Sunday, November 14th, 2005
Sunday, November 14, 2004
This is what I read in the paper this morning. I would like to thank Maureen Dowd for bringing it to my attention.
http://www.bju.edu/letter
Congratulatory letter to President George W. Bush from Dr. Bob Jones III
November 3, 2004
President George W. Bush The White House1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The media tells us that you have received the largest number of popular votes of any president in America's history. Congratulations!
In your re-election, God has graciously granted America—though she doesn't deserve it—a reprieve from the agenda of paganism. You have been given a mandate. We the people expect your voice to be like the clear and certain sound of a trumpet. Because you seek the Lord daily, we who know the Lord will follow that kind of voice eagerly.
Don't equivocate. Put your agenda on the front burner and let it boil. You owe the liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ. Honor the Lord, and He will honor you.
Had your opponent won, I would have still given thanks, because the Bible says I must (I Thessalonians 5:18). It would have been hard, but because the Lord lifts up whom He will and pulls down whom He will, I would have done it. It is easy to rejoice today, because Christ has allowed you to be His servant in this nation for another presidential term. Undoubtedly, you will have opportunity to appoint many conservative judges and exercise forceful leadership with the Congress in passing legislation that is defined by biblical norm regarding the family, sexuality, sanctity of life, religious freedom, freedom of speech, and limited government. You have four years—a brief time only—to leave an imprint for righteousness upon this nation that brings with it the blessings of Almighty God.
Christ said, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honour” (John 12:26).
The student body, faculty, and staff at Bob Jones University commit ourselves to pray for you—that you would do right and honor the Savior. Pull out all the stops and make a difference. If you have weaklings around you who do not share your biblical values, shed yourself of them. Conservative Americans would love to see one president who doesn't care whether he is liked, but cares infinitely that he does right.
Best wishes.
Sincerely your friend,
Bob Jones IIIPresident
BJIII:lw
PS: A few moments ago I read this letter to the students in Chapel. They applauded loudly their approval.
When I told them that Tom Daschle was no longer the minority leader of the Senate, they cheered again.
On occasion, Christians have not agreed with things you said during your first term. Nonetheless, we could not be more thankful that God has given you four more years to serve Him in the White House, never taking off your Christian faith and laying it aside as a man takes off a jacket, but living, speaking, and making decisions as one who knows the Bible to be eternally true.
I am going to do something radical right now. I am going to suggest that we don’t call for an all out battle against these frightening people who would like the United States to be a theocracy. I am going to suggest that we need a different tact, one that takes values, reframes them, and folds them into a vision that cuts the legs out from the religious right by appealing to those edges of their coalition who still have the sense to know that people like Bob Jones do not represent their views.
Since writing a couple of thoughts down on e-paper after the election, I have had some very interesting conversations. These conversations have been with old friends, new friends, Republicans, Libertarians, Democrats and Pagans and I have come to a conclusion about the election, it still sucks. But beyond that pearl of observation, I have also had a couple of thoughts on the thoughts I had after the election. (Both emails are attached below, please disregard if you have already read them and read them if you haven’t, I kinda lost track of who I sent what).
It is obvious to me, and many people I have talked with, that we need a new paradigm in politics. The real conclusion that I came to after the election is, the political discourse in the United States is actually based on an outdated paradigm, the paradigm of the industrial revolution. I would like to say it had its roots in 20th Century thought, but in fact it may be based in 19th Century thought. Political machines and ideological constituencies were built to serve special interests and sustain power and accept for a rare progressive movement such as the abolition of slavery, civil rights or women’s right to vote, little has changed.
So I had a thought for a metaphor, not a good one, but bear with me. If we were examining our political process as expressed by this last election and compared it to a dinner table the following might occur. The Democrats would argue that the condiments were good for the people and that more condiments might be necessary. They add flavor, they need to be supported by the government, and the relish should be given a choice place on the table in order to make up for the dominance of the ketchup and mustard. The Republicans might say that the condiments should be paid for by the states, we should only have ketchup and mustard and (in light of the above letter) that ketchup was inspired by god and sauerkraut shouldn’t even be on the table because it is un-American.
Then there would be other issue-based discussions on the merits of salt and pepper and god-forbid we start talking about soy sauce. Here is my point, we always end up fighting about the issues and rarely if ever talk about the table. We are so mired in the discussion of the individual issues as represented by interest groups in this country, we are neglecting some huge overriding issues that are much more global in nature. For instance, now that we have moved from the industrial age to the information age, is there a technique to influence world politics in more enlightened ways other than violence? After years of talking about the promise of America, is it time to export it with the full faith and credit of the United States?
I am not naïve about the threats that face this country. I felt the same anger on 9/11 as all my fellow Americans did. But taking $200 Billion and spending it they way it has been spent is a crime. How is that better than taking $200 Billon and supporting alternative sources of energy, promoting human rights across the world, building schools, and supporting democracy, diplomacy and understanding across borders, race and religious groups?
If we truly are going to build a progressive movement that cuts the foundation out from under Bob Jones and other enemies of democracy, I believe we must win on a different level. One that places the discussion of these issues in a framework of a new vision. This vision must allow for differences. This vision must look inside our borders first and work together to come to terms with a new era. Evolving as a country isn’t bad. In fact, we will never live in the 1950’s again and the Bob Jones’ of this world may need to come to terms with that. But we also must move from special interest based politics to the politics of the future. We cannot close our borders, and expect the rest of the world to go away, or worse, look exactly like us.
I am thinking myself and would like to encourage any of you who are taking the time to read this to think about these questions. What can I do to get involved and change the level of political discussion in this country? How can I resist getting stuck fighting just about the issues (I don’t want us to totally give up the fight while we work on the bigger picture), and contribute to a principle/value-based progressive movement built on compromise, mutual benefit and a nondenominational spiritual connection with each other and our planet? Yes, I know, this is sort of a lot to ask, but if we don’t start to think about it we will never get it done.
So here I am, another Sunday morning at the computer. I will repeat, if you do not want to receive my random thoughts, I will be happy to remove you from the list. But, if you continue to, please consider the above questions. Once again, I am not sure how all this will turn out, but I don’t want our election disappointment to be lost because the passage of time. We must hold that in our hearts and work now to change the future.
This is what I read in the paper this morning. I would like to thank Maureen Dowd for bringing it to my attention.
http://www.bju.edu/letter
Congratulatory letter to President George W. Bush from Dr. Bob Jones III
November 3, 2004
President George W. Bush The White House1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The media tells us that you have received the largest number of popular votes of any president in America's history. Congratulations!
In your re-election, God has graciously granted America—though she doesn't deserve it—a reprieve from the agenda of paganism. You have been given a mandate. We the people expect your voice to be like the clear and certain sound of a trumpet. Because you seek the Lord daily, we who know the Lord will follow that kind of voice eagerly.
Don't equivocate. Put your agenda on the front burner and let it boil. You owe the liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ. Honor the Lord, and He will honor you.
Had your opponent won, I would have still given thanks, because the Bible says I must (I Thessalonians 5:18). It would have been hard, but because the Lord lifts up whom He will and pulls down whom He will, I would have done it. It is easy to rejoice today, because Christ has allowed you to be His servant in this nation for another presidential term. Undoubtedly, you will have opportunity to appoint many conservative judges and exercise forceful leadership with the Congress in passing legislation that is defined by biblical norm regarding the family, sexuality, sanctity of life, religious freedom, freedom of speech, and limited government. You have four years—a brief time only—to leave an imprint for righteousness upon this nation that brings with it the blessings of Almighty God.
Christ said, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honour” (John 12:26).
The student body, faculty, and staff at Bob Jones University commit ourselves to pray for you—that you would do right and honor the Savior. Pull out all the stops and make a difference. If you have weaklings around you who do not share your biblical values, shed yourself of them. Conservative Americans would love to see one president who doesn't care whether he is liked, but cares infinitely that he does right.
Best wishes.
Sincerely your friend,
Bob Jones IIIPresident
BJIII:lw
PS: A few moments ago I read this letter to the students in Chapel. They applauded loudly their approval.
When I told them that Tom Daschle was no longer the minority leader of the Senate, they cheered again.
On occasion, Christians have not agreed with things you said during your first term. Nonetheless, we could not be more thankful that God has given you four more years to serve Him in the White House, never taking off your Christian faith and laying it aside as a man takes off a jacket, but living, speaking, and making decisions as one who knows the Bible to be eternally true.
I am going to do something radical right now. I am going to suggest that we don’t call for an all out battle against these frightening people who would like the United States to be a theocracy. I am going to suggest that we need a different tact, one that takes values, reframes them, and folds them into a vision that cuts the legs out from the religious right by appealing to those edges of their coalition who still have the sense to know that people like Bob Jones do not represent their views.
Since writing a couple of thoughts down on e-paper after the election, I have had some very interesting conversations. These conversations have been with old friends, new friends, Republicans, Libertarians, Democrats and Pagans and I have come to a conclusion about the election, it still sucks. But beyond that pearl of observation, I have also had a couple of thoughts on the thoughts I had after the election. (Both emails are attached below, please disregard if you have already read them and read them if you haven’t, I kinda lost track of who I sent what).
It is obvious to me, and many people I have talked with, that we need a new paradigm in politics. The real conclusion that I came to after the election is, the political discourse in the United States is actually based on an outdated paradigm, the paradigm of the industrial revolution. I would like to say it had its roots in 20th Century thought, but in fact it may be based in 19th Century thought. Political machines and ideological constituencies were built to serve special interests and sustain power and accept for a rare progressive movement such as the abolition of slavery, civil rights or women’s right to vote, little has changed.
So I had a thought for a metaphor, not a good one, but bear with me. If we were examining our political process as expressed by this last election and compared it to a dinner table the following might occur. The Democrats would argue that the condiments were good for the people and that more condiments might be necessary. They add flavor, they need to be supported by the government, and the relish should be given a choice place on the table in order to make up for the dominance of the ketchup and mustard. The Republicans might say that the condiments should be paid for by the states, we should only have ketchup and mustard and (in light of the above letter) that ketchup was inspired by god and sauerkraut shouldn’t even be on the table because it is un-American.
Then there would be other issue-based discussions on the merits of salt and pepper and god-forbid we start talking about soy sauce. Here is my point, we always end up fighting about the issues and rarely if ever talk about the table. We are so mired in the discussion of the individual issues as represented by interest groups in this country, we are neglecting some huge overriding issues that are much more global in nature. For instance, now that we have moved from the industrial age to the information age, is there a technique to influence world politics in more enlightened ways other than violence? After years of talking about the promise of America, is it time to export it with the full faith and credit of the United States?
I am not naïve about the threats that face this country. I felt the same anger on 9/11 as all my fellow Americans did. But taking $200 Billion and spending it they way it has been spent is a crime. How is that better than taking $200 Billon and supporting alternative sources of energy, promoting human rights across the world, building schools, and supporting democracy, diplomacy and understanding across borders, race and religious groups?
If we truly are going to build a progressive movement that cuts the foundation out from under Bob Jones and other enemies of democracy, I believe we must win on a different level. One that places the discussion of these issues in a framework of a new vision. This vision must allow for differences. This vision must look inside our borders first and work together to come to terms with a new era. Evolving as a country isn’t bad. In fact, we will never live in the 1950’s again and the Bob Jones’ of this world may need to come to terms with that. But we also must move from special interest based politics to the politics of the future. We cannot close our borders, and expect the rest of the world to go away, or worse, look exactly like us.
I am thinking myself and would like to encourage any of you who are taking the time to read this to think about these questions. What can I do to get involved and change the level of political discussion in this country? How can I resist getting stuck fighting just about the issues (I don’t want us to totally give up the fight while we work on the bigger picture), and contribute to a principle/value-based progressive movement built on compromise, mutual benefit and a nondenominational spiritual connection with each other and our planet? Yes, I know, this is sort of a lot to ask, but if we don’t start to think about it we will never get it done.
So here I am, another Sunday morning at the computer. I will repeat, if you do not want to receive my random thoughts, I will be happy to remove you from the list. But, if you continue to, please consider the above questions. Once again, I am not sure how all this will turn out, but I don’t want our election disappointment to be lost because the passage of time. We must hold that in our hearts and work now to change the future.
posted by change2008 at 3:44 PM
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