RE: religion

["Craven, Jim" <jcraven@xxxxxxxxx>]

Richard Fidler wrote:

>> In the course of his speech, Abbas relates what Bush told him at
Aqaba. According to Abbas, Bush said, "God told me to strike at al Qaida and
I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did,
and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East." Was this
an accurate paraphrase of what Bush said? Given Abbas's agenda (persuade the
militant organizations to allow him to continue down the road of
negotiations), he would have no reason to portray Bush in what they would
view as an unfavourable light. A statement against interest is usually taken
to be credible. The inference is that the President of the United States
believes God told him to invade Iraq. It is unreported whether the Almighty
was responsible for the proposal to exempt corporate dividends from income
tax.

>> Here's the link (through J. Bradford deLong's website):

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=310788&contrassID=
2&su bContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y


Actually Bush is a practicing Methodist and hard-core Calvinist--the perfect
"theology" (pre-ordination/pre-destination) for the dumb, simple-minded and
meagalomaniacal. Bush is on record with one of the usual tautologies common
to Calvinism: I was preordained to wealth and power by God. How do I know? I
am rich and powerful so it must be God's plan. Bush openly said that he was
"pre-ordained" by god to become the resident and has said so in several
venues. I think Weber had it part right that Calvinism was a perfect
theology for emerging capitalism and an essential--or at least very
useful--component of the SSA of emerging capitalism.

Here is a poem I did on the tautological nature of the typical Calvinist
syllogism (published on Swans):


Tautological Hubris
A Poem by Jim Craven



We,
are Americans,
"Number One", you know,
just ask us;
"Number One" in what?
money, for instance,
and that buys everything else
of "worth".
We are the most, among nations,
in God's Grace;
How do we know?
we're "Number One",
and only those in God's Grace,
would God make "Number One",
that is the evidence, the "proof",
it is all very Calvinist,
and purely tautological.
And only those in God's Grace,
have the "Truth",
that is also the evidence, the "proof",
that we are in God's grace,
and have the truth,
since only those with the "Truth",
could be in God's Grace,
and vice versa,
it is all very Calvinist,
and purely tautological.
And how can those with the "Truth",
be wrong?
or not act in accordance with the "Truth"?
and that is the evidence, the "proof",
that we have the "Truth",
and act in accordance with it,
because what we believe,
and what we do,
keeps us in God's Grace,
"therefore", we must have the "Truth",
and must be acting in accordance with it,
it is all very Calvinist,
and purely tautological.
And since those who have the "Truth",
and act in accordance with it,
are the Good and the Blessed,
we must be the Good and Blessed,
we have the "Truth",
and act in accordance with it,
which means that those who do not believe as we do,
or act as we act,
must not have the "Truth",
or be acting in accordance with it,
they must not be in God's Grace,
they must be Evil and the Damned;
it is all very Calvinist,
and purely tautological.



* * * * * *


Resources

Iraq on Swans

Poetry on Swans



Jim Craven is a member of the Blackfoot Nation and a Professor of Economics,
Business Division Chair, Clark College, Vancouver, WA.