I was watching the news tonight when, in the coverage to the run up to Americas election, some people in an Arizona Church were asked about Bush and The War Against Terror (otherwise known as T.W.A.T. for short).

They gave their full support for Bush citing that he was “God’s President” and that by going and waging war on Iraq he was “spreading the word of God.” They were then shown all standing in a circle, in their frumpy fashions, and praying aloud asking the good Lord to put his chosen president in place to lead America.

The brief storey then showed the people that style left behind all standing around singing and clapping out of tune to some old praise song being banged out of an equally old piano by an even more old lady.

“Is this war more or a crusade do you think?” asked the interviewer to one female member of the congregation.
“Well of course! This is about proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ, bringing the gospel to a part of the world that has been lied to throughout history.”
“Would you then describe this as a Holy War?” says the interviewer
“Absolutely.” is the quick and decisive response from the woman.

I could only sit there shaking my head in disbelief. This isn’t a Holy War, this is supposed to be a war about freedom and liberty, though most agree that to claim that is to ignore the obvious facts that this seems to be a war more about oil than anything else. After all, if America and Britain were so concerned with the freedom of Iraq under the oppressive dictatorship, then how come those countries haven’t yet started military action against China? Why was it America remain tight liped and uninvolved about the situation in Sudan?

Say what you will about this war, but surely the last thing it’s about is religion. And surely that’s the last thing it should be about too. This isn’t a Jesus -v- Allah showdown and making it that would make an already volatile and seriously out of hand situation far graver than it already is.

The Christians interviewed in the news story claimed that God was on their side. The interviewer then asked if that wasn’t exactly what al-Qaeda have repeatedly claimed. The answer is of course yes.

God himself has yet to come out and publicly comment on who’s side he’s on. But my thought is that God, whichever team he plays for, must surely not be in favor of any kind of war? I mean if God isn’t a peaceful leader/creator then heaven isn’t going to be the wondrous bliss we’re all looking forward to.

Of course as America gets ever closer to polling day the rest of the world is looking on, much of it hoping that Bush will be ousted from the currently less than White House. Bush has fudged foreign policy in his four years at the wheel. He’s upset numerous countries, many of whom (including the UK) were, and still are, considered friends and allies. His unwinable war has created more problems than it has fixed, and he’s a card carrying oil man. Having said that though, maybe America (and the world) should give him a chance to ‘fix’ the things he’s so badly broken.

Kerry is popular across the world more by default than by virtue. He’s popular mainly because Bush is so intensely hated. We know very little about him. The bumper stickers I’ve seen in the United states with slogans such as “Anybody but Bush 04” may be funny, but is it really a considered and sensible thing to simply vote for ‘the other guy’ just to get ‘the present guy’ out?

Whatever happens I hope it won’t turn into the farce that we saw in the Bush -v- Gore vote, where America looked utterly pompous on centre stage of the world. And if Kerry does get in, I wonder, will the happy clappy Bush supporters stand behind Gods decision? Who knows, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Why Christians should vote
George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascism
Why Christians should not vote for Bush
ChristianVotes.com
Commical Florida voting machine video
GWBush04.com