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Avid faith may hamper presidential decisionmaking
The Deseret News ^ | 2/16/2003 | Paul R. Henggeler

Posted on 02/16/2003 5:28:44 PM PST by Utah Girl

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To: anniegetyourgun
"cosmic bellhop"

ROTFLOL - love that statement!
41 posted on 02/16/2003 6:33:31 PM PST by CyberAnt ( Yo! Syracuse)
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To: xzins
But sociological studies on the nature of professional conduct in organizational settings suggest that leaders who rely on religious templates when making decisions are less likely to make good decisions than those who consult experienced authority.

*snort* Experienced authority? Like Dick Morris perhaps? hahahahaha

42 posted on 02/16/2003 6:34:26 PM PST by Jen (Liberalism makes you stupid and ugly)
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To: Utah Girl
From The Deseret News (?!?!): "Whatever faith's actual influence on policymaking may be, however, it offers no guarantee for effective decisions. Indeed, history suggests that strict religious doctrine can lead to black-and-white reasoning, especially during war."

Why the heck is The Deseret News running this?

Oh, wait, they're just reprinting something from Newsday/Los Angeles Times/Washington Times...

Never mind.

43 posted on 02/16/2003 6:44:31 PM PST by Victoria_R (Thought someone at the Deseret News was actually THINKING for themselves...)
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To: Ole Okie
And I think by the end of Clintons term, his Bible was up to 75-100 lbs.
44 posted on 02/16/2003 6:49:44 PM PST by smith288 (Fromage mangeant des singes d'abdication)
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: xzins; Utah Girl
There was an article yesterday in the Dallas Morning News entitled "Bush's faith rhetoric grows more explicit". The byline says, "Critics say his remarks could offend nonbelievers and pose greater risks as nation considers war."

I praise God that we have a President who unashamedly professes faith in God, quotes scripture in his speeches and admits he prays. However, because of this, he needs to be uplifted in prayer each and every day.

Among other things, the DMN article says, "The sincerity of the president's religious commitment seems beyond doubt. He is a churchgoing Methodist who said he has not drunk alcohol since 1986, when he recommitted himself to Jesus Christ. In 1999, when asked in a campaign debate what political philosopher he most identified with, Mr. Bush named Jesus, "because he changed my heart. At the same time, Mr. Bush's stepped-up efforts to express his faith coincide with a White House drive to court religious conservatives in advance of the president's 2004 re-election campaign."

I work at my church and during our staff meeting on Mondays, we spend time praying for our President. We also have a staff prayer time on Thursday mornings, and we specifically spend time praying for our President. We pray for God's guidance and direction in the literal life-and-death decisions President Bush is having to make as well as strength and courage for him as his faith is coming under attack.

46 posted on 02/16/2003 6:52:07 PM PST by computerjunkie
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To: Utah Girl
The article really doesn't say much of anything at all. It is basicially an organizational mess, reflecting probably the mess of the mind that tapped it out during his coffee break.
47 posted on 02/16/2003 6:53:52 PM PST by Torie
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To: computerjunkie
Pray for President Bush - Day 879
48 posted on 02/16/2003 6:59:51 PM PST by kayak (God bless President Bush, God bless our military, and God bless America!)
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To: olliemb
So Clinton benefitted from Reagan and now Bush is taking the brunt of Clinton's policies.

My point precisely. Let's wait and see about how well Bush's policies play out a few years down the line before we canonize him.

49 posted on 02/16/2003 7:04:40 PM PST by RonF
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To: Utah Girl
Less "spiritual" advisers could, become marginalized, their input lost in a moralistic haze.

Yes, and I "could" sprout wings and fly, but right now, there is no evidence that it will happen.

However noble the gentle, non-combative temperament of Evangelicals may be, decisionmaking sometimes requires passionate disagreement.

Anyone who thinks that evangelical Christians are non-combative and incapable of passionate disagreement has obviously never been to a church budget meeting.

Lyndon Johnson's un-Christian-like deviousness helped persuade legislators to pass the most important civil rights bills since Reconstruction.

The Johnson administration's bills also led to the destruction of poorer families, many of whom were minorities. We still haven't overcome the negative effects of his policies. Enforcing civil right was the right thing to do, but a little wisdom leavened into his policy-making might have brought equal rights and the healthy families that would unite everyone.

But sociological studies on the nature of professional conduct in organizational settings suggest that leaders who rely on religious templates when making decisions are less likely to make good decisions than those who consult experienced authority.

Sociologists are unbiased judges of this idea? Try again.

In weighing the momentous options over Iraq, the best question asked might not be what would Jesus do, but what might our best presidents have advised? God will hopefully serve Bush well. But he might leave room for humility, the lessons of history and his often heralded instincts, street-smarts and common sense.

The evidence that Bush lacks humility is? I've been out of church for many years, but I'm experienced with relgious conservatives. I've yet to see any evidence that President Bush lacks the humility needed to realize that God isn't speaking to him from a burning bush in the Rose Garden. I could understand having this concern about some people I've met, but this guy doesn't seem to be watching the same George W. Bush that I've been watching for the past three or four years.

I'm with Utah Girl. This article is just trying to knock down a DNC talking points straw man. The whole thing is silly.

Texas Wasn't Kuwait
Bill

50 posted on 02/16/2003 7:23:02 PM PST by WFTR
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To: Corin Stormhands
Marilyn's drawers

Now was that a chest of drawers?

51 posted on 02/16/2003 7:23:31 PM PST by xzins (.Babylon - You've been weighed in the balance and been found wanting.)
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To: xzins
Thanks for the heads up!
52 posted on 02/16/2003 7:53:23 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: Utah Girl
bump
53 posted on 02/16/2003 7:56:54 PM PST by foreverfree
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To: Utah Girl
Well at least Bush is looking for guidance in all the right places and not under some skirt.
54 posted on 02/16/2003 8:04:27 PM PST by dalebert
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To: Utah Girl
Is it on the talking points from the DNC to question President Bush's wisdom in using faith related speech and quotes?

Fax machines never sleep.

55 posted on 02/16/2003 8:06:59 PM PST by dighton
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To: RonF
Carter is a "good" Baptist, by all accounts, and walks with Jesus. However, he was a terrible president. Neatly demonstrating that devout Christianity doesn't necessarily lead to being a good President. So Bush's devoutness (which I will not question) doesn't guarantee it either.

JMO but President Carter never seemed to like being president and wasn't a strong leader.

The idea of our president being a Christian is reassuring and doesn't frighten me.

First Mr. Bush was attacked for not being an "elected" president. That didn't work so the media tried to portray him as dumb. They underestimated him once again. Now they seem to be trying to brand him as a lunatic. With China now saber rattling I wonder what else can happen on his watch. I disagree with him on a few things but overall I am amazed at how well he has done. I feel that we need to keep praying and ask God for even more Christian leaders.

56 posted on 02/16/2003 8:08:24 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: Utah Girl
Some Christians are to be the peacemakers, while others are to be the warriors. Christianity is not an excuse for timidity nor a reason to accept treatment like a doormat.
57 posted on 02/16/2003 8:13:21 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave)
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To: Utah Girl
I weighing the momentous options over Iraq, the best question asked might not be what would Jesus do, but what might our best presidents have advised? God will hopefully serve Bush well. But he might leave room for humility, the lessons of history and his often heralded instincts, street-smarts and common sense.

It'd be difficult to find a more deliciously ironic and hubristic statement than this. Mr. Henggeler, for one, might consider whether there's any room for humility in his own bloated self-assessment.

58 posted on 02/16/2003 8:15:14 PM PST by r9etb
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
Carter may be a good Baptist, but he is not a good Christian. We are told to test the fruit and Carter's fruit bears a continuous undermining and selling out of this country.

He is like the "wolf in sheeps clothing".

Didn't Billy Graham say that Bill Clinton would make a great preacher.

59 posted on 02/16/2003 8:17:54 PM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: CindyDawg
The concept of the President being a Christian doesn't frighten me, either. As far as I can tell, every President we've had has been a Christian of one sort or another. What does frighten me is when people presume that someone's being a publicly professing Christian means that they're likely to be a good leader. The case of Jimmy Carter seems to show that this is invalid.
60 posted on 02/16/2003 8:19:23 PM PST by RonF
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