On Kos, they have posted a translation of Bush’s VE day commemoration in the Netherlands. A couple of quotes make me, well, quite uneasy, considering that Mr. Bush repeatedly tells us all how much of a born again Christian he is:
In his speech at Margraten, Bush said Sunday that the most important lesson of World War II is that ‘no power is as strong as the power of freedom. There’s no soldier as strong as one who fights for freedom’.
Actually, I can name one power which is stronger: the Lord our God.
According to Bush, the free Europe after World War II was built on the courage and sacrifices of the soldiers who liberated the continent. The free world that Bush wants to leave as his legacy has been inspired by that. “We are at the service of the truth: freedom is the most important.” In the 21st century, according to Bush, Americans and Europeans work together to bring freedom to Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East. “Freedom is the permanent hope of humanity”, said Bush.
Freedom is the permanent hope of humanity? Funny, but my theology teaches me that Jesus Christ is the permanent hope of humanity.
Now, I understand that Mr. Bush cannot, because of his position, preach the gospel, nor would I expect him to (Unlike the Christian right, I believe in the separation of church and state, after all). But that doesn’t mean that he should be uttering things that are completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus - at least if he’s serious about following Him.
