President Bush today opened his Easter greeting by citing Luke 24:34: "The Lord is risen indeed."
He then went on to say:
I send greetings to Christians around the world as they gather to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus' life and teachings continue to speak to every generation, and Christians believe his miraculous Resurrection provides hope for the future and offers us the promise of new life. Through His ministry and sacrifice, Jesus demonstrated God's unconditional love for us. He taught us the importance of helping others and loving our neighbors. His selfless devotion and mercy provide a remarkable example for all of us.
As families and friends gather to enjoy this Easter season, we celebrate God's gift of freedom and His love that conquers death. For those who observe Easter, our faith brings confidence that good will overcome evil and that joy is everlasting. Today, we give thanks for God's many blessings and pray for His peace in the affairs of men.
What a remarkable thing to have a President that "gets it".
May the joy of Easter and new life find a place in your heart. :-)
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
April 9, 2004 06:45 PM
Ahhhh, you guys in the U.S. don't appreciate this president nearly enough for the stand on Christian faith that he takes. Hmmm, and it's our national anthem up here that says, "God keep our land ..."
April 9, 2004 08:52 PM
This is my primary reason for voting for George W. Bush.
April 9, 2004 09:20 PM
Patriot,
I beg to differ with you, sir. Somewhere around 70-75% of our population are Christians...and the vast majority of those VERY MUCH appreciate our President's strong faith. Sure, it's true that we have our share of far left, liberal wackos in this country...but they do not speak for the majority here. (If they did, Gore would be in office) That broad-brush, irresponsible comment of yours was very amusing, though. Thanks for sharing!
By the way, we DO have another song called "God Bless America" that you may be familiar with.
April 11, 2004 04:56 AM
Macmusic,
Oh my! "broad brush, irresponsible comment ..." Hmmm, sorry if I offended you with what I thought was a valid personal observation. As to the 70 - 75% Christian population statement, I would contend that of those who make claim to be part of that percentage, sadly, the vast majority are rarely in church other than Christmas & Easter, rarely if ever read the Bible and pray only in extreme circunstances. Macmusic, our countries are not that different, unfortunately.
Let's see, "God Bless America", I think I'm familiar with that tune, Kate Smith, wasn't it?
April 11, 2004 11:22 AM
Patriot,
When you say: Our countries are not that different "unfortunately"...what exactly did you mean by "unfortunately"? Is that to say that you don't WANT your country to be compared to the U.S.??? Are we some sort of an embarrassment as a nation that you don't want your country compared to? WOW! How quickly non-U.S. citizens forget the truly amazing things we have done for virtually every other nation on this planet. The humanitarianism we have shown worldwide. The thousands upon thousands of young AMERICAN lives lost throughout the decades in the name of providing freedom to our neighbors from oppression and from brutal dictatorships. Jesus instructed us to bring food, warmth and comfort to the oppressed. Is that not what we have been doing as a nation? But none of that matters now, does it "Patriot"? I'm sure you rolled your eyes while reading that, because you know better, don't you? All that matters to you now is the crap you read in your "liberal" newspapers about us as a people and who we are and what we hold dear. Who we are as Christians cannot possibly be derived from your TV and print news, my friend. Until you have spent a significant amount of time living in this country...don't pass judgement on it like you do, and then expect an American like me to take it sitting down. You seem to revel in speaking for the masses. You seem to think you have the inside scoop on all things Christian and more specifically, how we behave down here in the U.S. with regards to our faith. That is one HECK of a crystal ball you have there, son. Can I order one of those online?
I'll end on this thought: "Judge not, lest ye be judged".
I sincerely wish you a HAPPY EASTER.
April 11, 2004 01:05 PM
"I sincerely wish you a HAPPY EASTER."????
Whew, after that little tirade I'm almost speechless. I find it truly amazing the "spin" you put on my thoughts which really was never intended. So . . . I'm going to cut this "thread" as all that seems to happen here is I get "flamed".
BTW, the Easter service at our church was great here this morning with 4 people beginning their relationship with Christ & accepting Him as Savior. Now that makes for a Happy Easter!
How was the Easter service you attended?
April 11, 2004 03:01 PM
Patriot,
My "Happy Easter" wish to you WAS sincere. Choose to believe it, choose not to believe it. That's entirely up to you.
By the way, the Easter service I attended was amazing, it was POWERFUL, in fact. The most impacting, profound, thought-provoking (not to mention tear-jerking) Easter service I have ever attended in my entire life. I chose to go and view for the 2nd time "The Passion of The Christ". And for a 2nd time, I cried throughout the film. I felt it a fitting tribute to Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, though I guess you will probably chalk up some victory points for yourself on that one. Well, be my guest.
As for my "tirade", well you asked for that when you used that word "unfortunately" earlier. You see, when someone from another country tells me that my country and theirs are not very different, "unfortunately"............well yeah, I DO take offense to that.
April 11, 2004 03:06 PM
P.S. I've concluded my thoughts on this topic.
Joel, thank you for yet another WONDERFUL posting. I love reading them and will continue to do so. Happy Easter to you and your family!
April 11, 2004 04:58 PM
Macmusic--
My intended meaning where the word "unfortunately" was used is that I feel in North America, IN GENERAL,BOTH COUNTRIES,the larger percentage of people believe they are Christian purely by citizenship. My understanding of the New Testament (I guess you will add "limited"), would indicate that real Chritianity requires more than geographical residence. Most of my neighbors and the guys I work with would tell you if asked, that they are "Christians". However, when it comes to actually living that statement out they come up short on the understanding of what is required. I find that ... dare I say it ... unfortunate. I used one word which seemed to trigger in you a strong response, worthy retalliation for America-bashing or spitting on the "stars & stripes". Good grief! I am still wondering how you got there from here??? You took a meaning from my words that was never intended, I'm sorry. There was certainly no "superiority" inflection intented.
As for The Passion of the Christ film, I'm thrilled and excited by the amount of discussion and interest it has stirred in the person of Jesus Christ and this brief period of His life. When my wife and I viewed the movie I found myself moved to silence while my wife wept throughout the film. Afterward she expressed sad incredulity with the number of people who left during the movie to get more popcorn & sodas. Eating was very definitely the last thing on our minds! I think attending this movie would be a terrific way to celebrate Easter.
Until the next issue . . . Patriot
April 12, 2004 09:06 AM
ok, i think that enough is enough. Basing your vote upon somebody's consistant declaration of their faith is more or less unwise. Bush's rhetoric to appease his constituents is not indicative of strong policy making. Moreover, using your presidency as a pulpit is a slap in the face to those millions of Americans who see the government as a social instiution of laws, not a religious one of commandments.
What happens when the president decides to start basing his policy off of his interpretation of the Bible? Your "chosen" Americans extend their imperialist foreign policy. You wind up with advocates of a consitutional amendment that serves to forbid a completely benign right that makes a difference only in the lives of those who benefit from it. until Bush, i voted republican. now, I'll be looking for someone without a moral compass that should somehow guide everyone's behavior.
April 12, 2004 09:30 AM
Ben, that is about the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. No moral compass? Hello, welcome to anarchy. If you have children, I'm sure you don't live by the same axiom. On the contrary, I'm certain you would use your moral compass to teach them right from wrong.
April 12, 2004 10:18 AM
Joel, I believe that you may have misread my last statement, and upon revieweing it, I can understand why. what was meant is that i will be looking for someone whose individual moral compass does not dictate the lives of those who occupy the country that he/she runs. I believe that society must operate upon a common set of social morés, ie: law. But law should exist to protect the rights of all of us, not to advance the agendas of some at the expense of others.
And you're right, if I had children i would use my moral compass to teach them righ and wrong. In fact, i use my moral compass every day, and i consider myself pretty religious. I simply do not endorse the idea that my religion should be pushed onto others with a government endorsement. Government should represent us all.
April 12, 2004 11:29 AM
We agree, Ben. But consider this. A President ALWAYS speaks according to his belief system. How is it any different for a President to claim belief in Christ than for one who does not believe, and therefore does NOT speak of Christ? A void of faith is a kind of faith. Non-religious people ARE actually religious about their disbelief.
We are all governed by our system of beliefs, whether we think so or not. :-)
I do not see Bush pushing his beliefs on anyone, but he is certainly entitled to his freedom to express his belief system in a public forum.
April 12, 2004 04:24 PM
You're right Joel, in this case (The Easter greeting) Bush was not pushing his beliefs onto people. It is customary for leaders to address the nation on big Christian holdays. My argument was in the broader sense of how Bush uses his faith to couch intolerance on numerous subject matters, but perhaps I posted it in the wrong forum. If you'd like to follow me back to your "Hell in a handbasket" thread, you'll find a somewhat more detailed debate.
maybe i'll have outdone myself in the most ridiculous things that Joel has heard category. ;-)
Until then, peace.