OH THE THINGS WE DO IN THE NAME OF DIALOGUE

In 2003, literally the Student Center at my college had a large gathering of students. In fact, it was standing room only. In the post-9/11/2001 world, specifically the four years after the tragedy, patriotism was at an all-time high, especially on college campuses. So, every time the President gave a national address, it became a big deal . The same night President Bush gave the State of the Union, declaring North Korea, Iran, and Iraq as the Axis of Evil, I experienced marginalization and shame. When total strangers walked up to me and asked why I wasn’t interested in watching the President give his address, I answered, “I don’t believe in war.”  Of course, I was asked, “How come you do not respect the President?”

Right, because it’s all about me and my partisan dislike, right? It’s not like it could not be a matter of principle. Or maybe I should have just handed over my brain to the crowd. Maybe that would have made them feel better.

So, it brings me glee, yes, glee that President Bush now faces this same marginalization for his decision to go to war with Iraq. W was scheduled to speak at an evangelical Christian college in Toronto, Tyndale University College and Seminary (leave it to Canada to have 3 names for a college). A group of alumni sent an open letter and an online petition protesting the event. The event was NEVER about dialogue, as Craig Carter claims. It never is. It’s about ideology and money. You could get any other college professor or dean to come to talk about the value of a Christian education.

Just because someone is Christian does not mean “THE CHURCH” has to blindly and uncritically support them. The value of a Christian education, should above all, glorify the Creator, and teach the sanctity of all human life. George W. Bush, in his policies and witness, does not meet this bare minimum standard (yup, the one I just made up– no one is above ideology). I will agree with Carter on one thing:

“n this frenzy of hate stoked by the Left one thing has been forgotten. George W. Bush is also a man. He is a son, a father, a husband, a sinner, a believer and a flesh and blood human being.”

Yes, President Bush is a human being, and I do love him as a brother in Christ. But the women and men tortured at Guantanamo Bay and at Abu Ghairab are also human beings, flesh and blood. They too, are sons, daughters, wives, husbands, sinners, believers, and as such, being made in the image of God, they were due humane treatment, and not racist objectification, torment, and death.

I respect the former President. My respect of human life is far greater.

**Editor’s Note:

I now realize that there has been some vitriol by the victorious dissenters. Again, my position is not anything personal against George W. Bush, I am not trying to overcompensate like so many evangelicals and former evangelicals today by being anti-everything W; I just always just had honest policy differences with W even in my fundamentalist Christian/moderate Democrat days. Here is a post that shows there has been a lot of editting over at the protest site with mean comments: Chris Lewis, Out. Thanks to Amanda Mac for the heads up! See, I can be fair and balanced **

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• Bush’s Toronto speech abruptly cancelled (cbc.ca)

RodtRDH

Rod the Rogue Demon Hunter, Preacher of Hope | Black Scholar of Patristics | Writer for Nonviolent Politics. Destroyer of Trolls. It must be that angry puppy.

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