News: a compromising president?

Sorry to say this, but we knew when we were electing him that he was trying to be all things to all people.

That's how he got elected.

And yes, I voted for him. I wanted to make absolutely sure Gore did not get the position.

 

While in a position as leader over this country, you have to try to please all the people. He is not the leader of a Christian nation. We are a nation of multiple beliefs. We can't have the best without giving in to some compromise in this situation. If Bush were to stand only for the Baptist, or only born again believers, he wouldn't be in office. We should continue to support him, because there isn't much choice in this matter. That's why the tax payers party doesn't get anywhere. We have to face reality...the US is not a born again nation. We are a minority. But if we continue to get down on his trying to please other religious beliefs, we can count on another Clinton in office. This is one of the problems with freedom of choice of religions.

 

Ditto.

I too call on all liberal polititions and preachers to quit muddying the waters and just resign. Make room for some people with more brain power.

 

Amen! Well said.

And he wouldn't be a good president! You can show respect for other traditions even if you don't agree with them without being a bad witness - especially since Bush has been rather open with his beliefs.

That's certainly one of the reasons.

So true. But if we all share the gospel in word and deed, we may be able to change that.

Please don't talk that way!

I think that religious liberty is a certainly a good thing (I suspect you do too because of the context of your post) and I don't want to change it. But one day when the Lord returns we will have a theocracy.

 

Christianity is the only true religion. All others are false.

 

This may be true, but we are not in a Christian nation!

 

I agree with OliveBranch 100%

 

Very true. (I won't go into all that well-worn talk about Christianity not being a religion but a relationship. )

 

The fact that all citizens are not Christian is irrelevant. Bush CLAIMS to be a Christian.

If he were Jewish or atheist or Muslim, and we complained about him not celebrating Christmas, I'll bet Baptist Believer and Olive Branch would be calling us bigots for suggesting that a non-Christian should acknowledge Christ. And, I would not expect a muslim, atheist, or Jew to celebrate Christmas.

There is no excuse for Bush's actions.

He could be doing it to helop build a "coalition" with the muslims. If so, he is a fool, for he is rejecting the King of Kings and Creator of the universe, to side with a dead man named muhammed.

Or, he could just be a typical non-believer who thinks one religion is as good as any other.

They are the only two possibilities I can see.

 

Very true. (I won't go into all that well-worn talk about Christianity not being a religion but a relationship. )</font>[/QUOTE]Thank you. Therefore, I can't see how accomodating some Muslims is any more of a compromise than accomodating any religion that denies that Christ has come in the flesh.

[ December 09, 2002, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: Aaron ]

 

Sure. But he is also the President of the United States and he represents (as President) the nation's respect for the traditions and religious heritage of all kinds of people. If he chooses not to honor the religious heritage of our country, that's fine too.

For the record, I don't call people bigots very often because I have respect for other points of view. If he were a non-Christian, I wouldn't care if he made a reference to Christ or not, unless he was highly critical of Christians.

I don't look to the White House for spiritual guidance or affirmation of my faith.

Sure. But if they want to, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I didn't realize he needed an excuse. Showing official respect as President of a nation to one of the nation's religious traditions is not wrong. For a Christian to meet with Muslims or Jews to build bridges of understanding is not wrong either. You can be a Christ's ambassador to people of other faiths in those situations.

There may be some political/social motive, but neither you or I know for sure.

Meeting with Jews while they celebrate their religious heritage does not mean that I reject Christ. Meeting with Muslims to celebrate their heritage also does not mean I reject Christ. I expect that it works the same way for Bush.

Maybe... I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time that a President has claimed a religious faith that he did not fully embrace or understand for the sake of votes and popularity.

Look closer.

 

I'm curious if I'm considered a compromising person when I go to my Jewish friend's house to celebrate Passover.

 

don't say bad words !

 

I suppose this is the way the pharisees saw Jesus as he ate with the publicans.

Bush is admirable to be able to balance his own beliefs and hold office in a country with mixed beliefs. He needs support at this critical time. To acknowledge anothers beliefs is in no way compromising your own. I have Jehovah's Witness friends that act the way you do and get no where with those that believe, in say, Christmas. My Jewish friends respect my beliefs because I show them a respect for theirs. This becomes a more effective tool for witnessing than blasting them with what is right and what is wrong. They do not have the Holy Spirit to give them the eyes to see and the ears to hear. Many bridges with our own citizens will burn if he (Bush) condemns thier practices. His political plays are on line.

 

Three thoughts:
1. Bush's constituency is made up of every American, regardless of religious belief.

2. Bush can neither inhibit nor advance any religious belief as an officer of the exec. branch. The acts complained about are obviously PR measures and may have a secondary effect to advance Islam and Judaism, and (arguably-laughably) inhibit Christianity, but I think that the primary purpose is related to No. 1 above.

3. I conisder it ridiculous to call for all "liberal" teachers, politicians, etc. to resign. First, where I live there is a teacher shortage. Second, for elected politicians, the majority has clearly spoken. Third, how is "liberal" defined?

 

President Bush was elected to be president of the United States of America, not as national pastor of evangelicals.

Privately, I hope he is a Christian all the way. But as president of all of the people of the United States, publicly he cannot take sides as president and favor one religion over another, except in the overarching acknowledgement of God.

This is a secular nation that allows freedom of worship unlike the nations in Europe that the founders of this nation left where the state dictated what was accepable religion. In the millenium before the return of Christ when most of the world is filled with Christians(I am a postmillennialist ) then public and private worship will be as one. But we are not to that point in the Holy Spirit's work yet.

[ December 11, 2002, 10:25 PM: Message edited by: Ken H ]

 

Kiyomasa Akashi, a spokesperson from the Logos Ministries in Tokyo stated, "It was an act of Idolatry, even worse, it was an official, public idol worship, ....... He did bow before the shrine where the Meiji Emperor is enshrined as a god."

The offended Akashi, stated these points after Bush and his wife bowed and clapped to wake up the god of the idol in Japan.

Bush has a universalist, politically correct policy that denies the narrow way of the scripture.

Thanks ------Bart

 

I can see him being accused of not being a Christian if he were a leader of a Baptist church and doing these things. But he's not. Can you imagine being in the public eye for your employer and condemning Muslims? Or any other religion? President Bush makes known his belief in Christ. He has gained respect from other beliefs because he respects them. He knows the balance between his job and his faith. And as a little salt, he does his part in good testimony. He's taken on a position after an embarassment that also called himself a christian. The world's eye is on him.

I think his Christmas cards show him trying to break thru the athiest stand of this country and returning to the road of christianity. It was very bold of him to use a Bible verse in it, when others in such situations wouldn't even think of using such a christian based "thing". There's quite a stir in the media,already accusing him of not keeping the "separation of church and state".