Bush Tells Group He Sees a 'Third Awakening'

[zimv20]

wash post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/12/AR2006091201594.html?nav=rss_nation)


President Bush said yesterday that he senses a "Third Awakening" of religious devotion in the United States that has coincided with the nation's struggle with international terrorists, a war that he depicted as "a confrontation between good and evil."

Bush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people "who saw life in terms of good and evil" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms.

"A lot of people in America see this as a confrontation between good and evil, including me," Bush said during a 1 1/2 -hour Oval Office conversation on cultural changes and a battle with terrorists that he sees lasting decades. "There was a stark change between the culture of the '50s and the '60s -- boom -- and I think there's change happening here," he added. "It seems to me that there's a Third Awakening."

The First Great Awakening refers to a wave of Christian fervor in the American colonies from about 1730 to 1760, while the Second Great Awakening is generally believed to have occurred from 1800 to 1830.

Some scholars and writers have debated for years whether a Third Awakening has been taking place, although some identify other awakenings in U.S. history. Bush aides, including Karl Rove, have read Robert William Fogel's "The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism."

Bush has been careful discussing the battle with terrorists in religious terms since he had to apologize for using the word "crusade" in 2001. He often stresses that the war is not against Islam but against those who corrupt it. In his comments yesterday, aides said Bush was not casting the war as a religious struggle but was describing American cultural changes in a time of war.

"He's drawing a parallel in terms of a resurgence, in dangerous times, of people going back to their religion," said one aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the session was not open to other journalists. "This is not 'God is on our side' or anything like that."

The White House did not release a transcript of Bush's remarks, but National Review posted highlights on its Web site. On another topic, Bush rejected sending more troops to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas to find Osama bin Laden. "One hundred thousand troops there in Pakistan is not the answer. It's someone saying 'Guess what' and then the kinetic action begins," he said, meaning an informer disclosing bin Laden's location.

[Queso]

A battle between good and evil is happening all right. However, Bush and I differ over what side he's on :rolleyes:

[baleensavage]

A battle between good and evil is happening all right. However, Bush and I differ over what side he's on :rolleyes:
lol. I'm with you on that one. I think the Bush administration could use a first "awakening."

[leekohler]

Bush is the devil we should be fighting.

[Danksi]

...that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels

... oh for holy ****** Christ's sake... give it a bleeding rest.

[adroit]

A battle between good and evil is happening all right. However, Bush and I differ over what side he's on :rolleyes:

:D I was thinking the same thing as I read the article.

[TBi]

Third awakening... third reich... am i the only one who immediately thought that?

[EGT]

Bush is an idiot.

[beatsme]

Bush is an idiot.

I was saying to my girlfriend last night that when Bush was elected I had absolutely no expectations of him, and he hasn't even met those. Just when you think he can't possibly get any dumber he'll pull a new club out of the bag.

our MR european cousins, tell us please:
does Bush make the US look as dumb as we think he does? How badly is Bush perceived overseas?

[Queso]

our MR european cousins, tell us please:
does Bush make the US look as dumb as we think he does? How badly is Bush perceived overseas?
Oh we love him to bits.

[leekohler]

"The Third Awakening" has a great new celebrity mom spokesperson- Nancy Heche! This crap was given a whole spread in the Chicago Sun-Times today. If this doesn't convince you this country is going down the toilet, I don't know what will.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/books/cst-ftr-heche13.html

[Dont Hurt Me]

Bush has yet to be right on much of anything and im sure he will stay the course.

[FFTT]

I think George and Company are in for "A Rude Awakening"

[CorvusCamenarum]

Why do I get the (sinking) feeling he's trying to make Revelations come to life?

I'm reminded of the film Escape From L.A. (the bad movie with Kurt Russell), toward the end where the world is crashing down in on itself and the president character, instead of trying to manage the crisis, runs off to pray.

[FFTT]

Bush is praying real hard these days.

Praying that his little scam won't end up with him facing criminal charges.

[Queso]

"The Third Awakening" has a great new celebrity mom spokesperson- Nancy Heche! This crap was given a whole spread in the Chicago Sun-Times today. If this doesn't convince you this country is going down the toilet, I don't know what will.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/books/cst-ftr-heche13.html
This woman's never appeared on my radar before, but I get the impression that her mission to convert gay people to straight is based solely on her desire to recapture the life she believed she had. Sadly, and I write this using only the article as my reference, her entire life appears to have been built on lies. It's a shame she can't accept it for what it was. I think she'd be far happier in the long run.

The quote about the miserable gay man lamenting his life is noteworthy, since Heche conveniently ignores the many miserable straight people that do the same. If she really is a psychologist rather than using the title simply to turn sad gays into happy straights she should know a thing or two about projection.

To be honest I rather pity her. She's obviously been very damaged by events.

[Glen Quagmire]

our MR european cousins, tell us please:
does Bush make the US look as dumb as we think he does? How badly is Bush perceived overseas?

Poorly. A simpleton, totally out of his depth. His behaviour is totally unpresidential. He looks like a frat boy out partying. I get the impression that when I see him that he's thinking "How did I ever get to be president?" and getting a huge laugh out of it.

It is difficult to understand how he won two elections. How could so many people be conned into voting for this fool? I could understand if John McCain had won the nomination in 2000 and thereafter the presidency, but Bush Jnr? Come on America: think of everything you've given the world. Surely you can do better than this? You are a country of unprecedented power, riches and resources. Think of all the talented people you've got. Think of your dominance in science, the arts, industry and everything else (well, apart from the automotive sector).

The mind boggles.

[Thomas Veil]

"Third Awakening"?!? For one reason or another, I was ruminating the other day on the Rennaissance...and that, of course led me to think that with the rise of fundamentalism all over the world and the rejection of science here in the U.S., we are pretty much moving into a new Dark Ages.

Bush sees a new religious fervor. He doesn't, of course, even begin to see that "religious fervor" is what caused September 11. Freaking dummy...!

And as if that weren't enough, he's back to the old simple dichotomy between good and evil, light and darkness. Oh, if only life were that simple. It's great to see that Dubya sees the world with the same depth one finds in a comic book.

Of course, that may be a disservice to comic books. http://users.adelphia.net/~tjveil/images/yeahright.gif

[brikeh]

our MR european cousins, tell us please:
does Bush make the US look as dumb as we think he does? How badly is Bush perceived overseas?

Oh Wow, yes. My god you have no Idea. But still our head of state kisses his ass. :mad:

Sweden.

[Black&Tan]

"Bush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people "who saw life in terms of good and evil" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms."

Hmmm, so he is now equating himself to Abraham Lincoln. Nice.

[Dont Hurt Me]

"Bush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people "who saw life in terms of good and evil" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms."

Hmmm, so he is now equating himself to Abraham Lincoln. Nice.Its sad man has a history of making up things to believe,worship, then wants others to follow and yet science is looking us in the face. Bush claims of being a christian is somewhat suspect. I wonder how jesus would judge his war?

[Thomas Veil]

Well, these guys are the new Pharisees, so you tell me how Jesus would judge them and their war. ;)

[KingYaba]

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Jesus would say something like that, or was it Hamlet? :confused:

[Queso]

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Jesus would say something like that, or was it Hamlet? :confused:
Something is rotten in the state of......crap! D.C. isn't a state..... :(

[leekohler]

This woman's never appeared on my radar before, but I get the impression that her mission to convert gay people to straight is based solely on her desire to recapture the life she believed she had. Sadly, and I write this using only the article as my reference, her entire life appears to have been built on lies. It's a shame she can't accept it for what it was. I think she'd be far happier in the long run.

The quote about the miserable gay man lamenting his life is noteworthy, since Heche conveniently ignores the many miserable straight people that do the same. If she really is a psychologist rather than using the title simply to turn sad gays into happy straights she should know a thing or two about projection.

To be honest I rather pity her. She's obviously been very damaged by events.

Yes- and now she'll be damaging other people in the name of God. :(

[Queso]

Yes- and now she'll be damaging other people in the name of God. :(
Those that go to her are damaged in the first place Lee. Some gay people never reconcile who they are with what their upbringing tells them they should be.

We both know the best thing Heche's *ahem* patients could do is get out of whatever small town mindset they're trapped in and go find themselves, but they have to decide to do that on their own.

[mactastic]

Are we sure Bush didn't say he was seeing a turd awakening?

[Queso]

Are we sure Bush didn't say he was seeing a turd awakening?
Cheney take a nap in the Oval Office did he? ;)

[leekohler]

Those that go to her are damaged in the first place Lee. Some gay people never reconcile who they are with what their upbringing tells them they should be.

We both know the best thing Heche's *ahem* patients could do is get out of whatever small town mindset they're trapped in and go find themselves, but they have to decide to do that on their own.

That's true. However, I still feel it's irresponsible to perpetuate such things. She's had many opportunities to face the truth and has failed to do so repeatedly.

[Thanatoast]

As I was listening to NPR on the way to work this morning, they were reading comments people had written about their 9-11 coverage. Apparently, as part of the coverage NPR asked some American Muslims their opinions. The invective directed at NPR for daring to interview Muslim people for the story was astonishing. One person said it was treasonous, another asked why NPR would dare do it when it was Muslims who had attacked us?

:eek:

I think it's officialy gotten so bad in this country that we won't be able to change our attitudes for another generation at least. With Bush beating the Drum of FUD every other week and never mentioning Terror without mentioning Islam and vice versa, even normally rational people are becoming prejudiced. Combined with this Christianity-is-on-the-rise BS I just don't see good things in the future.

Bush may have won the battle for his re-election by way of his fear-driven and divisive politics, but his domestic and foreign policy agenda has lost the war of keeping the world in one piece. How could we let such an incredibly dangerous individual into such a position of power?

[zimv20]

The invective directed at NPR for daring to interview Muslim people for the story was astonishing.
where did you see/hear this?

[leekohler]

How could we let such an incredibly dangerous individual into such a position of power?

Fear of The Unfamiliar.

[Thanatoast]

where did you see/hear this?Sometime between 7:25-35 this morning. Every Thursday, I think, they read letters/emails that listeners send in. Today, people were going nuts/being very deeply offended that NPR had interviewed/asked the opinion of American Muslims - because they regarded Muslims as the enemy. Bush's tying together of Islam/Terrorists has been as successful as his 2002 Iraq/9-11 lie. Now we'll see how many people die.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Its funny , now he is trying to change the Geneva convention. Amazing how we are letting these thugs change what makes us great. Its also surprising that just by disagreeing with the administration of spin your accused of helping terrorist and Yet McCain & Graham & Powell are doing just that.:)

[zimv20]

they read letters/emails that listeners send in.
gotcha.

isn't it odd that people who listen to NPR programming would be the same people to not want to hear both sides? what gives?

[MACDRIVE]

I think it would be cool if we could have an atheist president. That way the evangelistic christians wouldn't be able to pay him off.

[FFTT]

Colin Powell has this administration by the balls and they know it.

The White House had no idea that he was going to side against their agenda
so strongly today.

It's good to see that there are still a few good men with enough guts to take
on these criminals.

[solvs]

Cheney take a nap in the Oval Office did he? ;)
You're thinking of Karl Rove. He's the one who's nickname is "Turd Blossom". ;)

Oh, and Bush doesn't mean a word of this, he's just playing to the base. The man couldn't name his favorite Bible verse when pressed. The only reason he does this is because he lost to a conservative Christian in his first election and vowed to out fundamental him. Plus, sadly, it works. Lots of people out there easily fooled by what he says over what he does, and even more who don't believe themselves, but hide behind religion to justify their feelings and actions.

But this is all obvious, so I'm sure you all knew this.