With the New England Patriot going for 8 and 0 at 4:15 and the Red Sox going for a sweep in Denver at 8:pm I have gone through the nightmare of news today around the world and as I see nothing but the daily dose of underhanded, deceitful, political lies, time is running short and I can't see anything new to discuss.
Rather than continue to beat to death the same important world shattering events that we can not get anyone to listen too I am going to leave you with my thoughts on President Ford. I watched Tim Russert this morning and the interveiw was veryinteresting when it turned to Gerald Ford, what he thought about Nixon, Clinton, and Reagan and some very interesting insight about the man.
I have written extensively on him in the past and there is much to be learned from Ford expecially in regard to seperation of Church and State but I will never forgive him for pardoning Nixon. Anyway there are lessons to learn!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Lessons of Bush and the past unheeded as increasing numbers want Separation of Church and state Erased!
Lessons of Bush and the past unheeded as increasing numbers want Separation of Church and state Erased saying it never existed nor was it intended too. I would like your thoughts on this.
It is very convoluted!It is unbelievable to me too hear that the nightmare Bush has created with his purposeful infusion of his perverted Religion into our Government is not noticed by and even wanted an ever increasing number of Americans and they do not see the tremendous damage Bush and past Presidents that did this have done to the Constitution and to America. Increasing numbers are calling for the removal of Separation of Church and State and hoping to see a return to good sense I am amazed to see this happening as I expected and want just the opposite.
We cannot let this happen. It will complete the downfall of "our America" and seal the nightmare Bush is creating in his new America. Remember this and then the following cries for the removal of Separation of church and State will be put in context and be more disturbing. We cannot let this happen.We all know of Bush's abuse and misuse of Religion in his misadministration.
The president's infusion of Christian fundamentalism is destroying America as we know it. Unbridled religiosity is the most dangerous weapon in the world, whether it's Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. It does not matter.The president likes to talk about the Islamists hijacking their religion and Islam. He has done the same thing to Christianity and America! They are playing the same game!
My only concern is for truth, honesty, justice, and the American way and we do not get any of it from this administration. It has struck me why as I read a story about Richard Nixon's abuse of Religion for his political gain as Bush is fond of doing. I can't believe people can want more of either of those terrible examples.With Bush we have unbridled, perverted, abused, misused, Religiosity being pushed by Bush and his warped sense of Christian fundamentalism and corrupt democracy just for his own political gain.
The worse part is that Bush has hijacked Christianity and America and is in control of the (for now), most powerful country on the planet.I thought this was very unique to George W. and very distasteful indeed! In light of the fact that Ford set a powerful example with his own Presidency insisting on keeping his Religion to himself and believing in separation of Church and State I did not understand Bush's perversion of Christianity only for political gain. We can never know the real story about a President's faith. We only know what he does—or refuses to do—in God's name.
Voters were unwilling to forgive Gerald Ford for his great act of forgiveness the unconditional pardon of Richard Nixon and I was one of them, thinking it was purely political. But there was another side to the pardon, the presidency and the 1976 campaign that received much less attention, in part because Ford wanted it that way. The contest between Ford and Jimmy Carter was a battle between two born-again Christians—but only one was willing to run as one. I never really realized that about Ford and that is as it should be. A truly strong man keeps his Religious beliefs to himself.
One of his first acts as President was some spiritual housecleaning. Among the more ingeniously cynical inventions of the Nixon Administration was the much publicized White House Church Service, which in addition to providing genuine fellowship for those so inclined, was a prime tool for image building, fund raising, arm twisting and deal making for the President's men.It appalls me that Bush had such a fine example of how to conduct himself and separation of church and State in President Ford and he opted instead to follow the example of Nixon's failed misadministration did only for their political gain.
Knowing that Cheney was in that mess too and that many of us believe Cheney is behind this misadministration I find it telling that once again Religion has been perverted and misused for political gain. Is Cheney the common nut behind the wheel?Anyway I find it very disturbing that knowing the problems of blurring or erasing the line of separation between Church and State, there is a growing number calling for Christianity not influencing as is fine but running America and want it removed altogether saying it is wrong and never existed.
On Anderson Cooper last night they said that In the beginning, there was a wall, a mighty barrier built by the founding fathers to separate church and state, block one from meddling in the affairs of the other. In school, we are taught that's what makes our country special. But what if that wall never existed? What if it's a myth conjured up in our lifetime to mask a greater truth, that America was conceived as a Christian nation?It was!
When I was researching for a book I ran into the statement Ronald Reagan used once in referencing America as the shining City on a hill. I found it when researching the morality influencing America at the time of our founding. It was a reference to our Christian roots and that America was designed so when God had his return he would feel right at home in the United States.I understand we swear on a Bible in court, etc., and that In God we trust is not only on our money as I feel it should be but that thought heavily influences us but that should not mean that our country should be run by Christian beliefs or that it ever was.
If I remember correctly it was the Calvinist's and born again Christians that did indeed influence our founding but I never thought Christian beliefs blatantly and overtly ran our country. Any Religion's positive influence is fine but not its open advocating to solely govern America. We must keep Religion separate for what seems to me to be very obvious reasons not just her but look at Iraq and middle east countries.
The arguments I kept reading over and over got more confusing every time I looked at them. There are some powerful arguments on both sides of this issue. Myself I believe Thomas Jefferson's interpretation of Separation of Church and State. I do though recommend you too give a quick look at the growing effort to say it never existed and to return "God" to running America. I would like to hear what you think once you read the strong argument made on Anderson Cooper
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Bush's Perverted Religious misadministration modeled after Nixon's! Cheney's influence?
We all know of Bush's abuse and misuse of Religion in his misadministration. President Carter was right about Bush's purposeful merging of church and state, but doesn't know why it is being allowed. The president's infusion of Christian fundamentalism is destroying America as we know it. Unbridled religiosity is the most dangerous weapon in the world, whether it's Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. It does not matter.
The president likes to talk about the Islamists hijacking their religion and Islam. He has done the same thing to Christianity and America! They are playing the same game! Like we are told of President Ford My only concern is for truth, honesty, justice, and the American way - and we do not get any of it from this administration. It has struck me why as I read a story about Richard Nixon's abuse of Religion for his political gain as Bush is fond of doing.
With Bush we have unbridled, perverted, abused, misused, Religiosity being pushed by Bush and his warped sense of Christian fundamentalism and corrupt democracy just for his own political gain. The worse part is that Bush has hijacked Christianity and America and is in control of the (for now), most powerful country on the planet. I thought this was very unique to George W. and very distasteful indeed!
In light of the fact that Ford set a powerful example with his own Presidency insisting on keeping his Religion to himself and believing in separation of Church and State I did not understand Bush's perversion of Christianity only for political gain. We can never know the real story about a President's faith. We only know what he does—or refuses to do—in God's name.
Voters were unwilling to forgive Gerald Ford for his great act of forgiveness the unconditional pardon of Richard Nixon and I was one of them, thinking it was purely political. But there was another side to the pardon, the presidency and the 1976 campaign that received much less attention, in part because Ford wanted it that way. The contest between Ford and Jimmy Carter was a battle between two born-again Christians—but only one was willing to run as one.
I never really realized that about Ford and that is as it should be. A trully strong man keeps his Religious beliefs to himself. Ford's faith was ignited in Grand Rapids, Mich., a center of Dutch Calvinist congregations so strict that even in the late 1950's there were arguments over whether it was appropriate to read the newspaper on the Sabbath. Ford's upbringing was more relaxed. Some Sunday afternoons, he recalled, "I'd just go out and play baseball. Of course, some of my Dutch friends weren't allowed to do that."
As a young Michigan Congressman, he met a gospel-film executive named Billy Zeoli who came by Ford's office and gave him a Bible. Over the next few years the two men became close—so close that Ford came to call Zeoli "an alter ego, a second self." One of his first acts as President was some spiritual housecleaning. Among the more ingeniously cynical inventions of the Nixon Administration was the much publicized White House Church Service, which in addition to providing genuine fellowship for those so inclined, was a prime tool for image building, fund raising, arm twisting and deal making for the President's men.
It appalls me that Bush had such a fine example of how to conduct himself and separation of church and State in President Ford and he opted instead to follow the example of Nixon's failed misadministration did only for their political gain. Knowing that Cheney was in that mess too and that many of us believe Cheney is behind this misadministration I find it telling that once again Religion has been perverted and misused for political gain. Is Cheney the common nut behind the wheel?
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Last thought on President Ford: Gerald Ford's real Eulogy is far more Sobering to you and I as it should be!
President Bush will be eulogizing President Ford today. As should be the case in a very public eulogy you will hear many wonderful things about him. However, I have been communicating with an 83 year old friend of mine in California and found that we were both in agreement that there are some things that will not be mentioned and should be but not at this time. I hear all in the media saying history will look kindly on him and his pardoning of tricky Dicky.
He was a darn good man and faithful servant to our beloved America. With that in mind I have to remember that had he spoken up before his death that he could have saved thousands of lives, Billions of dollars, and much American and world angst. I still do not understand being such a important figure as President Ford is and putting ones party ahead of what is honest and right for America especially if you love it so much as I believe Ford did. First let me remind you that Ford became Vice President because a fellow legally elected VP, Spiro Agnew fell in disgrace after having received inappropriate financial benefits from his political position as VP. what a sign of things to come.
Why didn't we learn? How did we forget? Oddly enough Agnew was a contemptuous figure who mocked Patriotic Americans for voicing their dissension for an unpopular illegal war just as Cheney, Fords chief of staff has done today. Cheney who I will remind you that Ford described after his death as pugnacious as we all know he is! Ford then became President after Nixon, another Republican, fell in disgrace.
I have to say again, we didn't learn anything. The examples that were set then have been surpassed as far as I am concerned, by Cheney, Rummy, and George W. who is set to soon tell the world how great President Ford was. He was but some truths must be brought up by us as we put President Ford's legacy during Bush's illegal war into perspective. I must first say that History may look kindly on President Ford's pardon of Nixon but I didn't and never will. I thought it was wrong and nothing but politics. He is credited by fellow Republicans for healing our Nation. I don't think so! it really bothered me.
They say it was right not to make the Nation go through a painful trial for his crimes but they were more than willing to put the Nation through it over Clinton's sexual indiscretions! I am appalled that such a good man as President Ford was is being used today by Cheney, Rummy, and Bush to cloak themselves in his decency while in actuality as most of us know now, he was in opposition to them and their illegal war.
I for one will always hold it against President Ford for not putting America and her citizens ahead of politics. If he and others had spoken up I believe this illegal war would not have happened and the lives of thousands of Americans and others would have been spared as well as hundreds of Billions of dollars would have been saved. As President Ford is laid to rest the Nation can reflect on a decent man and great American but amongst ourselves and around the Nation we owe a duty to America and ourselves to think about what could have been!
Time for the Pats, have a nice day!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com