Apparently the BBC is doing a series on President Bush and the Middle East. From their press release:
[Palestinian Foreign Minister] Nabil Shaath says: "President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, "George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan." And I did, and then God would tell me, "George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq …" And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, "Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East." And by God I'm gonna do it.'"
As we all know, hearsay testimony is generally not acceptable in a court of law. And it is not clear whether the comment was made through a translator or not. But still ... wow. If Bush really did say that, it explains a lot about Iraq.
It might also suggest we ask some serious questions about whether it's appropriate for the most powerful man in the world to be making critical decisions based on what God told him to do. At the very least, some psychological examination might be in order. I won't go so far as to say that everyone who thinks God told them to do something is nuts, but I do think that it bears close examination, especially when the person is the President of the United States.
Hat tip: AmericaBlog.
Comments (2)
I used to work as the office manager of an urban church and dealt with all kinds of people who just did what God said in their head. Often, they ended up in some institution shortly thereafter (hospital or prison). One of them believed that George II was (literally) the anti-Christ (the voices were telling him so). Which voice in the head should we believe?
Posted by Carl | October 7, 2005 7:54 AM
Bad enough that we have a drunk and delusional president who hears God talking to him and causes the deaths of thousands based on that.
Worse that there are millions who, like him, believe a literalist (wrong) interpretation of Revelations and would be happy to see a region-wide Mideast war as prelude to the end of the world that would reward them with heaven.
Let's hope God isn't QUITE this elitist and sadistic.
Posted by Paul Schumacher | October 9, 2005 7:23 AM