The Bible and Love and Christians

[Drtooth]

I agree, because I remember that feeling being around in college. Bush made religion such a big part of his platform that people starting connecting the two, even in bad ways. I don't blame people for that to be honest, because it was hypocritical of him to say the least!

I loved the Family Guy sequence (that was stolen from a Woody Allen movie) where Christ walks up to Bush and says "You know NOTHING of my work." That's basically how I feel.

A LOT of people got sucked up into that, even some left wing Christians who just gave up. Of course, South Park made a very good point about how a lot of Catholics left the church because of the sexual abuse scandals at the time too...

Let's just say 2000 wasn't a very happy decade. A LOT of incompetence and greed ruled that era, and I'm not even just talking political. And we're still paying for it. That's why I keep saying there's a common enemy and it's like only a handful of people even see it.

 

[frogboy4]

There's a movie out called "Beginners" starring Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor. It's a sweet independent film about a straight son and his dying, recently "out" gay father. I recommend you see it if for no other reason than that Ewan McGregor is in it.

Anyway, there's a particular scene when McGregor's character graffitis different areas with catch phrases. One of them is "1984 Bush Finds God". I'm glad he found direction in his life, but that singular act changed the planet forever and not for the better. He kind of became the self-appointed spokesman for the religion and unknowingly stirred up additional animosity toward Christianity among non-believers. It's a shame because there's a lot of value others find in the religion and that was eclipsed by his worldwide crusade from the White House.

I digress. It's just a funny moment in the movie and I seemed like the only one laughing. I kind of wish he'd found Buddha instead.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I loved the Family Guy sequence (that was stolen from a Woody Allen movie) where Christ walks up to Bush and says "You know NOTHING of my work." That's basically how I feel.

Yeah I may be being incredibly skeptical here, I just doubt Bush, or most politicans, are all that sincere when they talk about religion. They just use it as a marketing ploy.

 

[RedPiggy]

Well, the beauty of the bible is that it is written by multiple authors over a long period of time, where we also see opinions sway with the wind. Politicians consider this a "gift from Baby Jesus", as it were, LOL. You can be for love and happiness and murder and mayhem and fit under the Word of God's umbrella no matter what, really. While I consider all the conflicting values a sign of evolving sensibilities (and not "wrath to love", since the bible ends in the End, which isn't exactly a story about how much more mature God got after the flood thingie) and an implication that life is just complicated (neither always happy or always sad), the truth is that it's exploited ruthlessly by not just politicians, but any kind of leader who wants people to follow them, secular or religious.

 

[frogboy4]

I can say with good authority that Bush actually is "true believer" as was Ronald Reagan. However, a lot of the Bush administration (cough, Karl Rove, cough) cynically used religion as a politically polarizing device. I never thought Bush was malicious, just misguided. That's neither a condemnation nor excuse.

I wish there were a way that we could all celebrate our differences instead of use them against one another or repress their rights. I believe America is a good place to start this practice.

On another note, I know he's staying out of the spotlight but I'd like to see his "It Gets Better video." It's unlikely to happen, but coming from him it would be very powerful!

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah I may be being incredibly skeptical here, I just doubt Bush, or most politicans, are all that sincere when they talk about religion. They just use it as a marketing ploy.

The story is that Bush was kinda a... well, let's put the term as politely as possible... party monster, and then he "found" religion. So I do agree with Frogboy that he was genuine about it, but I have a problem with the sincerity of people who find religion. There are a LOT of people who are sincere... then you have Michael Vick (the guy who trained dogs to kill each other) pretend to find religion to gain sympathy.

There is NOTHING wrong with going down a wrong path and realizing there's something better, but you can never tell the honest from the dishonest when the lines are blurred.

 

[CensoredAlso]

The story is that Bush was kinda a... well, let's put the term as politely as possible... party monster, and then he "found" religion.

Well you know every politican has to maintain an image, especially if there's skeletons in the closet. I just don't take them at face value. A lot of it is show biz.

 

[Fraggline]

It's why I stay mostly on religious internet forums. We all lead ourselves and each other.

RedPiggy, I am so glad right now that you believe in God. I mean, I just landed on this thread and happened to come across your post, so that's why I'm replying to yours. Also, you replied to my first thread when I became a member here, and you were really friendly to me. It's so nice to know that there are friendly God-followers out there--this is how we should behave. Do forgive me if I cry a bit here.
I'm also so glad that this thread has a smiley attatched to it. It makes me smile to have fellow Christians on this site!
And by the way, I quoted your post, RedPiggy, just to say that yor comment reminded me of Fraggle Rock!

 

[RedPiggy]

LOL, well, that was the idea.

 

[beaker]

Historically, a lot of terrible stuff was done in the name of religion, a lot of terrible stuff was done against religion... what does this tell us? People did crap in history and used any excuse to justify it. Why can't we just hate the people that want us against each other in the first place and let us just try to not get upset when we disagree?

As I've long been saying, it's the ruling elite globalists, or the "new world order" who finance and create all this chaos, warfare, terrorism, and get everyone to hate eachother. People used to call me a conspiracy nutjob. They don't anymore.

I think if 70 million people dont get their social security/welfare/vet/ebt checks next month as Obama is warning, more people are going to be waking up to the wallstreet agenda.

You know, one headline news that went unnoticed was that the co-chair head of the 9/11 Commission wrote a long op-ed piece admitting the US government had completely covered up the real truth of the Sept 11th attacks and covered up the role of the Saudi Arabian government. This is a government that America has signed a recent 60 billion oil/defense contract with. Another terror financier is Pakistan, which we also give tens of billions too. So essentially we are financing and doing business with the same people who finance the Talibam al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgent types that our soldiers are fighting...all part of this corporate hegemonic strategem. And the sad thing is? Vets have to be covered by donations from citizens since the government who uses them refuses to help.

In essence, Obama wanting to slash Social Security and threatening that people wont get their assistance checks is ironic since we give billions to corrupt/criminal private military contractors, corrupt terror funding nations and bloated defense budgets. He's a puppet of wallstreet, just as I said back in 2007 and 2008. You keep blaming Bush, but wallstreet deregulation actually was initiated by Clinton. To me they're all crooks. The religious right/GOP are definitely harbingers of polarizing insanity, such as Michelle Bachman's latest stunt. But both Dems and the GOP feed at the same corporate/wallstreet troff.

We need to kick all these bums out...though by the time people realize something is up, we'll probably be conveniently hit with a new terror attack and everyone will be back to blind worship of the government even as our rights erode away

Look at it this way...were spending billions to rebuild other nations we invade when we should be rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure. And you can blame both the Repubs and Dems for that