George W. Bush is an improbable theocrat. He seldom attends church.
If, as Kevin’s book suggests, the Republicans are leading us towards theocracy, is the current Republican President of the United States a believable theocrat?
There is little doubt that President Bush considers conservative Christians an important source of electoral support. There is also little doubt that the President enjoys invoking God. His speech-writers introduce Christian imagery into his rhetoric with some regularity, and the President delivers it with at least a semblance of enthusiasm.
But this would-be theocrat may have feet of clay. George W. Bush seldom attends church. And on those Sundays when he does, it is the non-evangelical, highly inclusive Episcopal church of his father, not a Washington branch of the United Methodist Church that Laura led him to when he was seeking support to overcome his alcoholism in Midland, Texas.
Bush 43 may qualify as a theocratic fellow-traveler, or even a “witting agent of theocracy”, but there is good reason to doubt that he would ever be a serious theocrat in his own right.
As Amy Sullivan, herself a United Methodist, enjoys reminding the Washington establishment, “What most--including many of the president's fiercest supporters--don' t know, however, is that Bush doesn't go to church. Sure, when he weekends at Camp David, Bush spends Sunday morning with the compound's chaplain. And, every so often, he drops in on the little Episcopal church across Lafayette Park from the White House. But the President who has staked much of his domestic agenda on the argument that religious communities hold the key to solving social problems doesn't belong to a congregation.”
The danger of George W. Bush being a theocrat was never really the issue. No one suspects him of being religious; even Don Evans, who reportedly helped Bush learn biblical teachings would probably chuckle at the thought. The "theocracy" that Phillips outlines is much bigger that Bush; and more dangerous.
Here's a perfect example: Despite federal court cases ruling that teaching to the "balanced theory" of creationism in classes violates the Constitution, the state of Arkansas is prohibiting use of even the WORD "evolution" in its classrooms. Teachers are intimidated and coerced into violating the law in Arkansas, and refraining from teaching evolutionary science in the state, despite the fact that evolutionary science is part of the school curriculum set up by the state. Teachers and school administrators are intimidated by fundamentalist parents.
Read this article (lengthy, but fascinating and astonishing) and remember that Reagan and Bush have unleashed a "pandora's box" of rippling effects which are still unfolding today with more alarming and appalling effects:
The missing linkScientist discovers that evolution is missing from Arkansas classrooms.Jason R. Wiles
Updated: 3/23/2006
"She knew quite well that the “balanced treatment” being taught had been found by a federal court to violate the Constitution’s establishment clause — perhaps there is no greater irony than that two of the most significant cases decided by federal courts against teaching creationism were Epperson v. Arkansas and McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education."
http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=e7a0f0e1-ecfd-4fc8-bca4-b9997c912a91
March 24, 2006 6:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
But the President who has staked much of his domestic agenda on the argument that religious communities hold the key to solving social problems doesn't belong to a congregation
Like all the Bushes before him, GW belongs to the congregation of capitalists worshiping the almighty buck. In god we trust . . . .
March 24, 2006 6:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
J. McCutchen "JmacSF"
San Francisco. CA
Holy Mary Mother of God! Do that in the Diocese of California and we'll fire up the auto-da-fe!
"Open communion" here and thank God most of the rest of the Episcopal church means that all baptized Christians are invited to communion, some adding "and who percieve real presence"). Tthere being no passports, papers or indelible marks, practically speaking a distinction without a practical difference, I guess.
Bet St. Paul's K St doesn't invite all to the wine tasting and thank God for that!
March 25, 2006 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
J. McCutchen "JmacSF"
San Francisco. CA
Keeping the Faith, St. Paul's Parish, BushVille:
March 25, 2006 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
J. McCutchen "JmacSF"
San Francisco. CA
Takes bike rides. Goes to prayer breakfasts. Works out. . My excuses run to "too much Saturday night, NFL early game, forgot the time..."
I'd say we're lookin at one helluva hypocrite
March 25, 2006 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink