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Christianity Today, February, 2009 |

Bush's Faith-Based Legacy

Key policies at home and overseas will help victims of poverty and disease for years to come.

Tony Carnes with additional reporting by Sarah Pulliam | posted 1/16/2009 10:48AM

In early 2001, George W. Bush, as the 43rd President of the United States, had his first encounter with top world leaders such as Tony Blair, then British prime minister. The political climate was chilly ...

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Hravn

Posted: January 27, 2009 1:00 AM

George Bush was once asked to name the thinkers that most influenced his political beliefs. He named Jesus. But the secular press never asked him how he put it into practice or how he interpreted Jesus teaching. Bush was a member of Tarrytown UMC in Austin at the time. He openly disagreed with Methodist teaching ( death penalty) and has refused to dialog with Methodist bishops. I am sure this pleased his more conservative supporters. Bush seems to have been "The Decider" when it came to interpreting the teachings of Jesus. You could argue that the sermon on the Mount doesn't fit political reality. Just where did turning the other cheek show up in the Bush WH? I do know that when my son (17) and his class interviewed then Governor Bush, my son asked him a question regarding the powers of the Texas governor. Bush didn't understand the question relating to the powers of the governor under the Texas Constitution, got upset and took it out on a teen in front of his classmates.

Linda Carr

Posted: January 26, 2009 3:16 PM


That Bush could score so highly in evaluation by the American people clearly points out the people's indoctrination away from the crucial, important facts of leadership accomplishment.

Linda

Posted: January 23, 2009 4:27 PM


You hear so much "bad" about George W. Bush, it is nice to read good things about him for a change. We need to remember that our presidents are "human" and though need to be strong, they do make mistakes - but in usually being very intelligent, they learn from those mistakes. Good story. Thank you.

John H.

Posted: January 23, 2009 12:36 PM


Sorry you three are so unrelievedly disappointed and angry. Did you read the article? Bush's term was certainly far from your ideals, but it does seem like we have to admit that he accomplished some significant and lasting good.

who are you kidding

Posted: January 23, 2009 5:00 AM

Poverty has been a growing problem over the last 8 years. Millions of people in our country, the wealthiest in the world, don't have health care,in many areas of the country over half of the children come to school hungry and inadequately dressed for the winter weather because their parents can't afford to care for them properly, we support our troops while they are in Iraq, but when they come home wounded in body and mind we don't take care of them, large numbers of the homeless are veterans and funds to help them are not available. Bush used the Evangelical faithful to get to Washington and over time showed his lack of moral values. He lied to us, used torture on prisoners of war, gave tax relief to those who are obscenely wealthy and greedy, took away the protections we have against exploitation which cost milliions of people to lose everything they had worked for, left New Orleans to rot, and still dares to call himself a Christian. I don't think so.

Dave	Posted: January 22, 2009 6:29 PM


What was Bush's greates crime? It wasn't the people in and outside the USA he impoverished, It's wasn't the war he started witha tream of sytematic lies, It was the expoloitation of the church to 1)inact the very things that led to those previous mentioned offences and 2)alienate any Jesus loving Christian who dared subvert from his satanic administration.

maria castillo

Posted: January 21, 2009 5:36 PM

Great article, my sister died of AID here in the usa, and to see that those underdeveloped countries have a ally in the fight for aids being helped by USA it is something to really be gratefull for..and the sad part of usa today is: that people as long as they have money in their pocket, "then we are ok" it takes more than that, even though the war in Iraq is not what people expected, on thing I do see, and being Cuban and being grateful to this country for having me here, is that the freedom those Iraqui women and children experienced from the beast Hussein, they are free now to read, go to school, their dignity have been given back to them, now they have to hang on to it and prosper...Thank you america and Bush..we have not been attacked again either...so yes mistakes were made, but trying to do the best, and these are the mistakes American do not forgive and have harden their heart...they want everything free and no scrifice, (not everyone thinks like this, of course)God Bless Ameri

amtrulyloved

Posted: January 21, 2009 2:59 PM

When I heard George W. Bush just two days before his reelection state on national TV that Muslims and Christians were both headed to Heaven, but "taking different paths," I knew he was perpetrating to get the vote. I do not doubt his belief but I am assured of his ignorance, as I heard him say basically the same thing only a few months ago. We are all sinners saved only by grace and so is he. I am glad his two terms are over and I will pray for him. For those who don't know what God "hates," it's in His Word. "Be not ignorant like those who have no hope . . ." 16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) Remind you of anyone you know? Stop quoting God until you know His Word!

Lynn	Posted: January 21, 2009 1:42 PM

I am shamed to hear such talk from people about our former president!! He is human which means he makes mistakes! Even king David made some huge mistakes! Way to go president Bush! You did a great job! Thank you for sticking to your guns and doing the right thing even when it wasn't popular! I don't think your legacy is a bad one. People wnted more than they could afford that is what Americans do. Its our daily the economy collapsed not yours! Thank you for thinking of the poor in othe countries. Our poor are much richer than theirs! I'm not God but I'm guessing he is proud of you! I know I am and am sad to see you leave office! Thank you me president!

brouije

Posted: January 21, 2009 8:10 AM

Bush may be an embarrassment to conservative politicians but not to conservative christians. He showed great restraint in the midst of eight years of bashing by everyone and has not returned it in kind. He also promoted causes which supported the sanctity of life ie. embryonic stem cell and abortion. Obama however, who is the 'epitome of hope and tolerance' will with his first initiatives overturn all laws which support pro life , late term abortions and born alive situations. His faith is underminded by very liberal people.

also not convinced

Posted: January 20, 2009 1:21 PM


Luke 22:71 International Standard Version (©2008) Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

maxinohio

Posted: January 20, 2009 12:44 PM

No, Tricia, Jesus didn't say "an eye for an eye". Jesus said that was the old righteousness. The new righteousness, as Jesus stated it, is to "Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." In other words, Christians are to go beyond what the normal response to violence is. The old way of vengeance and getting even doesn't work anymore. In the Old Testament, God didn't send his people into war, he went before them to fight their battles. When they went to war on their own, they experienced defeat.

Virginia Gentleman

Posted: January 20, 2009 9:21 AM

An awful lot of judgmentalism in the reactions to this article. I suggest people visit the White House website for George W. Bush and download the four documents available that define his presidency. If you're unable to do that, check out the life of Washington Gladden who was a 19th century mayor and Presbyterian preacher who blended his Christian faith with practical public service. President Bush will be treated far more kindly by history than either the mainstream media or those who are content to sit back and judge harshly someone whose commitment to Christ led them to pick up a cross few of us have either the ability or desire to bear.

SnickerHaHa

Posted: January 20, 2009 6:49 AM


Oh, please! George Bush used the American people and manipulated stupid evangelicals to achieve the ends of the Illuminati, of which the Bush dynasty is a part of. If he did anything that smacks of humanitarianism, you can bet it put a dollar in some Illuminati member's pocket.

Jeff	Posted: January 19, 2009 10:06 PM


Hey what is new with a political spin to make sure that people don't feel Bushwacked after the last 8 years. What is sad for me and the church is that we put him in office for 8 years (yes I foolishly voted for him on both occasions). Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes and move forward with hope and a determination to truly live what it means to be Christian.

Robert Schwarzwalder

Posted: January 19, 2009 9:17 PM

Having been appointed by President Bush to serve in his Administration, I am proud of his extraordinary and successful efforts to address the needs of the poor and diseased abroad and the unborn here at home. The hostility of some of the writers reflects sadly both on their hearts and on their reasoning capabilities. The UN unanimously supported the President's call for Iraq to "come clean" and America's work there, however initially mismanaged, has given hope to tens of millions. An imperfect man and President, yet. But a man who stood for principle with equanimity and courage. I will miss him.

Marilyn

Posted: January 19, 2009 8:00 PM

It would be difficult to see Bush as a Christian if he didn't keep telling us he's one. If he respects the life of anyone, it's only that of the unborn child; people outside the womb receive little help or respect. An October 2006 report that was acclaimed for its methods estimated that 655,000 had been killed in Iraq. But of course we've had no official reports in this country. And we're not even allowed to see the flag-draped coffins of our own brave young men and women who've fallen. Meanwhile, we've been lied to about the reasons for the war in Iraq as well as many of the actions there. Our Constitution has been trashed, our reputation around the world destroyed, the competence of formerly admirable government agencies (like FEMA) decimated out of a desire to reward supporters of Bush or former companies of Cheney. And now, in his farewell speeches, nothing but trivial regrets. Lies, greed, incompetence, pride, torture, and death--not the fruits of a true believer.

ketch22

Posted: January 19, 2009 2:20 PM

Whether you like Bush or despise him (don't know if that is Christian), if he led from his heart to please God, then who cares what you think... if he didn't and did what he did to please others (doubtful as the polls show that it doesn't seem he did), then shame on him and let God judge. But for fellow Christians to comment here with such hate, shows why the faith is so hard to spread. I respect judging his actions, but not the reason behind the action or the man.

Rev Anand Veeraraj

Posted: January 19, 2009 12:55 PM


From all accounts, George W. Bush is an embarrassment to the Conservative Christians. He is a failure.

Greg Zenitsky

Posted: January 19, 2009 12:27 PM

Matthew 5:22 ESV But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 1 John 2:9 ESV Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 1 John 2:11 ESV But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Patrick Gann

Posted: January 19, 2009 9:08 AM

What an incredible amount of Biblical ignorance shown by some of the commenters for this article. But here's my favorite, from Carla: "Do they understand that hate is a sin and not acceptable as an attitude or behavior in the real life of a practicing Christian?" That's news to me. I guess you're okay with God sinning then. And no, God does not simply declare that he hates *sin* in Scripture. Do the reading for yourself. Every now and then, Carla, it's okay to show righteous anger, especially in the face of such sheer stupidity (or, worse, conspiracy). As for the article itself, CT wrote this article because they HAD to, to pander to certain members of their readership, to acknowledge that Bush wasn't *all* bad.

Roger

Posted: January 19, 2009 4:01 AM

When I read Matthew 5 and 6 to see how a Christian should live, and then look at the Bush Presidency, I see a huge disparity. I see a Presidency marked by lies, manipulation and abuse. I see power used to enrich a few, not benefit the many. I see arrogance and Christian "talk" but no walk. I see Christians manipulated for political purposes. I think the Bush Presidency is one of the worst periods in our countries history.

Leroy

Posted: January 18, 2009 5:14 PM


Please . . . stop the spinning! Bush was a disaster no if ands and buts about it.

A.Yeshuratnam

Posted: January 18, 2009 5:16 AM

Obama is a mere demagogue and he came to power by exploiting Iraq and economic crisis. But Bush will be hailed as a great President by future historians. As Roosevelt responded to Pearl Harbor attack, Bush responded to 9/11 by attacking Afghanistan and Iraq. When he retires, American fag is still fluttering in Kabul and Baghdad. This by itself is not a mean achievement. Islamic terrorism was taught a fittng lesson by Bush. Obama's trickery will soon be exposed and within two years Americans will regret for electing him' A.Yeshuratnam Trivandrum India.

Susie

Posted: January 17, 2009 11:46 PM


be careful CT - you have always been the voice of reason. One Focus on Family is enough. Is anyone buying this???

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