Bush and Rapture?

[Mike B.]

Numerous posters on this forum have mentioned that Bush believes in the "rapture" and bases his different stands on foreign policy on this belief.

While I have found articles from very anti-Bush publications like "The Guardian" and the "Village Voice" attacking Bush for this, I have yet to find an actual quote of Bush talking about this.

Can anyone point me to one?

 

[Mr Manifesto]

Bush on Jesus

But as he worked to appeal to religious conservatives, Bush was aware of the political danger of appearing too close to them, a lesson he had learned from his father's campaign eight years earlier. By 1992, his father's '88 rival, Pat Robertson, was now the president of a powerful organization that mobilized conservative Christian voters. It was headed by a young Southerner named Ralph Reed, and it was called the Christian Coalition.

Worth noting. He has a 'Presidential prayer team', hangs with Billy Graham, and is alleged to have consulted with rapture-ready Christians on issues concerning Israel.

Whether he is a 'rapture-ready' president is debatable, but it seems quite clear, even from the quotes in the link above, that his religious 're-birth' has caused him to see the world in absolutes:- "Good vs Evil".

 

[Silicon]

I think that's why he chose Cheney. He's too evil to be raptured.

So in case of Rapture, Chain of Succession is intact!

 

[Mike B.]

Bush on Jesus



Worth noting. He has a 'Presidential prayer team', hangs with Billy Graham, and is alleged to have consulted with rapture-ready Christians on issues concerning Israel.

Whether he is a 'rapture-ready' president is debatable, but it seems quite clear, even from the quotes in the link above, that his religious 're-birth' has caused him to see the world in absolutes:- "Good vs Evil".

So it would seem that despite the meme Bush is not trying to induce the rapture.

BTW,
Bush has also met with the Congressional Black Caucus and Muslim leaders. It hardly means that he backs their agenda. Just like Clinton met with Billy Graham hardly means he supports him on abortion...

 

[Samus]

Mike B.: Numerous posters on this forum have mentioned that Bush believes in the "rapture" and bases his different stands on foreign policy on this belief.

Well, what we have here are two separate questions.

Does Bush believe in the rapture? Only he knows for sure, and it doesn't really make a difference either way.

Does he use foreign policy as a vehicle to bring about the rapture? That seems doubtful, and the evidence I have seen (a la Village Voice) has been sketchy at best. I think it is more conspiracy theory. I am much more inclined to believe he is exercising American superiority as outlined in the PNAC agenda.

I still haven't determined how religious Bush really is, versus how much he is attempting to energize a base of supporters. He certainly does wear his faith on his sleeve, though.

 

[Bikewer]

They interviewed the producer of that "dateline" segment that adressed Bush's religion/politics on Terry Gross' Fresh Air show last month.

He was of the opinion that Bush definitely considered himself "born again" but that his courting of the fringier elements of the religious right was more politically driven.
He did point out that the fundies themselves buy into this entirely, and consider Dubya to be "thier boy."

I have long considered the Republican love affair with the religious right to be of politcal convenience. They keep saying that they'll "do something" about such things as school prayer, sex education, abortion, etc., knowing that any actual legislation that might be proposed would fail constitutional muster.
But they keep the fundies happy by "trying."

 

[Jim Lennox]

Does anybody else find it disconcerting that our leaders (Blair and Bush) are devoutly religious but there is no record of what they actually believe. I wouldn't know if Blair is a baptist or a catholic, but it would certainly affect his policies.

Shouldn't they nail their colours to the post before they get elected?

 

[Abdul Alhazred]

Bush is far too religious for most of us here including me, because some of his politics are religious. But I don't think he's one of these rapture crazies.

The church he goes to on Sunday is the Episcopal church across the street from the White House, though I'm not sure of his formal affiliation.

Yeah, he wants to give federal money to the Salvation Army and not stem cell research.

But when it comes to foreign policy, which in a war is the most important thing, it appears that "the Earth abideth forever" to quote the Bible.

If you're going to bash Bush, try bashing him for what he actually does. It's not difficult.

 

[zakur]

Re: Re: Bush and Rapture?

The church he goes to on Sunday is the Episcopal church across the street from the White House, though I'm not sure of his formal affiliation.

Methodist.

 

[Shane Costello]

Originally posted by Jim Lennox
Does anybody else find it disconcerting that our leaders (Blair and Bush) are devoutly religious but there is no record of what they actually believe. I wouldn't know if Blair is a baptist or a catholic, but it would certainly affect his policies.

Shouldn't they nail their colours to the post before they get elected?

Tony Blair is Anglican, Cherie Blair is Catholic, and I've seen it suggested from time to time that Tony seriously considers converting to Catholicism. The head of the Orange Order in Northern Ireland accused him of disloyalty for marrying a papist. One wonders how that gentleman slept at night while Ian Duncan Smith was leader of the Tories. Imagine, a RC leading the Tories, another one leading the Lib Dems and a crypto-Catholic as PM.

Of course knowing what they actually believe is another thing. Haven't Tony and Cherie gone through strange Mayan ceremonies? I doubt very much that the Pope would approve of any of his flock having anything to do with the likes of Carole Caplin.

 

[evildave]

There's always that 'The Jesus Landing Pad' article
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0420/perlstein.php

And here's a site that links to that article with a couple other examples.
http://www.unknownnews.net/apocalypsenow.html

I think it's important to note that Dubya's keepers are probably mindful of past mistakes, like Nixon's, and don't generally keep records of what is said to the people he talks to, or confess what is said to the media.

Here's the 'official' affiliation of various presidents.
http://www.adherents.com/adh_presidents.html