This is a rather personal post. Some people who don't know me might get to know me from this post. But I think it's important.
I am a believing Christian. I believe, at the very least, that Jesus had a unique relationship with Our Creator and that his teachings have direct, applicable validity to my own daily life.
I have a master's degree in theological studies from Harvard Divinity School.
Here is what I want to say:
He spoke today at a Rose Garden press conference about there being some "third awakening" in America. This in the context of defending his interrogation bill. He has no idea what he is talking about, either religiously or historically.
Great Awakenings in this country were fairly spontaneous, tremendously emotional, faith revivals. They were not generated by the wishes of a desperate Presidential Administration. The political change that this awakening yielded was the abolition of slavery, and the temperance movement. They did not endorse the failed policies of torture, lying to invade Iraq, and national mesmerism.
These awakenings also had very little long-term impact, religiously, on the nation as a whole. The period of the late nineteenth century, post-Civil War, brought tremendous interest not in mainline Christianity, but in rather radical faith healing and spiritualism. There were as many seances in the post-2nd G.A. period (in the attempt to speak to those lost in the Civil War) as there were "Christian" ministers who denounced them as anti-Christian.
I am a Christian. I do not proslytize.
I am terrified by this development in the obviously deteriorating mental state of the President.
To use any form of "religous awakening" as a justification for policy is pathetic.
To use "religious awakening" as a justification for torture is ...well, there just aren't words.
We are one terrorist attack away from the end of democracy as we know it. There are too many people in this country who will trade all their political freedoms for the freedom to drive to and from work and to watch cable TV.
Things to do:
Support Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Believe me, there are a lot of Christians, people of other faiths, and atheists and agnostics who support this organization, out of concern that one "brand" of Christianity not trample on the rights of all Americans.
Sign the "First Freedom First" petition here. It is about making sure the separation of church and state remains at the forefront of our Bill of Rights.
Thank you for reading this. Just thank you.
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