Politics of Religion Part Three

Bush uses the Evangelistic example to espouse his infallibility and imply that he alone knows what is best for America, the world, and nations that do not embrace his sense of what "Civilization" ought to be.

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(PASO ROBLES, Ca.) - As costs mount, Bush’s assurance that victory is just around an ever receding corner ring hollow, and with his claim that more sacrifice is necessary, and will turn the trick, his credibility has become suspect. As in Vietnam, Iraqis have become bystanders and victims of a war that whirls around them.

World opinion makes it appear America would save, rather than lose, face if it were to withdraw. The hawks counter that appeasement of any sort would be “quitting,” and say people who disagree are soft on Communism and Fascism; propaganda pure and simple. S. I. Hayakawa was a semanticist, a student of how people react to propaganda, words rather than their meaning, and has helped others understand it power:

"If agencies of mass communication hammer away incessantly at a hostile set of reactions they can in the long run produce in thousands of readers and listeners identification reactions that will make intelligent public discussion impossible.”

The Bush Administration is adept in countering criticism via false suggestion, and clever displacement, as well as the repetitive use of words and mottoes intended to create doubt in the minds of the people, and put fear in their heart. Currently the tactic is to say Repeatedly “Al Qaeda in Iraq,” as if by the constant use of the phrase [more than 40 times in one half-hour speech] the point is proved. It is just another tactic by Geo. Bush to keep American forces engaged in Iraq by implying that “Al Qaeda in Iraq” is planning more attacks against America like the [9-11] attack in New York in 2001.

But, if history repeats itself, what The Bush Administration and the Far Right predict would happen in Iraq if America withdraws, Chaos! seems over-blown and not necessarily true. For Vietnam, fifty years after its war with the United States, is now a single nation recovered from the ravages of war and enjoying good relations with the U.S. and the World Community. In light of the fabrications that got us into the Iraq War, why should stories of disaster be believed? The answer would seem to be, only to advance the religious agenda of Geo. W. Bush, and the Evangelical Holy See. Left to its own devices, the example of Vietnam suggests Iraq would devote more energy to recovery than to exporting terrorism. And, if the U. S. withdrew, forces could be used for Homeland Security, and to assist in Disaster Relief, and as Peace Keepers. Is that so bad?

Radicals support their faith [whichever it may be], not because they have tested it against knowledge and reason, but because they accept without question what they have been given to believe is true. Religious leaders are persons whose powerful sermons dare followers to doubt or question what they say. Islamic radicals willingly die for pie-in-the-sky promises of a martyr's paradise by committing suicide to kill offenders of Islam in the bargain. Geo. Bush is just as radical when he sacrifices Americans on his altar of faith.

Bush uses the Evangelistic example to espouse his infallibility, as if in his Imperial judgment he alone knows what is best for America, the world, and nations that do not embrace his sense of what "Civilization" ought to be. In the process he diminishes America's democratic model by pontificating, and refusing to listen to reason. The tactics of the his Administration seem almost to be a continuing preparation for "The Rapture" when believers will be whisked into Heaven, and the "evildoers," [non-believers] will be tossed to the eternal flames [symbolically speaking] of Hell.

His "bring ‘em-on" mentality may appeal to Fundamentalist Christians who, assuming God is on our side, believe also America should be the policeman of the world, but Christianity is the religion of only some thirty-percent of the world's population.

In America's Bible belt, evangelism satisfies the need for social contact among persons of blind religious certainty, and is dominant. There is a movement afoot to rally these people to the cause of radicalism as preached by a leadership of pretenders who use Christianity as a weapon of "good," against "evil" [Reference: Hedges, Chris, American Fascists, the Christian Right and The War on America, Free Press - Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc.; New York. 2006].

Religions are based on myths, and Jesus is but a symbol for the God of Christianity. A.D Nock, “the authority on ancient religion” [pp 1 and 2, The Medieval World, 300-1300, by Norman F. Cantor], referring to Christianity says, “Greek Philosophy . . . applied to Christianity . . . was used for the interpretation of a body of doctrine . . . to give substance and meaning to what essentially was a cult of mythology.”

But, President Bush believes in the reality of the myth, and is committed to the idea that everything that happens is a matter of God's will that the Religious Right insists must be done. Bush refuses to recognize Global Warming as a threat, and considers stem cell research not worthy of Government funding because it kills human beings [embryos] while at the same time he denies the thousands of beings he sacrifices on his altar of faith in Iraq the prospect of a lasting life, or a balm for the severely wounded.

Such is the hypocrisy of Geo. W. Bush, that instead of serving the will of the people, he obstinately uses the Royal We to deny his subjects their democratic rights under the Constitution at the very time he insists on “freeing” Iraq.

Here are the other parts to this series on Salem-News.com:

Politics of Religion Part One

Politics of Religion Part Two

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Kenneth G. Ramey was a 79-year old "writer without a Website" who is generating excellent, provocative articles on the subject of religion and world affairs. We are pleased that Ken's "lone wolf" presence as a writer in the world has been replaced by a spot on our team of writers at Salem-News.com. Raised in Minnesota and California during the dark years of the Great American Depression, Ken is well suited to talk about the powerful forces in the world that give all of us hope and tragedy and everything in between. You can write to Ken at: kgramey@sbcglobal.net