Dear President Bush: I am praying for you

[Sapphire Blue]

You frequently profess your ‘Christianity’, and claim Jesus to be your favorite philosopher. However, your actions would lead one to believe that you are neither a Christian, nor familiar with your favorite philosopher’s teachings. So, dear Georgie, I am praying that you will discover these teachings and convert to Christianity. I realize you don’t like reading, so perhaps Laura could read to you... she was a librarian once upon a time, so I’m sure she could do this… perhaps in lieu of a bedtime story.

May I suggest the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? You will find Jesus’ teachings there.

Since you have such a short attention span, let me point out just a few...



Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

- Matthew 5: 7





Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

- Matthew 5: 8





Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

- Matthew 5: 9





Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

- Matthew 5: 10





"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

- Matthew 6: 5





But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

- Matthew 6: 6





Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

- Matthew 23: 14





Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.

- Matthew 23: 23





And the King shall answer and say unto them, `Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.'

- Matthew 25: 40


















The War President

April 2004

My God, Georgie, what have you done?

[LiberalPartisan]

1. Wow! Fantastic post! n/t

[Sapphire Blue]

53. *** The War President *** Image *** (currently not available in the OP)

(Posting again here for anyone who doesn't read further down the thread)

[Maestro]

56. Great post!

It shows how hypocritical the religious right and those that cajole them are!

[mediaman007]

2. May Bush* and the Neocons have to pass the judgement of all

the innocents they have slaughtered at the gates of heaven.

[rsmith6621]

3. Kicked And Reccomended

Very moving and a good visual of what scripture meant.......

....IMPEACH THE BASTARD and HIS CRONIES........

[Mnemosyne]

4. Honor to be 5th. n/t

[Auntie Bush]

5. I wonder if Cindy has looked at that picture and found her son?

Just wondering? If she has...she should circle his photo and send it to bush* In fact all those mother's should...then maybe he would get a small feeling of how many lost lives (collateral damage) he's responsible for.

[buff2]

9. That cold hearted murdering bastard could give a shit less.

He is evil through and through.He is blood thirsty and probably gets off knowing how many lives have been lost by his orders. He is the King of Kings....so Jesus better move over and let King Georgie take his rightful place. :puke:

[fujiyama]

71. Wasn't that made before Casey's death?

It's a powerful photo. I forgot the name of the art type. I believe it was createtd by a guy at MIT.

[Marleyb]

6. wow

well done!

[karmaqueen]

7. Absolutely Wonderful! Thank You! n/t

[fooj]

8. Not in my name.

If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.- Mother Teresa

Peace.

[Az_lefty]

10. Well done. Thank You!

[JanusAscending]

11. POWERFUL WORDS and POWERFUL IMAGES !!

Now we must all speak TRUTH TO POWER !!

[MatrixEscape]

12. To do my part ....

I put on my robe and Wizard hat to cast a +100 Impeachment Spell with a Total Administration Clearing Bonus Hex. I wave my jewel-encrusted, Wand of Power across the land to bring the return of liberty and justice for all.

I hope other Wizards will join me in order to intensify the overall impetus and potency of this conjuration ;)

[Maraya1969]

60. It's all good. n/t

[rockymountaindem]

13. As a Jew, I do not subscribe to Christian theology; however

there is much in the New Testament in regards to social policy, such as that which you have quoted here, which I greatly respect. Some of the most moving words in the Torah also deal with what one might consider ancient tax codes, such as leaving the corners of the fields unharvested so the poor and homeless can partake of some unused wealth, giving a share of one's harvest/income to widows and the poor. Here's one of my favorites which I've posted here before:

7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

-Deuteronomy, Chapter 15

Simple yet beautiful if you ask me.

BTW, beautiful post, nominated!

[TygrBright]

15. Indeed... the Torah is the foundation...

...of Jesus' work. Those who concentrate obsessively on the occasional mentions of "heinous sins" like witchcraft and homosexuality are overlooking the dozens upon dozens of injunctions to be hospitable to strangers, generous to the poor, just to the powerless, etc.

That always bemuses me. And it's EXACTLY what Jesus was getting at (IMHO) in the passage quoted by the OP about "tithing mint and cumin and anise" vs. leaving the big things undone.

The beauty of any holy scripture is that the sincere seeker after truth can always find it. The danger of any holy scripture is that the deluded seeker after power can always find justification there, too.

thoughtfully,
Bright

[EVDebs]

46. The Greatest Commandment

a 'Damascus Road' intervention by the Lord Himself may be necessary. However, Bush has probably heard this:

Love one another. Matthew 22:36-40

""36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love he Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.""


http://www.gideons.org/biblehelpsnew/readings/greatestcommandment.html

And the Freemasons who founded this country were fond of Micah 4: 3-5

""4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken .

4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.""

This was a favorite of Henry Wallace, a Freemason like FDR, who knew that everyone walking freely in the name of his god, was the tolerance that Masonry speaks of.

http://www.srmason-sj.org/council/journal/uzzel.html

Liberty, equality, fraternity.

The diabolical aspects of who ruined Wallace's career can be seen in Allen Dulle's behind-the-scenes manuevering to force Wallace out of VP consideration via a 'spy' scandal in Roosevelt's final term. This may account for the enmity between Truman and Wallace, brother masons along with FDR.

Check this out as to why FDR dropped Wallace from the ticket and ask 'who was the greater spy ?'

"“The wiretap evidence against Dulles originally was collected by a special section of Operation Safehaven, the U.S. Treasury Department’s effort to trace the movement of stolen Nazi booty towards the end of the war. Roosevelt and Treasury Secretary Henry Morganthau had set up Dulles by giving him the one assignment – intelligence chief in Switzerland – where he would be most tempted to aid his German clients with their money laundering.”
Roosevelt had one thing in mind: “The sudden release of the Safehaven intercepts would force a public outcry to bring treason charges against those British and American businessmen who aided the enemy in time of war.” Among the targets were Allen Dulles, Henry Ford, and other U.S. industrialists. (5)
The plan failed, however, due to Dulles being “tipped off . . . that he was under surveillance” in time to cover his tracks. One possible source of the leak was Vice President Henry Wallace, “who constantly shared information with his brother-in-law, the Swiss minister in Washington during the war.”
“Wallace,” the authors reveal, “gave many details of his secret meetings with Roosevelt to the Swiss diplomat.” The problem was that, at the time, the Nazis “had recruited the head of the Swiss secret service.”
It is, perhaps, no coincidence that Roosevelt dropped Wallace during the 1944 election, choosing instead Senator Harry S. Truman as his new running mate.” see 'comments' section in

Connection: Wall Street Recruits part 3
http://continuity.gnn.tv/blogs/6310/Connection_Wall_Street_recruits_part_3

scroll about halfway down.

We owe much to the Freemasonic Founding Fathers. The Knights of Malta, such as Allen Dulles, will have the truth come out on them. Did you know that most of the founding cadre of the CIA were Knights of Malta (Wm Donovan, Wm Casey, Wm Colby, James Jesus Angleton, Reinhard Gehlen - via Operation Paperclip, etc. etc.) ?

[unkachuck]

14. Thank you....very moving....n/t

[gulliver]

16. Wow! That's really good.

Thanks for posting it. A real grabber.

[Mr_Spock]

17. Very nice work there...

If only King George could read...

[NMMNG]

18. Excellent post. You should e-mail this to him.

K&R. :thumbsup:

[fortyfeetunder]

70. better yet, slip it into a copy of "My Pet Goat"

his favorite book.

[RedOnce]

19. Thank you...

for helping me visualize the meaning of the Beatitudes today.

It is a very powerful piece Sapphire Blue.

[mzmolly]

20. Very powerful.

Glad I "klicked" - recommended.

[Pachamama]

21. Wow! We should all send this to the White House...and to churches!

:applause:

What do you think their answer to this would be? :eyes:

[Sapphire Blue]

28. Many churches would agree. They're not all led by Robertsons & Fallwells.

The WH, though... they'd probably put me on their NSA list.

[Canuckistanian]

22. Can't argue with that

K&R

[ClayZ]

23. Thank you, Saphire Blue!

[Sapphire Blue]

30. Hi, ClayZ!

:hi: You are very welcome.

[Fox Mulder]

24. One of the best threads I've ever read here on the DU.

:kick:

[njdemocrat106]

25. Kicked and recommended!

This is one of the most powerful posts I've read here on DU (and possibly the Internet as a whole). I can understand why many here don't trust Christianity when you have people like Bush, Robertson, Phelps, and Falwell subverting its peaceful and charitable message for their own insidious purposes. And for as much as I've seen the portrait of Bush consisting of Americans who have been murdered by this man and his administration, it still sends chills down my spine, and reminds of how much blood is on his hands.

Excellent post. :thumbsup:

[Sapphire Blue]

29. On ' War President'...

http://amleft.blogspot.com/archives/2004_04_01_amleft_archive.html#10813433295590473

I agree w/your comments on why many here have a hard time trusting Christianity. Jimmy Carter's book, 'Our Endandered Values', is one of the best commentaries I've read on what the RW has done to Christianity... and Carter lays out Christ's message so very well in the book... and in his life.

[Sapphire Blue]

49. *** The War President *** Image *** (currently not available in the OP)

[AntiFascist]

26. Excellent post...if only the participants of the National Prayer

Breakfast would read it.

[Sapphire Blue]

31. They got a beautiful sermon from Bono.

http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=sojomail.display&issue=060203

Video on C-SPAN (http://www.c-span.org / {VIDEO/AUDIO - Recent Programs} )

[davekriss]

51. I thought so too (Bono)

I was touched by the truth and beauty of Bono's words and loved that Bush-the-Brute and that lizard, Norm Coleman were sitting right and left of the podium. Such a beautiful message, such deaf and spiritually dead juxtaposed, the hypochrisy of the Republithugs was laid bare for all to see.

[dogindia]

27. kick. thank you so very much.

[Straight Shooter]

32. And Jesus said, "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do."

But I look at them and say, "How can I forgive them, Lord, for they know what they do and yet they do it anyway."

Beautiful job, Sapphire Blue. I don't claim to be Christian, but there are definitely some passages in the Bible which speak to all hearts, if the hearts be listening.

[Sapphire Blue]

34. I struggle w/that, and and also with...

... "Ye have heard that it hath been said, `Thou shalt love thy neighbor... and hate thine enemy.'

But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven. For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect.

- Matthew 5: 43-48 (Part of the Sermon on the Mount, which begins w/the Beatitudes... several of which I posted in the OP)


(My struggle comes from perhaps what you said... "... for they know what they do and yet they do it anyway." So, it's back to Matthew 5: 43-48 I go. *sigh* ... and then I pray for bush, as stated in the OP! )

[Straight Shooter]

37. You're a far better person than I am, Sapphire Blue.

"So, it's back to Matthew 5: 43-48 I go. *sigh* ... and then I pray for bush, as stated in the OP!"

I need my stubborn nonforgiveness to fuel my anger, which in turn fuels my desire to fight against the wrongs being done in the name of God. Not that I'm religious, far from it, but to use the name of God to commit evil is to me the worst sin of all. I believe it was Paschal who said, "Men never do evil so cheerfully and completely as when they do it from religious conviction." So true.

[Sapphire Blue]

41. No, not at all, not by any means.

As I said, I struggle w/it... more than you can imagine.

'A little insight' into what keeps me going : http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x299919

[Straight Shooter]

48. Thank you for sharing that.

It's odd, your posts never came across to me as being obsessive or even close. Impassioned, maybe, or heartfelt would be a better word. I am sorry for the struggles you are going through, I truly am, and saddened. I have seen that struggle up close and personal in a dear friend of mine who is now gone.

Once in a while, I light a candle for someone. Tonight I shall light one for Sapphire Blue.

BTW, you're still a better person than I am. Most people are. :)

[Sapphire Blue]

52. Some would disagree w/you...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5580253

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=5427593#5436912

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5563415 (the posts on the DP)

There were many, many more of these threads. *sigh*

(Please light a candle, too, for all who will be hurt by the recent budget cuts.)

[BushOut06]

33. Great prayer - but can I still pray for him to get explosive diarreah?

I realize some things in my post last night were inappropriate, but at least let me pray for that ;)

[Sapphire Blue]

35. I can't tell you what/how to pray, but you didn't need to post that here.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

36. "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do."

Hey, I'm not a fan of OR as it is practiced, but the theory and the teachings are well enough.

Georgie, you heartless bastard, look what you've done.

:cry:

[Loge23]

38. Awesome!

Superb post! Thank you!

[Protagoras]

39. Didn't you get the memo? Since 9/11 it's all OLD TESTAMENT

from here on out. All that namby pamby Christ stuff went down with our twin towers. Now we just keep the name "Christian" as a historical reference. In reality we don't like turning the other cheek and believe it's political suicide (as well as damn expensive to our friends in the military industrial complex) if we go around feeding the poor and healing the sick when we could be making bank!

So get with the program. Toss out the second half of that there book because none of W's good Christians are reading it anyway. We are getting back to that OLD TIME religion.


hmmm...that sounds familiar? Oh yeah something to do with a earlier monkey trial. Oh well nevermind. Just realize that Matthew, Mark and Luke were pinko liberals and we don't really need them in the new post 9/11 world. We need them old schoolers who really knew how to punish sinners and stone their wives. That's the way you fight Terraism.

[spanone]

40. The Idiot-in-Chief will never understand irony. Never.

...and if he is a Christian? God help us.

[kiteinthewind]

42. K&R!

:kick:

[Midlodemocrat]

43. Fantastic post! K & R!

[samhsarah]

44. WOW!

Just wow. Thank you, Sapphire Blue.:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

45. ...

:hug:

[Vektor]

47. Excellent post.

Beautiful but sad. And true. Thank you for this.

[ktlyon]

50. thanks

.

[The Governor]

54. You know things are bad when Democrats start looking for help

from supernatural beings.

[Sapphire Blue]

55. Millions of Democrats are people of faith; we just don't pervert...

... faith the way the Radical RW does... Robertson, Falwell, the Taliban, et al.

You know things are really bad when Repubs are in power.

Edited to add: And we Democrats are of many faiths.

[journalist3072]

67. I really take offense to your post

Even though I left the Democratic party and became a registered Independent, I really take offense to your post, which seems to imply that Democrats are not people of faith.

I have said it many times before, and I will say it again: it is exactly BECAUSE of my religious beliefs, NOT IN SPITE OF THEM, that I am a progressive, with left-of-center political views.

My Christian values have had a profound impact on my political beliefs.

I believe it is a Christian value to lift up the least among us.

I believe it is a Christian value to fight for health care for every American.

I believe it is a Christian value to fight for civil rights.

I believe it is a Christian value to say "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" and so we have a responsibility to our environment.

[Sapphire Blue]

68. The Governor is no longer with us.

[Stinky The Clown]

57. Wow ..... just wow ..........

Moving, indeed.

K&R

[Pharaoh]

58. That was awesome!

every body ! send it to cnn cbs, your senators ect............

this is powerful stuff!

Saphire Blue I bow to you.........

O8)

[Pharaoh]

59. hey!!

make this into a flash movie like no bravery!!!

[Sapphire Blue]

62. I wish I knew how to do that!

[Pharaoh]

64. Send an email to bpilgrim

he was involved in no bravery I think............

I can email him for you?

[PA Democrat]

61. Beautifully done Sapphire Blue n/t

[peekaloo]

63. Ramen!

Any asshole who smirks when he mentions Christ as his favorite philosopher should be forced to eat a bible and shit scripture!

[appleannie1]

65. AMEN

And the same applies no matter what religion.

[journalist3072]

66. Another scripture for Bushie and crew

Matthew 7: 21-23 (KJV)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

[bigwillq]

69. This is a great post.

Thanks for sharing!:hi:

[fortyfeetunder]

72. Sapphire Blue : AWESOME!

Perfect study for a man who says God speaks to him.

[bleever]

73. As someone who was raised Catholic, and who only

really came to understand the message of Jesus after serious immersion in Buddhism, please accept my gratitude for the beauty of this post.

[Sapphire Blue]

74. THANK YOU to everyone who recommended & replied to this thread!

Soon to drop off the 'Greatest' page... w/91 recommendations. I am honored & awed.