It's only Michael Lind. Acting up, again, as usual.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Posted on 12/08/2002 5:40:57 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
Following yesterday's message from President Bush honoring the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the President today hosted a "sunrise breakfast" for leading Japanese-Americans, the Japanese diplomatic community and a delegation of Shinto priests from Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which commemorates Japan's war dead.
In his remarks delivered before the breakfast, President Bush said, "I want to thank all of you for joining me on a day that means so much both to Americans and to Japanese. Our countries are and always have been good friends. Our cultures are very much alike. We both place great value on individual freedom and opportunity. We both value frankness and straightforward dealing. We have both always been peaceful countries, at home and abroad. And we both have great respect for other cultures and peoples.
"I want to thank the delegation from Yasukuni Shrine for coming so far to join us and to lead us in prayer before our meal. I know that Christianity and Shinto are very much alike. Both are religions of peace, just as Islam is a religion of peace. Shinto leads faithful Japanese to lead lives of honesty and integrity and compassion, as many Americans who were once guests of Japan can attest.
"In hosting this morning's breakfast, I send a message to all the dead warriors gathered at the Yasukuni shrine. America treasures your friendship. America honors your faith.
"We see in Shinto a religion that traces its origins back to rocks and trees. We share your belief in the Gods' inscrutable ways, and in your insistence on man's submission to his arbitrary fate. We thank the many Japanese, past and present, who stand with us against terror, against attacks delivered without warning, like those on September 11, 2001. That is truly a date which, to coin a phrase, will live in infamy.
"Today's breakfast sends a message to all Americans: our nation fought a war against a small number of misguided Japanese naval pilots, not against a religion, and not against a civilization. One of the deepest commitments of America is tolerance. No one should be treated unkindly because of the color of their skin or the content of their creed or their propensity to appear unexpectedly over other people's harbors. No one should be unfairly judged by appearance or ethnic background, or religious faith, or general sneakiness. We must uphold these values of progress and pluralism and tolerance.
"I thank you for coming to the White House this morning. Please join me after breakfast on the White House lawn, where we have arranged a special flyover of Japanese naval aircraft, so we can all see the rising sun at its most dramatic. Don't forget your coats; there's a little nip in the air this morning."
Following the flyover, the Japanese ambassador expressed his deep respect for America by presenting President Bush with the shorter of the two traditional Japanese swords. Both Japanese and Americans applauded the gesture loudly.
It's only Michael Lind. Acting up, again, as usual.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
LOL...except for that little war thing a while back....
Menno, the founder of the Mennonites, during his life sought to establish the Kingdom of God, as he understood it, by force. The original Mennonites were militaritic, and it was only after a defeat in a terrible seige by an alliance of Latin Christians loyal to Rome and several other protestant groups that the survivors of his movement adopted the now-familiar strict pacifism we associate with Mennonites.
I have the dreadful feeling that Islam will live up to the "religion of peace" propaganda only after it has been dealt a correspondingly severe defeat.
The following hymn expresses my thinking, and there are days when I think the President feels the same way.
A Mighty Fortress is Our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe!
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
No strength of ours can match his might!
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is He!
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.
Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat'ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow'r us,
Let this world's tyrant rage;
In battle we'll engage!
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
God's Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom's ours forever!
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