Hello, God? Hi, this is G. W.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- A Palestinian leader quoted George W. Bush as saying God told him to invade Iraq, but said he did not take the U.S. president's comment literally and saw it only as a reflection of his faith and commitment.

 

Now, I know the White House is going to dismiss this comment, and they should, it sounds crazy. Scott McClellan has already states that "He's [the president] never made such comments." The problem is, of Commander in Chief has already stated, in front of a live TV audience mind you, that he has been told by a higher power to do certain things. These "certain things" include running for Governor of Texas, and for the President of the United States, and he consulted with his "heavenly father" prior to the deadline passing that started Gulf War 2.

 

Why is it that if anyone on the street says God told them to do something they are locked up, but when the President says it everything thinks "Oh, well, then that must be what we have to do?"

 

I have a real issue with the types of messages I've been hearing around where I live, and I have a firm belief that this stems directly from the Pro War God sentiment that emanates from the current messages within the Executive Branch, and many times the Legislative Branch, of the Federal Government. I was getting my hair cut the other day, and the woman cutting my hair got into some political discussions. Well, I don't think she realized that she was doing so to be honest, but what she said let me know what her political affiliations were.

 

She said that she really only listens to talk radio when at home. She said she loved Shawn Hannity, and that he was a great American. I don't know if you've ever listened to Shawn's show, but evidently in order to talk to him you have to state that he's a great American on the air before you speak, it makes me want to gag. I think I'm a great American, but I don't make people say it before they talk to me. The woman went on to say she liked Bill O'Reilly, as well as Neil Boortz, although he can be a hit too harsh for her sometimes. I sat there politely and nodded, saying that all three had very successful shows. She went on to say she likes watching Fox News because they show both sides, and that she feels like CNN lies to her. She then asked if I heard about something that had happened in Iraq that day. I can't remember what specifically it was, I think there was a bombing at a school.

 

At any rate, I said I hadn't. She went on to brief me on it, and said that she just wishes all of those people over there were dead. I asked her why, and she said that "She had been told that's what God wants." I had no idea how to respond to a comment like that, other than to know this woman would not be cutting my hair anymore. I asked, "Why would God want to kill a country of people." Her response was something similar to them "being evil" and "worshiping the devil."

 

Now, I don't know who told her this stuff, but last time I checked Jesus was not "Pro War." As a matter of fact, you can argue that he was the first Army of One. Except, the corp. he belonged to was the Peace Corp.

 

I don't like the war in Iraq, but we're there and now we can't leave until the job is done. My problem with this woman was that her excuse for this was was because it had religious pruposes. There was a religious reason to this war and God gave it the go ahead in her mind. I can't say what it's like in the Baptist Church, but I know I never heard that war was okay when I was going to Catholic Church. So where the hell does someone get an idea like this?

 

The question isn't if God is on our side, but if we're on God's side. I have a hard time believing that God wants war, or that he would sanction any war, regardless of the reason for it. Jesus preached two main arguments in his life, love one another and work to prevent poverty. Everything he says goes specifically back to one of those two things. How does war work into this ideal? I'm sure some people around me here in the South  would just call me a wussy, and say "Real Americans their love war and their guns." They would then pull over their giant SUV and hoard themselves with McDonalds. I guess what little solitude I'll have in this whole thing is that when these same people are on their death beds, their rib cages and organs failing with each passing minutes due to the fat that encompasses their hearts and the weight of their giant belly pushing down on their diaphragm, is that I can walk by, healthy, skinny, and without a gun, and go "sucks to be you."

 

-O