George W Bush

I like to think. I try to make a semi-regular habit of it. There are lots of things that spark thoughts in my brain or heart: books, CNN, magazines, music videos, billboards, TV preachers, conversations, conflict, my kids, my wife, Bono, world events, meetings and lots of other stuff. There are many times when I’m thinking that I say to myself, “Man, I would love to share this with my people”, or “I wonder what the folks at Cornerstone would think of this”. That’s the reason for this blog: an outlet for my over-stimulated brain and a possible encouragement / conversation point for you the reader. Blogs are safe places. They lay no claim to truth and are certainly not absolute. I reserve the right to disagree with anything I write in here. These are thoughts in progress as are your thoughts and reactions to these thoughts.

Now, I’m not presumptuous enough to think that anyone will actually read this, or even care about what it is that my over-active brain is coming up with, but if you’re that kind of person then welcome. I have a feeling this may mirror the organized confusion of “Being John Malkovich” or “A Beautiful Mind” more than the ordered beauty of “The King And I” or “Hero”, but so be it. Speaking of thinking, I’m not sure that much of America is doing it politically – thinking, I mean. I’m sure that George Bush isn’t doing it, at least not any more than those around him are telling him what to think. I don’t want to get going on the motivations or “thoughts” that led us to a pre-emptive invasion of one of the most lucrative oil fields in the world or any of the Haliburton contracts that may be signed in the coming decade because of our presence there. I do want to confront what I believe to be a goal that is completely off the chart logically.
The goal of converting an Islamic state to a full-fledged, American democracy is akin to trying to get George Bush to speak without a Texas drawl – it’s simply a part of who he is and you could no more take the accent out of him than you could take the stink out of poo. This invasion and the resulting occupation reminds me of the way that we moved west in the latter half of the 1800’s, forcing the Native Americans who actually belonged there to change. I don’t see how this can’t kill Iraq, obviously not literally, but kill their culture. Islam is who they are. I believe that democracy will ultimately fail in any Islamic state because government is not the primary concern – religion is. In Islam, government is an extension of religious beliefs.

I am very much in favor of the removal of Saddam Hussein – his actions were truly evil. That could have been done without invasion. I am very much in favor of liberating women from the oppressive nature of Middle Eastern Muslim tradition. That could also be done without invasion. I am very much in favor of allowing cultures other than America to exist autonomously and I am very tired of the United States presuming that its job is to police the rest of the world. Stand for justice and free the oppressed – yes (not necessarily requiring military action). Force American culture, including governance, on other cultures – no. I am also tired of Christians jumping on a governmental bandwagon for what I view as two reasons:
1. George Bush says he is a Christian and claims to pray every morning
therefore his policy is righteous. Follow or be accused of being non-
patriotic and/or non-Jesus.
2. The assumption that America’s policies are God’s policies.
Allow me to speak to each of these:
1. I don’t know George Bush any more than I know DMX who also claims
to be a Christian. I appreciate the president’s stance against abortion. I
appreciate the president’s support of faith-based assistance agencies. I
appreciate the fact that he goes to church. I do not believe that a
relationship with Jesus, if he has one (I don’t know him any more than
you do) enables one to arrive at a supernatural ability to make good
foreign policy. As far as I can tell, that’s not a spiritual gift.
I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m not a huge patriot. I’ll sing the national
anthem at ball games, and I pray hard for the safety and return of our
troops who are in military engagement at this time. But I won’t say the
pledge of allegiance. It has nothing to do with not loving America,
because I do and I deeply appreciate the lives that were laid down to
preserve the unity of this nation and defend its freedom. I love living
here and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. My brother is a Marine
and I’m intensely proud of him and his work. Had I been alive at the
time of the Civil War or World War I or II (the only three “just” wars that I
see in our history), I would have fought proudly. I do not see those
values at work in this war. My allegiance is not to America or its
government. My allegiance is to God and His kingdom. If America falls
tomorrow to communist China and I have to learn Mandarin and eat
with chopsticks, I will still be a son of God who wars for His eternal
Kingdom. I do not belong here and my true citizenship, according to
Ephesians 2, is in heaven. I will not stake my claim here with any
government or governmental leader. I will submit and obey because
Jesus tells me to and that furthers His Kingdom – that’s really all I care
about – seeing God’s Kingdom explode here on earth.
2. America has never been God’s chosen nation. Israel is. We are not
Israel reborn in the Western hemisphere. I don’t know why God has
blessed this nation so abundantly. Perhaps it is because of the faith of
the founding fathers. Maybe it’s because of taking a stand for freedom
of religion. Perhaps God has special affinity for the Rockies. I do know
this: we had better repent and we had better do it soon. Somewhere
around one million babies a year are being aborted here. Pornography
is ludicrously rampant. Television drips of contempt for the holiness of
God. Injustice against children via domestic abuse, sexual abuse and
fear-mongering is all the rage on the evening news. As a nation who
still claims to be “one under God” we ought to be ashamed of ourselves.
God bless America? I don’t think so. How about: God break America.
Only in humility, prayer and the seeking of God’s face will we find who
we were ever intended to be. I fear that it is too late. One of these
days we are going to pick a fight that we can’t win, maybe a fight with
that guy described in Revelation 1, and maybe at that point we will see
this truth, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

If Iraq is so important, what about the genocide in Sudan? What about the brutality to innocents present in the Congo? Why is the number one historical persecutor of Christians, the country of China, receiving the title of “Most Favored Trading Nation”? Where are Bush’s convictions in those situations? These things frustrate me. I fall back on one prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”