# George W. Bush's Divine Mission **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658 "2003-06-26T23:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/1 "2003-06-26T23:49:55Z")
Anyone have any more info on GWB’s divine calling? “WTF?” you say? Look upon this and ye shall know: > [@](#): > > [**Hamas leaders caught off guard by Bush’s divine mission**](http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/27/wmid27.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/06/27/ixnewstop.html) > By Alan Philps in Jerusalem > (Filed: 27/06/2003) > > The change is not on the ground, but 5,900 miles away, in the mind of President George W Bush. He told the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, earlier this month that bringing peace to the Middle East was a **“divine mission”** for him. > > © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/2 "2003-06-27T00:31:30Z")
Be afraid. Be _very_ afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/3 "2003-06-27T00:39:04Z")
> [@](#): > > He told the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, earlier this month that bringing peace to the Middle East was a “divine mission” for him. Maybe he just had a really camp moment? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/4 "2003-06-27T01:25:08Z")
Oh Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/5 "2003-06-27T01:40:14Z")
Oh come on. The man nominated an attorney general that speaks in tongues and this surprises anyone? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/6 "2003-06-27T03:25:15Z")
Not the best choice in words, but not a big deal either. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/7 "2003-06-27T03:29:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*Not the best choice in words, but not a big deal either. \*\* You think that he was speaking metaphorically? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/8 "2003-06-27T04:23:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > \*\*You think that he was speaking metaphorically? \*\* That’s never been one of his strong suits. Amphigory now, that’d explain it. The prez is categorically the maven of post-modern conservative amphigorreality. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/9 "2003-06-27T04:35:59Z")
> [@](#): > > [German President criticises Bush’s ‘divine mission’](http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_2003_04_2_german_president.shtml) > Friday 4th April 2003 > > The German President, Johannes Rau, who is a leading figure in the Rheinland Evangelical Church and the son of a revivalist preacher,… …said; “This is an utterly one-sided message by George Bush. I don’t believe one nation receives a divine instruction to liberate another nation." > [@](#): > > [**PART OF SOMETHING GREATER**](http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-kengor030503.asp) > In short, Bush believes that God “has a plan” for him. He maintains that he could not be president if he didn’t believe in a “divine plan that supersedes all human plans.” > > There was a defining moment in his path to the presidency. One January Sunday in 1999, just before his inauguration for his second term as Texas governor, he sat in a pew and listened to a sermon by Pastor Mark Craig at his Methodist church in downtown Austin. The governor had been carefully contemplating a White House run. He wasn’t sure. Then, Craig spoke. He talked of the reluctant Moses in those first pages of Exodus, uneasy over whether he was the one to heed the call and lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. > > The Old Testament story spoke to Bush. He felt convicted. He began telling friends he had “heard the call.” God was calling him to seek the Oval Office. It was the summit in his spiritual sojourn, which would lead him to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. > [@](#): > > Bush says he sensed a higher call during his second inauguration as governor of Texas. He called a friend in Fort Worth, telling him, **“[I believe God wants me to run for President.](http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/014/1.38.html)”** The President now tells friends he understands God’s call with greater clarity. ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/10 "2003-06-27T04:48:38Z")
Okay, in true SDMBGD flare I will ask, so our president is a religious nut case, but what is the debate here? ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Fescue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@Hank\_Fescue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Fescue)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/11 "2003-06-27T04:54:23Z")
Gee, I hope God doesn’t tell him to nuke Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/12 "2003-06-27T05:05:26Z")
But… How does he know God’s message wasn’t directed at someone else in the congregation? I hope the news media will track down everyone else who heard that sermon and see if they can’t ID a more plausible target; someone it’s more likely God was sending this message to. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/13 "2003-06-27T05:05:32Z")
Well, **Squink** is the only one hwo has shown anything like a debate by implying that GWB may have just been speaking metaphorically. However, since this is both political and religious and therefore is apt to provoke disagreement and quite possibly witnessing I didn’t think it was appropriate for any other forum. I’m hoping that someone will come along and provide evidence that GWB _is_ speaking metaphorically. I’d like to believe that, but I’m afraid that GWB really thinks that he’s doing His work. To me that’s about as disturbing as it gets. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/14 "2003-06-27T05:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > **Well, Squink is the only one hwo has shown anything like a debate by implying that GWB may have just been speaking metaphorically.** I don’t think you read **Squink** ’s post very well. **Squink** denied that GWB was speaking metaphorically, and suggested that he was, in fact, just talking crap. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/15 "2003-06-27T05:21:15Z")
OOPS, I said **squink** when I _meant_ to mean **kniz**.:o ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/16 "2003-06-27T06:19:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hazel \* > \*\*But… How does he know God’s message wasn’t directed at someone else in the congregation? I hope the news media will track down everyone else who heard that sermon and see if they can’t ID a more plausible target; someone it’s more likely God was sending this message to. \*\* This is true. When He really wants to tell him something, God usually sends George [a letter.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=161579) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/17 "2003-06-27T11:47:46Z")
Hey, there was the divine right of kings, why not the divine right of Presidents? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/18 "2003-06-27T12:03:11Z")
From the article in the OP: > [@](#): > > Mr Bush’s divine mission is gathering strength, and all the Arab leaders are scrambling to avoid being trampled by the diplomatic and military juggernaut. The most scared of all are the Syrians, whose capital, Damascus, has been the home of the exiled leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The Trotskyites and small-brains among you refuse to attribute anything positive to GW, especially concerning Iraq. But the fall of Saddam seems to be just what the doctor ordered for the Palestine/Israel problem. This is mearly the first dividend from taking Iraq. Look for more exciting developments over the course of the next, what is it, 5 1/2 years or so? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/19 "2003-06-27T12:12:56Z")
**Brutus** , I think we can all agree that we wish nothing but the best possible outcome from the Palestine/Israel peace process, even if it means kudos going to a President some of us detest. However, said President’s reference to his involvement there as being a “divine mission” suggests a less-than-rational approach to a complex and sensitive situation already thoroughly muddled by religious extremism, which does not inspire confidence in his thought processes or in his motives. Surely you can understand why some people might be a tad uneasy about this particular statement. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/20 "2003-06-27T12:16:37Z")
I am indeed looking forward to exciting developments, **Brutus**. Support our troops in Iraq! And Afghanistan! And the Phillipines! And Columbia! And Syria! And Klaandathu!.. Ah, yes! Such good times ahead! You may very well wish to invest your children in such noble ventures. As for myself, I’ll carry my son over the Canadian border piggy-back, if I have to. No man ever honored his country by assisting in an ignoble venture. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658.md?page=2)