Sunday, January 15, 2006
Christians, I doubt it
Dear All,
Reminder: I am a Conservative, Independant, Swing voter, Humanist and Catholic. I am not a Republican, a Democrat or a Fundamentalist Catholic.
dubya wants to privatize many/most tasks now done by our federal government. He, the Republican Congress, the Republican Party, the Radical Religious Right Wing Fundamentalists and nearly all US corporations, which are owned by wealthy Republicans, have everything to gain by these events. These people want to protect their wealth and be even more wealthy and they don't much care how they do it or who suffers in the process. Of course those who suffer in the process are the average, everyday, ordinary citizens of America. These people claim to be christians but they really follow many false god's especially those of avarice, greed and power. Christ made it abundantly clear in his teachings, as revealed in the bible, what he thought of avarice and greed, and the scribes, pharisees, money lenders etc. etc.
In modern times, our best presidents have been, in chronological order, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Clinton. Carter and Clinton were the most intelligent, while Kennedy and Clinton were the most charismatic. Lyndon Johnson, with all the laws he enacted, truly created a better society. Johnson and Carter did more for the average, everyday, ordinary Americans and their families and children than any presidents in the history of America. Bush just 'takes away' from the average, everyday, ordinary American citizen.
America's worst presidents were/are Nixon and George Bush. The damage done to our psyches, by Nixon, will not be erased until those of us who experienced it first hand are dead. The tragedy of Nixon will go on forever in the history of America and will be revisited far into the future by many historians. President Jimmy Carter, with his personal dignity and his moral values did much to lessen the terrible impact that Nixon had on all Americans. Now, Bush is doing the same things all over again and to a far worse extent.
Pres. Carter is an evangelical but not an evangelical fundamentalist. He did not evangelize his beliefs in ways that hurt or diminished others in America. Mr. Carter did not force his beliefs on others, he led by example not by bludgeoning other citizens over the head with his beliefs. Mr. and Mrs. Carter to this very day follow their path to God in a quiet, dignified and reserved way. They do good deeds and do them with humility, love, respect and charity toward all of God's children. When I think of Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter I see that their path to God is one that enhances the lives of all human beings.
Bush, in contrast, claims to be 'The Christ', chosen by God and sent on missions by God. He uses his office as president to control the lives and destiny of others. dubya forces his beliefs down the throats of all Americans even though most of us do not want, support or believe in the things that he does. He, The Republicans, Alito and the Catholic driven Supreme Court are about to change our lives in ways that we did not elect them to do. This small number of men and the small number of Americans who voted for them are responsible for that which has befallen and is about to befall all Americans. I do not see anything good coming from all of this. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church will not refuse Alito the Blessed Sacraments nor will they threaten to excommunicate him as they have done with other politicians in America. Remember dear reader that I am a Catholic but not a radical right wing fundamentalist Catholic. I did not support Pope John Paul II aligning the Catholic Church with Reagan and the Republicans and I do not support the continuing alighnment of The Church, by the current pope, with Bush and the Republicans. I believe it is dangerous for America and for The Church.
George Bush is without a doubt the worst president in American history to date. I pray to God that the citizens of America and the citizens of the world never have to experience another president like Bush. I believe that the damage he has done and is doing to America will not be undone for 40 years or more and only if there is not another president like him. America may never recover from the damage to our democracy or to our collective psyches. Bush has damaged the collective psyches of every citizen in the world. George is without a doubt our most immoral and unpatriotic president. He cares not for America, it's democracy or it's average, everyday, ordinary citizens. He and the Republicans care only for themselves. They follow the false gods of greed and power.
President Carter was/is a very intelligent, very moral, and very patriotic president. He is, in my estimation, the most moral of all American presidents. He is the benchmark by which all American presidents can be compared and judged as to their moral standards and their patriotism. Where will America ever find another president who is truly moral and will adhere to those moral standards without hurting others. I believe he who is truly moral helps others by all that he does. Enhancing the lives of others gives praise and prayer to God.
We are all God's children, created in his image and likeness, and deserving of love, respect, charity and fairness. Adherence to these attributes, I believe, are among the tasks God has set before us during our earthly existence. Furthermore, I believe we must do these things every day and with humility, kindness, respect for all and with no loud bragging or excessive zealotry. There is an admonition in Islam to that effect.
Though I am a Catholic, I have been reading 'The Daily Muslim Wisdom" for the last five years. I knew nothing about Islam, but as a result of the first gulf war, I wanted to learn. I was amazed by what I read each day and within a brief period of time developed a great respect for the teachings embodied in Islam. I learned many things that added much to my own spirituality. Islam is a beautiful religion and very similar to my own religion, Catholicism. Because of President Jimmy Carter and my readings of Islam I have become a better and more spiritual person. I now have a far better understanding of what God requires of me. These understandings of how I should behave give me a sense of how we all should behave.
G.W. does not in any way behave as a true and humble christian should behave. He will have to answer for not only the damage he has caused to America and it's citizens but to all citizens of the world. I further believe that the religious fundamentalist zealots who support Bush will have much to answer for in the hereafter. Catholics who have aligned themselves with and support Bush really have to examine their beliefs and values. These Fundamentalist Catholics are just as guilty as Bush since they helped put him in office and continue to support all that he does. They should not support Bush instead they should protest all that he does.
I am not an evangelical christian except in this blog and in some 'letters to the editor' that I have written. I am most certainly not a 'fundamentalist' christian nor do I agree with their very over-bearing, very disrepectful and completely un-humble way of behaving. I am amazed by what these religious fundamentalists including the Catholics, say and do. As a Catholic I was not taught by the good Ursuline Sisters to be or think in fundamentalist ways. My aunt, a Dominican nun, never spoke or behaved in these fundamentalist ways. She lived her life in humility and prayer while treating others with diginity and respect. The members of our family are Catholics of Italian heritage. The Catholics on the Supreme Court including those of Italian descent would do well to adhere to the teachings of the true 'Christ', not to George Bush who is not the christ.
Bob t, Cleve, Ohio
Reminder: I am a Conservative, Independant, Swing voter, Humanist and Catholic. I am not a Republican, a Democrat or a Fundamentalist Catholic.
dubya wants to privatize many/most tasks now done by our federal government. He, the Republican Congress, the Republican Party, the Radical Religious Right Wing Fundamentalists and nearly all US corporations, which are owned by wealthy Republicans, have everything to gain by these events. These people want to protect their wealth and be even more wealthy and they don't much care how they do it or who suffers in the process. Of course those who suffer in the process are the average, everyday, ordinary citizens of America. These people claim to be christians but they really follow many false god's especially those of avarice, greed and power. Christ made it abundantly clear in his teachings, as revealed in the bible, what he thought of avarice and greed, and the scribes, pharisees, money lenders etc. etc.
In modern times, our best presidents have been, in chronological order, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Clinton. Carter and Clinton were the most intelligent, while Kennedy and Clinton were the most charismatic. Lyndon Johnson, with all the laws he enacted, truly created a better society. Johnson and Carter did more for the average, everyday, ordinary Americans and their families and children than any presidents in the history of America. Bush just 'takes away' from the average, everyday, ordinary American citizen.
America's worst presidents were/are Nixon and George Bush. The damage done to our psyches, by Nixon, will not be erased until those of us who experienced it first hand are dead. The tragedy of Nixon will go on forever in the history of America and will be revisited far into the future by many historians. President Jimmy Carter, with his personal dignity and his moral values did much to lessen the terrible impact that Nixon had on all Americans. Now, Bush is doing the same things all over again and to a far worse extent.
Pres. Carter is an evangelical but not an evangelical fundamentalist. He did not evangelize his beliefs in ways that hurt or diminished others in America. Mr. Carter did not force his beliefs on others, he led by example not by bludgeoning other citizens over the head with his beliefs. Mr. and Mrs. Carter to this very day follow their path to God in a quiet, dignified and reserved way. They do good deeds and do them with humility, love, respect and charity toward all of God's children. When I think of Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter I see that their path to God is one that enhances the lives of all human beings.
Bush, in contrast, claims to be 'The Christ', chosen by God and sent on missions by God. He uses his office as president to control the lives and destiny of others. dubya forces his beliefs down the throats of all Americans even though most of us do not want, support or believe in the things that he does. He, The Republicans, Alito and the Catholic driven Supreme Court are about to change our lives in ways that we did not elect them to do. This small number of men and the small number of Americans who voted for them are responsible for that which has befallen and is about to befall all Americans. I do not see anything good coming from all of this. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church will not refuse Alito the Blessed Sacraments nor will they threaten to excommunicate him as they have done with other politicians in America. Remember dear reader that I am a Catholic but not a radical right wing fundamentalist Catholic. I did not support Pope John Paul II aligning the Catholic Church with Reagan and the Republicans and I do not support the continuing alighnment of The Church, by the current pope, with Bush and the Republicans. I believe it is dangerous for America and for The Church.
George Bush is without a doubt the worst president in American history to date. I pray to God that the citizens of America and the citizens of the world never have to experience another president like Bush. I believe that the damage he has done and is doing to America will not be undone for 40 years or more and only if there is not another president like him. America may never recover from the damage to our democracy or to our collective psyches. Bush has damaged the collective psyches of every citizen in the world. George is without a doubt our most immoral and unpatriotic president. He cares not for America, it's democracy or it's average, everyday, ordinary citizens. He and the Republicans care only for themselves. They follow the false gods of greed and power.
President Carter was/is a very intelligent, very moral, and very patriotic president. He is, in my estimation, the most moral of all American presidents. He is the benchmark by which all American presidents can be compared and judged as to their moral standards and their patriotism. Where will America ever find another president who is truly moral and will adhere to those moral standards without hurting others. I believe he who is truly moral helps others by all that he does. Enhancing the lives of others gives praise and prayer to God.
We are all God's children, created in his image and likeness, and deserving of love, respect, charity and fairness. Adherence to these attributes, I believe, are among the tasks God has set before us during our earthly existence. Furthermore, I believe we must do these things every day and with humility, kindness, respect for all and with no loud bragging or excessive zealotry. There is an admonition in Islam to that effect.
Though I am a Catholic, I have been reading 'The Daily Muslim Wisdom" for the last five years. I knew nothing about Islam, but as a result of the first gulf war, I wanted to learn. I was amazed by what I read each day and within a brief period of time developed a great respect for the teachings embodied in Islam. I learned many things that added much to my own spirituality. Islam is a beautiful religion and very similar to my own religion, Catholicism. Because of President Jimmy Carter and my readings of Islam I have become a better and more spiritual person. I now have a far better understanding of what God requires of me. These understandings of how I should behave give me a sense of how we all should behave.
G.W. does not in any way behave as a true and humble christian should behave. He will have to answer for not only the damage he has caused to America and it's citizens but to all citizens of the world. I further believe that the religious fundamentalist zealots who support Bush will have much to answer for in the hereafter. Catholics who have aligned themselves with and support Bush really have to examine their beliefs and values. These Fundamentalist Catholics are just as guilty as Bush since they helped put him in office and continue to support all that he does. They should not support Bush instead they should protest all that he does.
I am not an evangelical christian except in this blog and in some 'letters to the editor' that I have written. I am most certainly not a 'fundamentalist' christian nor do I agree with their very over-bearing, very disrepectful and completely un-humble way of behaving. I am amazed by what these religious fundamentalists including the Catholics, say and do. As a Catholic I was not taught by the good Ursuline Sisters to be or think in fundamentalist ways. My aunt, a Dominican nun, never spoke or behaved in these fundamentalist ways. She lived her life in humility and prayer while treating others with diginity and respect. The members of our family are Catholics of Italian heritage. The Catholics on the Supreme Court including those of Italian descent would do well to adhere to the teachings of the true 'Christ', not to George Bush who is not the christ.
Bob t, Cleve, Ohio
# posted by t bob @ 2:32 PM 
