ARROGANCE
At a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Former President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that "fundamentalism" under George W. Bush has resulted in a "dramatic and profound and unprecedented change" in American policy that threatens the United States at home and abroad.
Carter was critical of the Bush administration for "an unprecedented and overt ... merger of the church and state, of religion and politics."
He said Bush has made significant changes to U.S. foreign policy and human rights doctrine, resulting in precipitous declines in the country's standing abroad.
Carter was especially critical at the breakfast meeting of Bush's decision to invade Iraq and cut taxes and of what Carter said is the administration's dismissal of international arms and human rights agreements.
He said the natural "arrogance" of second-term presidents is exacerbated by a fundamentalism under Bush that causes many of his supporters and those who work in his administration to believe that "I am right because I am close to God (and) anybody who disagrees with me is inherently wrong, and therefore inferior."
Carter acknowledged that both he and Bush proclaim their Christian faith as part of their governing philosophy, but the similarity ends there.
"I don't have any doubt that he is very sincere about his Christian faith," Carter said of Bush. "There are some differences in interpretation. ... I have a commitment to worship the Prince of Peace, not the prince of pre-emptive war. I believe that Christ taught us to give special attention to the plight of the poor."
Bush, he said, "has committed himself to extol the advantages of the rich."
By Chuck Raasch, Gannett News Service for USA Today
Carter was critical of the Bush administration for "an unprecedented and overt ... merger of the church and state, of religion and politics."
He said Bush has made significant changes to U.S. foreign policy and human rights doctrine, resulting in precipitous declines in the country's standing abroad.
Carter was especially critical at the breakfast meeting of Bush's decision to invade Iraq and cut taxes and of what Carter said is the administration's dismissal of international arms and human rights agreements.
He said the natural "arrogance" of second-term presidents is exacerbated by a fundamentalism under Bush that causes many of his supporters and those who work in his administration to believe that "I am right because I am close to God (and) anybody who disagrees with me is inherently wrong, and therefore inferior."
Carter acknowledged that both he and Bush proclaim their Christian faith as part of their governing philosophy, but the similarity ends there.
"I don't have any doubt that he is very sincere about his Christian faith," Carter said of Bush. "There are some differences in interpretation. ... I have a commitment to worship the Prince of Peace, not the prince of pre-emptive war. I believe that Christ taught us to give special attention to the plight of the poor."
Bush, he said, "has committed himself to extol the advantages of the rich."
By Chuck Raasch, Gannett News Service for USA Today
4 comments:
i'm jealous of the look of yoru website, I have to figure out how to make mine so hot
It is arrogance, isn't it?
But I think with Bush it's more of a stupid arrogance rather than a smart one. You know how really stupid people seem to take pride in their stupidity?
OH. That's why you posted the photo of the lion.
Pride.
Arrogance.
Now I get it...
DarnDarn you, DonDon.
You made me think.
I have to go watch 'Wife Swap' to get my brain back to its normal state of numbness.
Great post. Powerful photo.
And look, others are jealous of your blog, too! It's not just me.
You got it going on.
XoXoX
Totally got it going on Mr. DonDon...as does our fab ex pres...J C.
Righteousness can get pretty ugly. We seem to be seeing that a great deal these days.
STB
VOTE
President Carter is incredibly wise. He states his beliefs with confidence and without concern of criticism. Confident, classy AND wise. It's doubtful he has any difficutly sleeping at night. Too bad more politicians don't have his brand of courage.
Clinton is a smart man and I am sure has plenty he could say. But with Hillary in the system he feels the need for caution. My mother isn't the only one who thinks the ills of all the world lie squarely on the shoulders of the Clintons.
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