Burning Bush

Click here for a fascinating article in the Times about George W Bush and his public statements about Christian faith.

The comments which follow the statements are a mish-mash of anti-Christian and anti-church-and-state polemic, but the 50 chosen comments from Bush are revealing in all sorts of ways.

Some are just silly.

Despite myself I enjoyed the idea of him denouncing anti-Catholic "bigacy". (Is that the idea that the Protestant denominations get more people attending? We're "bigger" than you?)

And he's probably right to say Osama bin Laden wouldn't really enjoy Hanukkah.

There is also a confusion of culture and faith - though he claims that Freedom isn't America's gift to the world - it is God's (or the Almighty's, or an Almighty's), the terms of that gift sometimes sound very "American Christian" - the alternative being either an aside, an add-on or false religion.

And of course, lots of Christians all over the world want to support a Christian man in George's position but find themselves wincing and running for cover every time he opens his mouth on the subject, as he fails to explain everything from why they switched from an Episcopalian to a Methodist church, to then being recorded on another occasion as saying, "I don't think you order suiciders to kill innocent men, women, and children if you're a religious person". Not suiciders, just regular forces, then it's OK for a religious person to issue those orders.

We wonder - is he for real - faithwise? I pray so. I think. I could not wish him not to be. But he will have to answer for what he has done. As we all will. Though most of us have not had the world's fate and the lives of millions dependent on our judgement and malapropisms, which in that context lose their humour.

A serviceman home on R&R from Iraq this week told me that the place was death and destruction everywhere - worse than he had ever seen it. I had a cold call from a stationery salesman on Wednesday - an ex-serviceman who left the miltary after his wife gave birth to their first daughter earlier this year. He told the same tale - pointlessness and mayhem and soldiers obeying orders that mean nothing.

So I think I pray that George W Bush is for real, faithwise. Because he is beyond a joke for me as I watch families here sweat it out as their boys serve out there in Bush and Blair's warzone, with too many dying for the vanity and stupidity of leaders who mouth statements of faith as if it lets them off the hook. It does not.

We who live by faith don't find you funny, George; just plain offensive. And the less you talk about God, the better that might be for everyone.