George Bush's Theology: Does President Believe He Has Divine Mandate?

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life ^ | February 12, 2003 | Deborah Caldwell

[Siobhan]

Someone explain to me why Catholicguy has been banned.

He is a conservative and his views were consistent with just war theory.

Is it his style that got him banned? Or are we forbidden to take issue with President Bush over the war plans involving Iraq and other nations?

I do not understand this banning at all, especially when other Freepers are allowed to roam the threads with endless anti-Catholic invective.

[ultima ratio]

I am glad he is gone. His thinking was playful, but shallow, and he brought a level of vitriol to his posts that were unacceptable--such as calling traditionalists like myself "sons of Satan" and worse. I am surprised he got away with what he did for so long--it was so clearly over the line.

I also never considered him a true conservative and his posts on Bush certainly prove this. No real conservative would have failed to have noted how eight years of Clinton have brought us to this sorry impasse, forcing Bush to deal with problems Buba was too inept or too corrupt to deal with.

[B Knotts]

Apparently, any deviation from the approved doctrine is now a bannable offense. Too bad; we used to have some good debate around here.

FWIW, I don't agree with his view of Pres. Bush, but I don't think someone should be banned for holding that view.

[attagirl]

I agree with what you said re CG.

I am really against this war as well. I don't think it fits the bill as a "just" war, and, what's more, Bush's not closing the borders and expelling illegals tells me WE AREN'T IN IT TO WIN! (Just like Viet Nam)

Bush needs to be careful invoking God as he has. A country that sees abortion as a "civil right" has no claim to its essential goodness. We are warned against tempting God. And every day we are slipping more and more into godlessness--no, paganism.

After this last State of the Union address how can anyone call Bush a conservative? With one hand he called for tax cuts and with 10 others he called for spending increases. BTW, did you know that if Medicare picks up the tab for meds, that will include Viagra?

This man is a one-termer, and we are on the road to destruction.

We voted him in as the anti-Clinton, and in many ways he has turned out to be one and the same policy-wise.

[american colleen]

Catholicguy: you shouldnta got banned. At first I didn't agree with you regarding this thread, but since it was you saying what you said, I gave it it some serious consideration and I am now more tempered in my war thoughts.

You know your style cannot be imitated! You are an original and although at first I thought you were bombastic and loud, after a while I realized you just like to push buttons when people got too full of themselves. You also have a great sense of humor and you made me laugh a lot. I'll miss that and you. God Bless.

Ultima, your post sounds like the post of a spoiled kid AND sour grapes. Lighten up.

[american colleen]

While I don't think I disagree with a lot/some of your post, we ALMOST GOT GORE!!!

[saradippity]

I'm with you,I was so glad he was back with his unique views,plethora of facts,sweeping world view and incredible vocabulary,and sorry he got banned. I hope he manages to get back on. It's posters like CG that have made this site so invaluable to men of good will with bright minds.

I hope those who are so satisfied with our activity in Afghanastan,note that many who live there are not that happy with the return of the Northern Alliance. There are those that think the pederasts with their "boy toys" back on the streets,the reopening of the drug routes and the "oil" question diminish the glow of the "democracy" we wish to bring them after we liberate them from the evil "Taliban".

While I agree with CG's post #3 for the larger part,I disagree with CG's characterization of George W Bush, I think too many people equate smart with glib. He is not glib,he is not articulate but I believe he is smart and sincere. I also believe he is misguided,as are so many people these days;there are so many lies and so little trust,we have created and live in a "culture of death",and so many are too dead to notice.

[ultima ratio]

Oh, I'm feeling bright and cheery, believe me. As for Catholicguy's political views, I'm glad he got a chance to express them before he was given the boot. It showed better than anything else exactly where he was coming from--from way out in left field. No wonder he loved the Novus Ordo and its scandalous apparatus.

[St.Chuck]

I immediately regret drawing your attention to this matter. Of all people, I would have thought that you would have appreciated the oppurtunity CG afforded you to voice your opinions. Who will pay you any attention now?

I am not surprised that you are a Bush-bot, and blame bubba for everything type. That is fitting with your other allegiences.

[St.Chuck]

Maybe you'd like to ask the women of Afghanistan if they'd rather go back to wearing burkas and being beaten by their "men."

Please. War for fashion change is a specious arguement

[Polycarp]

CatholicGuy was banned because he too is an outspoken, conservative, and thoughful Catholic, just as I too was banned in the past.

This Forum as well as certain of its moderators (and possibly Jim Robinson himself?) have an unapologetic anti-Catholic bigoted bias.

CatholicGuy's banning is further proof of the same.

They will tolerate any sort of anti-Catholic bigotry, leave the most vile anti-Catholic reports in the News forum/Breaking News sections, and banish anything in which Catholicism is seen in a positive light to the Religion Forum ghetto, but they draw the line when us Papists get uppity.

There's a reason this Forum has such a bigoted anti-Catholic bias:

Jim Robinson permits it at best, and at worst actively fosters it by letting certain of his bigoted moderators get away with their anti-Catholic censorship.

I have consistently contributed to this Forum since I joined up, and I have consistently encouraged my Catholic peers here to do likewise.

I cannot however in good conscience continue to support, or encourage others to support, an organization with such an openly enforced bigoted anti-Catholic bias.

Jim Robinson, you should be ashamed of yourself for allowing this bigoted anti-Catholic censorship on your Forum. You're a good guy. You should know better. You should do better. Reign in your bigoted anti-Catholic moderators.

If they are simply doing your will in carrying out an active anti-Catholic bias and censorship, then just say so.

[Desdemona]

CG probably got banned because he didn't know when to quit. He also didn't use logic, but that's neither here nor there.

I'll say this, there is a difference between being gung-ho for war and recognizing a job needs to be done. I'm one of those people. It needs to be done, IMO. I am very much afraid that once it starts, we are going to end up with another world war. This is a last resort. At some point, enough is enough. We could go on the way things are going now forever. Look what the same sort of tactic did to Cuba. Sometime it has to end. And frankly the way Hussein is leading the rest of the world around by the nose is embarassing.

As for George Bush: the man has been a fighter pilot, an honor reserved only for the best of the best and the brightest, even in the National Guard; he holds an MBA; he ran a MAjor League Baseball team and turned it into a money-maker; he ran a fortune-500 company and the state of Texas, quite well, as a matter of fact. Stupid he is not. He's not a great speaker, but who cares. He gets the job done.

This, regardless what anyone thinks, is not about oil. If it was, the best solution would be to drill our own. We have plenty. It's the response to an agressive dictator who has no regard for human life and is using religion like a Crusade, with absolutely no good intentions. There have been men like this in the past, same signs, and we did nothing and ended up still cleaning up a big mess.

So, having been attacked, not once, but multiple times, can someone in clear, concise terms explain to me how neutralizing a dangerous dictator violates the Just War Doctrine?

[Polycarp]

He is a conservative and his views were consistent with just war theory.

Pope John Paul II is opposed to this war.

If he was a FReeper and outlined his objections to Bush's plans here, Jim Robinson would ban him too.

[RobbyS]

Take a look at the map.

[Desdemona]

Most of the world is anti-Catholic. Get used to it.

I've never seen Catholics complain more about it than I have here.

[drstevej]

Catholicguy signed up 2001-04-01.
This account has been banned.

[RobbyS]

I am opposed to this war to, but the ruler of this state is provoking it simply to stay in power, and he has shown he will do so at all costs. The question are: should be be allowed to hold this strategic place at this particular time; does he have weapons of such force imcommensurate with his defence needs? To me the most telling fact is that he kicked out the inspectors in 1998, when THEY were the most effective cover he could have had. WHY did he do this, except that he saw that the Clinton administration was a paper tiger and distracted by the Balkans situation.

[Polycarp]

Or are we forbidden to take issue with President Bush over the war plans involving Iraq and other nations?

Yes, we are forbidden. Especially if we're uppity Papists.

Mark my words: Bush engaging this war, wrapped in the mantle of the Christian nation with a mandate from God will be the destruction of this country.

There is no place in scriptural prophecy for America. It will either be annihilated or relegated to third world insignificance before the End Times. It has no role to play in the end.

This war will be the beginning of the transformation of America into third world insignificance.

And Bush's belief in his Divine Mandate, while running a country that is the greatest disseminator of the culture of death on the globe, will be the final sacrilege that leads to our destruction.

Frankly, let Bush go to it.

This country deserves its chastisement.

And it is coming.

And this Forum has fallen into irrelevancy by their censorship. The Catholic Caucus would do well in disengaging from it.