Who Said That?

"It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life. . .  All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter and I asked for help. ... I was a one-step program guy . . . I do believe there is an almighty that is broad and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people."

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.  Answer will be posted next week.  Click on the "Who Said That?" icon to check for an answer to past editions.

Update on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 03:36PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Politics aside, it is clear from the President's recent interview with Cynthia McFadden of ABC's "Nightline" (December 9, 2008), that he is a complete and total theological doofus.  Bush claims to be an evangelical, can describe a conversion experience, but cannot clearly nor carefully articulate a single Christian doctrine.  Amazing . . .

Comments

[PB]

Look, W was not elected to be theologian in chief. Most of those posting here would heartily agree to that. So why is he being held to some standard as if he WERE our bishop or some such? Certainly we wish he'd get it right (or, rather, Reformed <grin>) but he's not in the pulpit and we're not in his pews. And if ABC News doesn't know the difference, why are we surprised? My .02

[Alberto]

Sounds like President Bush. Even it it's not, he should visit Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

[Ken Rapoza]

This sounds like George W. Bush to me!

[Luke]

Our shoe-dodging president!

[Ron Suarez]

GEORGE BUSH !!!!!!!

[reg]

W.

[JN]

GWB

[Dusty]

Johnny Hunt

[Brian Bywaters]

George -- oops, we evangelicals thought you were a Christian -- Bush

[Zrim]

PB,

You're right to some extent. But the problem isn't that Bush isn't Reformed. The problem is when Reformed behave like everything from Catholics to Methodists and think true religion has some direct and obvious bearing on worldly affairs. If that is true then Reformed should probably wring our hands over someone other than a Presbyterian in office. But data (soft and hard) seems to suggest that Presbies are quite excited over Dubya on religious grounds. Weird. They also seemed to get nervous over the propsect of Romney on religious grounds.

[PB]

Zrim, you're right, it's more Kingdom confusion in the end. Back (again) to Luther's comment, to the effect that he'd rather be ruled by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian. As for the Mormons, I'd be happier adopting that stance if they didn't have explicit designs on taking power in the civil government.

["lee n. field"]

Hmm, but did Mr. Clapton ever get "back into religion"? It sounds more like GWB.

[Zrim]

PB,

Watch what you say, they'll be calling you a...Lutheran.

Re Mormons, funny how the mixing of religion and worldly power scare those who don't share the particular religion. Now we know how pagans feel when we speak blithely about the benefits of believers in power, as if the presence of the Holy Spirit means we are less sinful than more. If there was ever a strange thing for Calvinists to believe it's that.

Even so, I'm not so sure fright against the civil power of false religionists is the best trait for believers to adopt, especially in a liberal democracy. I mean, if Jesus can tell his hearers to submit to a man who thought he was a god surely we can live with a man who'd wear secret-magic skivvies.

[PB]

Zrim - agreed. And let it be known that being between pastoral assignments and looking for Christ-centered worship, I did go to the local LCMS church because I knew that even if the preaching was indifferent I would get the Gospel in the liturgy!

[timinator]

George Bush

[Marvin]

GWB

[Eloquorius]

"....but cannot clearly nor carefully articulate a single Christian doctrine." Believe me, neither can about 70% of most people who attend what passes for "church" nowadays. Thanks for the quote, though, it's a keeper.