Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 11-08-2004, 12:14 PM

One reason to study the Bible is to understand the culture we Americans live in, with an evangelical President who speaks in code to his base.

One such instance is reported on a story about an email from Laura Bush (or her speechwriter):

Quote:

A few lines later, Laura Bush recounts the following, which she repeated at rallies on the campaign trail:

In Ohio, I visited with a woman who summed up our success this way. She said, “President Bush was born for such a time as this. He never wavers when it comes to doing the right thing. It makes me feel so secure to know that our leader has such a love for our country.�?

I don’t know which part of that statement jumps out at you, but I do know which part resonated the most with popular evangelical sensibilities. Six words: “for such a time as this.�?

This is not empty rhetoric. It is a straightforward reference to the Bible -- the Book of Esther, chapter 4, verse 14, to be precise -- and it is among the most evocative and meaningful catchphrases in the language of evangelicalism.

(The author of this note is an anthropologist who studies evangelical Christians.)

Esther

gurugeorge · 11-08-2004, 12:33 PM

I think it's more likely that by "such a time as this" she's referring to the WoT and the "interesting times" we're living in.

All this could have been said by any of the people who broadened Bush's base in the recent election - for example, the greater number of self-described "liberals" and "moderates" who held their noses and voted for him.

Toto · 11-08-2004, 12:51 PM

But this is what evangelicals recognize as a direct quote, and it makes sense out of the strange election where people voted for Bush in spite of thinking he screwed up royally on the war and the economy.

I mean, on a rational basis "such a time as this" would call for a smarter, reality-based leader. But if you think that Bush was called by God or Destiny and/or you want to see how the story unfolds, you don't want to swap horsemen in the middle of the apocalypse, as they say.

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11-08-2004, 12:33 PM	#2
gurugeorge Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 3,210	I think it's more likely that by "such a time as this" she's referring to the WoT and the "interesting times" we're living in. All this could have been said by any of the people who broadened Bush's base in the recent election - for example, the greater number of self-described "liberals" and "moderates" who held their noses and voted for him.

11-08-2004, 12:51 PM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	But this is what evangelicals recognize as a direct quote, and it makes sense out of the strange election where people voted for Bush in spite of thinking he screwed up royally on the war and the economy. I mean, on a rational basis "such a time as this" would call for a smarter, reality-based leader. But if you think that Bush was called by God or Destiny and/or you want to see how the story unfolds, you don't want to swap horsemen in the middle of the apocalypse, as they say.

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