Here is a good editorial from USA Today about Playing the 'God' card. Here are a few highlights:
"Just 17 months ago, President Bush and the Republican Party seemed to be riding a divine tide. At the GOP convention in the summer of 2004, religious rhetoric flew through the air like streamers and confetti."
"Dubious at the time, the God's-on-our-side rhetoric is looking even less credible now, after more than a year of frequently bad news for the president and his administration."
"Therein lies a lesson our political leaders would do well to remember the next time they're tempted to invoke God for partisan politics, whether the cause is liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican. Be careful, lest unfolding events make you and your pious claims look downright foolish."
"Tellingly, the president and his political brethren aren't invoking the divine as frequently or boldly these days. It's reminiscent of high-profile athletes who are eager to cite God in moments of triumph, but rarely invoke religion after an embarrassing failure or big loss."
"But to a large degree, religious-talking Republicans have brought the hypocrisy charges on themselves in their rush to position their party as God's chosen. It hasn't taken long for events to demonstrate how silly God's-on-our-side political rhetoric can end up looking when things go south."
"It's not just secular Americans who have a strong interest in a more appropriate treatment of religion in our political tussles. Because in wielding faith like just another political tactic, opportunistic politicians don't just discredit themselves — they give religion a bad name, too."
Amen! It is time for politicians to show their reverence for God by not (mis)using religion and God's name for their own political purposes. And it is time for Christians to quit fall into the trap of blindly following those who use God for political gain.
"Just 17 months ago, President Bush and the Republican Party seemed to be riding a divine tide. At the GOP convention in the summer of 2004, religious rhetoric flew through the air like streamers and confetti."
"Dubious at the time, the God's-on-our-side rhetoric is looking even less credible now, after more than a year of frequently bad news for the president and his administration."
"Therein lies a lesson our political leaders would do well to remember the next time they're tempted to invoke God for partisan politics, whether the cause is liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican. Be careful, lest unfolding events make you and your pious claims look downright foolish."
"Tellingly, the president and his political brethren aren't invoking the divine as frequently or boldly these days. It's reminiscent of high-profile athletes who are eager to cite God in moments of triumph, but rarely invoke religion after an embarrassing failure or big loss."
"But to a large degree, religious-talking Republicans have brought the hypocrisy charges on themselves in their rush to position their party as God's chosen. It hasn't taken long for events to demonstrate how silly God's-on-our-side political rhetoric can end up looking when things go south."
"It's not just secular Americans who have a strong interest in a more appropriate treatment of religion in our political tussles. Because in wielding faith like just another political tactic, opportunistic politicians don't just discredit themselves — they give religion a bad name, too."
Amen! It is time for politicians to show their reverence for God by not (mis)using religion and God's name for their own political purposes. And it is time for Christians to quit fall into the trap of blindly following those who use God for political gain.
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