Mr. Bush and His Easter Rebellion
By Steve Weissman
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Sunday 27 March 2005
Why do so many zealots live in the land of darkness?
Whatever they believe, those consumed by truth rarely understand how anyone
of good faith can possibly fail to see their particular light. Those who refuse
"the truth" must be wicked, willful, or somehow uninstructed, and
become the target of fervid evangelism, whether with soothing words or avenging
fire.
Our President uses both, as he showed in his Easter message.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only
Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John
3:16.
I send greetings to all those celebrating Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus
Christ. Through His sacrifice and triumph over death, Christ lifted the sights
of humanity forever. In His teachings, the poor have heard hope, the proud have
been challenged, and the weak and dying have found assurance. Today, the words
of Jesus continue to comfort and strengthen Christians around the world.
Many - though by no means anywhere near a majority - who believe in these words
will find it wonderful that the President has repeated them in the exercise
of his public office. Mr. Bush and his political advisors know this, and clearly
used the opportunity of his weekly radio address to further cement the bond
between the President and those who want to turn America into "a Christian
nation."
Nor does the president or his flock necessarly mean to hurt or exclude those
of us who follow other paths - or no religious path at all. He is only bringing
us the Word, and what could be a greater gift?
Well, thanks, but no thanks. The dangers are far too real. By so publicly rejecting
the Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state - and throwing
off the good manners of millions of Americans who exercise their freedom of
belief in private - Mr. Bush threatens to lead America down the road to open
religious conflict. We've seen where that leads from South Asia to the Middle
East, and in the bloody history of Europe's religious wars. Is that what we
want for America? Is that what we want for the world?
From his first use of the word "Crusade" to describe his "War
on Terror," Mr. Bush has led Muslims everywhere to see America as fighting
a holy war against them. This only builds support for Osama bin Laden and others
who would fight a holy war, or jihad, against those who fail to salute their
religious banner. Why, in his self-righteous blindness, does Mr. Bush persist
in being their recruiting sergeant?
No doubt, many on my side of the political divide will dismiss Mr. Bush's Easter
antics as merely pandering to or emboldening his supporters on the religious
right. I fear worse. I could be wrong, and hope I am. But I see our preacher-president
raising the flag of Christian nationalism over the Oval Office. As my colleague
Will Pitt has discussed, the religious right openly, even seditiously, calls
for the creation of a United States of Jesus.
With his Easter message, Mr. Bush has come perilously close to publicly joining
their ranks.
A veteran of the Berkeley Free Speech Movement and the New Left monthly Ramparts, Steve Weissman lived for many years in London, working as a magazine writer and television producer. He now lives and works in France, where he writes for t r u t h o u t.
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