Episcopalian leader lashes out at Bush for 'reprehensible' policy (the world right to loathe us)

WASHINGTON -- The top bishop of the Episcopal Church, in a stinging rebuke of American foreign policy, said the United States is rightly "hated and loathed" around the world for its "reprehensible" rhetoric and blind eye toward poverty and suffering.

"I'd like to be able to go somewhere in the world and not have to apologize for being from the United States," Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold 3rd said Friday in an interview with Religion News Service.

Griswold, head of the 2.3million-member church, blasted the Bush administration for its wartime rhetoric, especially labeling Iran, Iraq and North Korea an "axis of evil."

"Quite apart from the bombs we drop, words are weapons and we have used our language so unwisely, so intemperately, so thoughtlessly ... that I'm not surprised we are hated and loathed everywhere I go," he said.

The increasing likelihood of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq also drew strong criticism yesterday from Pope John Paul II, who argued that military force should be used only as "the very last option" -- and then only under certain conditions.

Amid a buildup of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, John Paul urged political leaders to step up their diplomatic efforts to avoid war, which he said would only harm ordinary Iraqis "already sorely tried" by 12 years of U.N. sanctions.

"War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity," the pope told Vatican-based diplomats in his annual speech on issues of concern to the Roman Catholic Church.

"As the charter of the United Nations organization and international law itself remind us, war cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations."

It was the pope's strongest message yet in opposition to war, and it was the first time since the crisis erupted that he has publicly mentioned Iraq by name.

Griswold has spoken early and often against war with Iraq, arguing, along many other religious leaders, that a pre-emptive strike against Saddam Hussein fails to meet the necessary criteria for a just war.

Griswold conceded that religious opposition to the war has failed to resonate at the White House, especially "if indeed everyone is praying and invoking God here and there as they struggle to make these decisions."

He said Bush is "inviting" trouble from the other points on the "axis of evil" -- Iran and North Korea -- with his bellicose rhetoric, although Griswold said the president is "hardly dealing with paragons of virtue" in either case.

Bush has consulted with religious leaders, including Griswold, throughout his term but generally has enjoyed cozier relations with evangelical Protestants, who tend to be more supportive of the president's domestic and foreign policy.

White House spokeswoman Mercy Viana said the president is committed to humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and North Korea and working with the United Nations to disarm Iraq.

"Our national security depends on success in the war on terrorism, which includes military, judicial, diplomatic, financial and humanitarian actions, both at home and abroad," she said. "Our goal is to protect the American people and shape a future of peace."

While he has tried to avoid "shouting and screaming," the 65-year-old prelate has stepped up his verbal tempo in pointed rebukes of how the United States treats the rest of the world, particularly with its money.

Speaking Sunday at the Washington National Cathedral to mark his fifth anniversary as presiding bishop, Griswold said American reluctance to spend more on AIDS in Africa is "a manifestation of evil" and a "form of sin from which we as a nation are called to repent."

Griswold said the AIDS pandemic poses a far graver security threat to the United States by spawning a generation of orphans who live in abject poverty in fragile African democracies.

"We are loathed, and I think the world has every right to loathe us, because they see us as greedy, self-interested and almost totally unconcerned about poverty, disease and suffering," he said.

In a follow-up conversation, Griswold softened his criticisms, putting them in more nuanced terms. He said the "last thing" he wants to do is demonize either the president or the larger government.

"My sense is that we have been so abundantly blessed as a nation that it's all the more incumbent upon us that we share those blessing with others," he said. "God's concern is for the world and not simply for a nation. ... Too often we narrow down faith to serve our own immediate concerns and national interests."

In many ways, Griswold reserved his strongest condemnations for what he sees as a disconnect between the country's God-talk and the values of the Christian gospel, which emphasize care for the poor, the downtrodden and the hungry.

"If these are God's values and we claim to be a nation under God, then we better take them seriously, or we better take the words away and say it's a joke, or it's a piece of decoration."

Diane Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a conservative think tank that monitors the mainline churches, called Griswold's remarks "extremist" and unhelpful.

"I can go places and talk to people who do not admire the United States, but I also go places where it's clear that people admire us," Knippers said. "We are still the nation where people are constantly knocking at the door to get in."

I'm not sure you're 100% correct on the one about children of leftist parents. I think during the 1960's a lot of good kids from wealthy parents and even pubbies got caught up in the "moment." I remember that time pretty well, bringing up my kids then. It wasn't a great time in our history! And it's gotten worse now that these peaceniks are in high office.

You are probably right, I should have said that a lot of the main agitators were the kids of leftist parents, which I believe is fairly well documented. The fact that leftist dogma is so mainstream these days kind of supports your point that others have been taken in, I guess.

I was in college in those days, considered myself to be a liberal. I knew that leftist doctrine was wrong, just hadn't thought everything through. The Clintons were the wake up call that finally got my brain working.

It would be interesting to know whether (bishop) Griswold, and also Eric Yoffie, the very leftist chief rabbi of Reform Judaism, were the children of leftists, or were "caught up in the moment" and stayed caught. I tried to research this for Eric Yoffie, but found little info on his personal history.

Yoffie has mentioned having been a "rebellious," or something like that, college student.

We must be around the same age, then. Old enough to remember when times were a whole lot saner. I wish all liberals would really take a close look at what they truly believe. All of them can't be bad but oh, that mindset.

Well, I am 54, yes, you'd think that if alot of people that call themselves "liberals" would think things through, they'd see the truth.

For instance, my art teacher calls herself a libertarian, but loves the Clintons and all the other authoritarian leftists. Hasn't thought it through.

You're 10 years younger than I am. I got in at the beginning of the hippy madness. I was even in the beatnik madness (not a part of it but an observer). The 40's and 50's were a great time to be alive and growing up in America. We've lost those values, unfortunately. Now being a Christian is spat upon; then it was something to cherish.

Liberals don't think--they feel. It's all emotional with them. Remember the adage, "If it feels good, do it?" I think it originated with them. They have emotion but no devotion and that leads to commotion (another line I stole from someone). Love, Mary

I would like to go somewhere in the world where I don't have to apologize for being an Episcopalian.

Biggest difference between Episcopalians and Methodists is that Episcopalians wave to each other in the liquor store.

Well, I always called myself a Whiskypalian...Now it is much better then claiming to be a true Episcopalian.
Having grown up in that church, going to church camps as a youth, being senior Warden at the oldest church in west Tennessee, and having been quite enthralled, I no longer set foot in the church...They lost me 5 years ago.

I guess the character, Kookie, on, was it, "77, Sunset Strip," represented the end of the beatnik era. We used to like the show as kids.

Yes, it is certainly out of vogue to be a Christian in politically correct circles these days. The "counter culture" of the 60's is the so called "establishment" these days in many segments of Western society.

It's scary, isn't it, to have them be the establishment and even the former president of this country! That sure was a wake up call for me. We need to fervently pray that others of their ilk don't get into the White House.

I've been an Episcopalian all my life, but I'm seriously reconsidering. I've E-mailed a copy to my pastor, expressing serious doubts about remaining an Episcopalian.

I've like being a member of a church, though, and I do like my church.

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