from Bush noted that "no one is fit to be a master and no one deserves to be a slave," a reference to the Apostle Paul, who said in the Bible that there is "no slave or free" and all are one under Christ.
Declaring that "evil is real," Bush gave a nod to Evangelicals and others who disdain moral relativism, Caldwell said.
When he alluded to "the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Quran, and the varied faiths of our people," Caldwell said, Bush was moving "seamlessly to liberal God-talk that will soothe modern Americans and will thrill the nation's Muslims."
"I thought the speech was more openly tolerant and pluralistic than some of his previous speeches have been," Caldwell said. "All the speeches leading up to the Iraq war and in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 were more overtly Christian."
But not all critics were mollified by Bush's varied invocations. The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the whole tenor of Bush's inauguration left the impression the United States has a formal tie to religion.
"Behaving as if our country is an officially Christian republic instead of the secular state it is only plays into the hands of extremists who use religion as an excuse to hate our country and its freedoms," Lynn said.
Bush starts each day with a prayer and a reading from the Bible. In his campaign, Bush frequently justified military action by saying that "freedom is almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world."
He was elected to a second term in November with more votes than any other candidate in history, although his victory margin — 3 percent — was relatively slim. Even so, many political observers afterward theorized that moral values helped Bush to victory.
A Time magazine poll earlier this month found that 56 percent of Americans said they approve of Bush's emphasis on moral values and religion. The same poll found 53 percent approve of the job Bush is doing.
Tim Lambert of Lubbock, president of the Texas Home School Coalition and a prominent social conservative, said those who feel alarm over the religious elements of Bush's leadership are out of touch with mainstream America.
"I think people inside the Beltway don't understand us out here in flyover country," Lambert said. "This isn't something new or dramatically different. This is the way we live."
julie.mason@chron.com
Peggy Noonan is hardly anti-Christian. Good grief.
Good point. But she was feeding the anti-christians. Appeasing them? What exactly?
Ok so she is just a backstabber then, who can't stand church music? What is she?
"Just as democrats distance themselves from the extreme left, republicans will distance themselves from the extreme truth. But the extreme truth MUST be unleashed"
When the going gets tough (and it will even more so), the TOUGH get going, they RISE to the occasion. We will have to NOT be surprised when we find that some we thought where up for the task are not. It always is that way, when push comes to shove, you find what people are made of.
So she's maybe a so-so maybe Christian tolerant, but she doesn't want God mentioned three times, and she hates church music. ?
"...democrats distance themselves from the extreme left, republicans will distance themselves from the extreme truth..."
Urg. You got me looking closely at that. I should write, "many republicans". Didn't mean to alianate republicans in general.
I have heard a few versions of why she did not go to the luncheon but this is a new one. Where did the author get this information?
I am puzzled..Peggy just blew it and I don't have a clue why.
She is a believer and has written about her faith..All one has to do is read a few inaugural addresses to see Bush did NOT use "way too much God"...Something upset her sometime between her first reaction and her column..A puzzle.
Nobody is perfect..even Peggy.
Ping.
At the beginning of your post you indicate you are looking for input from Freepers on a draft article. but from the tone of your responses to posters what you were really looking for was affirmation.
I always desire affirmation, of course. I will debate my points vigorously, if I see a need.
How do you know it was in an attempt to not offend anti-Christians?
"...democrats distance themselves from the extreme left, republicans will distance themselves from the extreme truth..."
I hope and pray that it will not be MANY distancing themselves from the truth....
I hope it will be a few who may get cold feet as to the task ahead and that they will find courage and confidence and return to the task at hand boldly and ready for battle, stronger than before.
What I mean to say is, there is always a desire affirmation in my heart, although in my mind, I've decided to risk what other writers generally avoid. It's painful, but I'm trying it out anyway, because I know I'm far from perfect.
At this point, unless it becomes a trend, I am thinking that Noonan was just in a bad mood and this is what came out. Her track record is pretty good, albeit she does have her tendency to dreamy-eyed moonbeam prose. I'm irritated at what to me looks like a very petulant article, but overall it seems like we should cut her some slack on this one and watch that it does not represent the start of a conversion to the dark side. We all step in it once in awhile.
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