The Apocalyptic President

[FightingFat]

In his latest PR offensive President Bush came to Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday to answer the paramount question on Iraq that he said was on people’s minds: “They wonder what I see that they don’t.” After mentioning “terror” 54 times and “victory” five, dismissing “civil war” twice and asserting that he is “optimistic”, he called on a citizen in the audience, who homed in on the invisible meaning of recent events in the light of two books, American Theocracy, by Kevin Phillips, and the book of Revelation. Phillips, the questioner explained, “makes the point that members of your administration have reached out to prophetic Christians who see the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism as signs of the apocalypse. Do you believe this? And if not, why not?”

Bush’s immediate response, as transcribed by CNN, was: “Hmmm.” Then he said: “The answer is I haven’t really thought of it that way. Here’s how I think of it. First, I’ve heard of that, by the way.” The official White House website transcript drops the strategic comma, and so changes the meaning to: “First I’ve heard of that, by the way.”

But it is certainly not the first time Bush has heard of the apocalyptic preoccupation of much of the religious right, having served as evangelical liaison on his father’s 1988 presidential campaign. The Rev Jerry Falwell told Newsweek how he brought Tim LaHaye, then an influential rightwing leader, to meet him; LaHaye’s Left Behind novels, dramatising the rapture, Armageddon and the second coming, have sold tens of millions.

[Mod note: edited down to 3 paragraphs as per forum guidelines]

guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,1737214,00.html

 

[koda]

FightingFat:

But it is certainly not the first time Bush has heard of the apocalyptic preoccupation of much of the religious right, having served as evangelical liaison on his father’s 1988 presidential campaign. The Rev Jerry Falwell told Newsweek how he brought Tim LaHaye, then an influential rightwing leader, to meet him; LaHaye’s Left Behind novels, dramatising the rapture, Armageddon and the second coming, have sold tens of millions.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,1737214,00.html

This LeHaye guy is very anti-Catholic.

 

[gilliam]

I haven’t seen a close association between President Bush and either Jerry Falwell or Tim LaHaye

 

[gilliam]

On the road to theocracy? PJM in LA

April 3, 2006 12:01 PM

In yesterday’s Washington Post, Kevin Phillips contends that “[t]he Republican Party has become the first religious party in U.S. history.” While disputing that assertion, Betsy Newmark wonders whether religious persons are “not feeling welcome in the Democratic Party.”

If Phillips is so worried about the Republican Party becoming the religious party, perhaps the problem is not that religious people are becoming Republicans, but that they are not feeling welcome in the Democratic Party. This is a point that Hugh Hewitt makes very powerfully in his new book, Painting the Map Red. Let me just quote from page 94, but I recommend strongly that you get the book and read all he has to say.
The attempt to scare America into voting against Republicans because of the absurd charge that their followers want a “theocracy” may be the biggest electoral mistake of the past fifty years. It is simply impossible to persuade majorities of Americans that they and their neighbors want mullah-style government because they and theose neighbors oppose gay marriage or think that devout Catholics can make great great judges. The deep offense given to people of faith upon being charged with extremism and kinship with the Taliban and the Iranian mullahs is sinking deeper and deeper into the consciousness of the American electorate.

It is a slander with few parallels, and th erote denials of religious bigotry when confronted with the record can not undo the deserved reputation of the left, and especially leading pundits of the left, for religious bigotry.

 

[Thekla]

Fighting Fat,
There’s a book entitled, “The Apocalyptic President” that argues that no nation with the ability to destroy the world should ever elect/put in charge any individual who believes in the literal concept of the apocalypse.

They could be wonderful people with great ideas, but members of the “end times” crowd have a tendency to see themselves in Revelations and are more likely to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s a good book.
Thekla

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

Fighting Fat,
There’s a book entitled, “The Apocalyptic President” that argues that no nation with the ability to destroy the world should ever elect/put in charge any individual who believes in the literal concept of the apocalypse.

They could be wonderful people with great ideas, but members of the “end times” crowd have a tendency to see themselves in Revelations and are more likely to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s a good book.
Thekla

Sounds like a good reason not to allow Iran to have nukes. But I reserve judgment on the premise because I think when we start restricting a Presidential choice based upon religion we are going into some dangerous territory. I can still remember people talking about JFK as a “papist president”.

 

[Thekla]

gilliam:

Sounds like a good reason not to allow Iran to have nukes.

That shoe likely belongs on our foot as well. We have a responsibility to our country and the rest of the world to ensure that anyone with a belief that the end time for the world is near, not have access to nuclear weapons which could make the belief come true.

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

That shoe likely belongs on our foot as well. We have a responsibility to our country and the rest of the world to ensure that anyone with a belief that the end time for the world is near, not have access to nuclear weapons which could make the belief come true.

my update:

But I reserve judgment on the premise because I think when we start restricting a Presidential choice based upon religion we are going into some dangerous territory. I can still remember people talking about JFK as a “papist president”.

But if Tim LaHaye ran for President or Jerry Fallwell, I would vote against them.

 

[Thekla]

gilliam:

my update:

But I reserve judgment on the premise because I think when we start restricting a Presidential choice based upon religion we are going into some dangerous territory. I can still remember people talking about JFK as a “papist president”.

But if Tim LaHaye ran for President or Jerry Fallwell, I would vote against them.

Can you imagine if during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy and those around him had been “end-timers?” Of course people talked about Kennedy’s religion and feared some connection to the Vatican. But I don’t think that anyone thought Kennedy was going to end the world because he saw himself as a featured player of Revelations.

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

Can you imagine if during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy and those around him had been “end-timers?” Of course people talked about Kennedy’s religion and feared some connection to the Vatican. But I don’t think that anyone thought Kennedy was going to end the world because he saw himself as a featured player of Revelations.

Your right there. They just thought the US would turn into a theocracy controlled by cardinals. (sound familiar?)

 

[FightingFat]

Thekla:

Fighting Fat,
There’s a book entitled, “The Apocalyptic President” that argues that no nation with the ability to destroy the world should ever elect/put in charge any individual who believes in the literal concept of the apocalypse.

They could be wonderful people with great ideas, but members of the “end times” crowd have a tendency to see themselves in Revelations and are more likely to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s a good book.
Thekla

Thanks Thekla I’ll check it out!!