I ask this in all seriousness, with my justification compounded by the twin facts that the current president (sic) of the United States claims to be a Christian, and to speak with Jesus (pray) for guidance, and that he is currently waging a unilateral war of aggression on the other side of the planet. His second - and probably not his last. September 11, 2001. Four passenger jets are hijacked by about 20 men, three of which are successfully crashed, fully laden with fuel, into the Pentagon and both of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. The fourth is... brought down in a field by the passengers, who knew by then that this was not an "ordinary" hijacking. The perpetrators are dead. They were led, supposedly, by a shadowy figure, an expatriate Saudi Arabian millionaire. A man who has not come to light other than in some questionable audio recordings since that time. A middle eastern despot is contained by massive economic embargoes and restrictions on his access to war materiel - even to his own airspace - but intentional government lies linking him and his regime to the attack Americans are kept in fear of by that same government have resulted in a vicious war... Does Mr. Bush hear voices in his head? When he prays, does his God tell him that violence will make the world a better place? Does he, based on the evidence of Jesus' ministry as reported in the gospels, hear a voice that can be ascribed to Jesus? If so, does he act on it? Mr. Bush's political party would like to see prayer in school - a prayer to a non-violent Jesus, perhaps? They want to post the Ten Commandments in as many public places as possible, and will fight every attempt to remove them in court. "Thou shalt not kill." There do not appear to be any exceptions to this rule when it is posted in public or private. It appears to be an absolute commandment with no wiggle room. of course, as I understand it, Jesus had different answers when asked what the Commandments were... something about loving your neighbor and treating others as you would be treated. I'd hate to be George Bush's neighbor. If this question seems repetitious, it is because as I look around me at this allegedly (it isn't) Christian nation, inhabited by a majority Christian population, and "led" by an avowedly and even aggressively Christian man, we are happily murdering strangers half-way around the globe who have no means to injure us. I have to ask all these "followers" of the Prince of Peace... * This question has two current events requirements for complete understanding. One is the second Bush war, in Iraq, and the the other is the humorous question "What would Jesus drive?" promoted recently as an attempt to call into ridiculous doubt the fashion in America to drive huge Suburban Futility Vehicles as family cars. The answer is simple, of course - Jesus would walk. On rare occasion, he might be prompted to ride an ass, but generally, Jesus stayed on the ground where he could touch and be touched by the people around him. (return to top) 
© Huw Powell
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