Now 32 I still don't know my feelings on religion. I certainly have a strong sense of spirituality. That said, I'm not quite sure who I pray to, who I look to or who I'm speaking to. Around 2000 was the first time that I started to truly explore my religious beliefs. This was the same time that George W. Bush became our president by hijacking naive christians across America. This is unfortunate. At the time, given some setbacks in my life, I was in need of a deeper spirtuality and I was strongly considering diving in and exploring my faith. Where was I going to start? Well, since I was loosely raised catholic, this is where I'd planned on heading.
George W. Bush changed all that. It's now five years later and our president has temporarily (permanently?) destroyed my interest in exploring christianity. Naive on my part? Probably. Nevertheless, when I look at the things that drive our president (e.g. greed, money, war, narcissism, power, etc., etc.), I feel absolutely ill that he uses christianity to reach these ends. And if believers in christianity consider him a leader of their values and faith, then I want absolutely no part of it.
Former president and everyday humanitarian Jimmy Carter has spoken to this. President Carter has always been pretty open about his faith and his beliefs. President Carter also exemplifies the values that *should* be associated with this religion: honesty, humility, love and most importantly relentless concern for others. He is a great man.
As I continue my search for a religion that can provide some fulfillment and further my spirituality, when considering christianity, men like Jimmy Carter will be the impetus behind this search. Mr. Bush and his choir of zealots, well, deep down they know what they represent.
2 comments:
Of course, most Christians don't consider George Bush to be their leader insofar as Christianity is concerned. And, given your reference to your nominally Catholic background, it is worthwhile for you to know that John Paul the Great, the Pope at the time leading up to and including the invasion of Iraq, whom orthodox Catholics do acknowledge as their spiritual and moral leader, opposed the war. Americans often confuse their country and their religion, and this is a special difficulty faced by historically liberal and conservative Protestants alike. The same cannot be said of the Catholic Church. And with the exception of certain moral issues, the Catholic Church's approach to social justice, equity, peace, and war, are strongly in line with conventional liberal democratic values.
Merry Christmas.
http://www.cjd.org/paper/jp2war.html
I appreciate your response, Eric. And Merry Christmas to you as well!
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