Rating: Summary: "A good man stays committed to his faith." Review:
As a Canadian I had not paid much attention to President Bush.I guess the long episode over Lewinsky,the lead up to the election and relative calm of 2001 got our focus off politics.However; 9/11 changed all that.As these horrible events occurred, we were to learn of the outstanding leadership of the new President.One of my most lasting images is of Bush with his arm around the shoulder of retired fireman Bill Beckwith,standing atop the remains of a destroyed fire truck :
"Well I can hear you."
"The rest of the world hears you.And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon"
This spontaneous remark came straight from the heart and soul of the great leader that the new President was.
Mansfield has written a marvelous book showing Bush's development from his childhhd days to the President.Bush is a man of faith and character and this is where he gets the moral compass that guides him.He knows he has "A Charge to Keep" and above all else intends to keep it.He does not believe in physobabble and navel gazing and credits his faith for "getting him out of the Texas bars and into the Oval Office.
The image portrayed by the leftist influenced Media could not be further from the truth.He learned a long time ago that the best way to fight back against the hatred and misrepresentation hurled at him is with conviction and kindness.
What his faith tells him is that "Evil will pass,but good is eternal."
A lot of what we hear today is that there is no place for God in government or other institutions.This is as leftest as was the concept of dialectic materialism on which communism was based.It seems to me that when you look at the great leaders,thinkers and scientists ,almost without exception you find people of faith.Many say that Bush carries it too far.
Let me give a quote from this book:
"I have the feeling that God has created us and brought us to
our present position of power and strength for some great
purpose and up to now we have been shirking it."
This is not a quote from Bush or the religious right but
President Harry S Truman.
I am extremely glad I read this book as it gives me a much greater understanding of what motivates the President.Would
that we had a leader of such moral convictions in Canada.
The imps may be on the run in the US;but they are still holding court here!
Rating: Summary: A few missing pieces Review: Well Gee Whiz . . . Here we are, close to election time, and low and behold this book comes along. I'll admit, the book in and of itself is outstanding. However, there is one very glaring omission:
Why don't they ever mention the whole Bush, Taxation, African Pharmaceuticals, Stolen Documents, Artificial Hearing Implants, Mickey Mantle Memorabilia, Beatles' White Album, Flag Burning, FBI, Johnny Depp, Oil Spill, Mike Henderson Scandal?
I for one thought that whole deal was pretty important, but I guess they didn't want to discuss it - near election time . . .
How Convenient . . .
Rating: Summary: Matthew 6:5-6 Review: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
So Dubya has received his reward [the election, questionable as it was] served up to him by people who claim to be Christian, but who seem not to have read the Bible. A sad day when "moral values" comes to mean fearing the gay couple next door but not caring that the average age of a homeless person in the United States is 9. Yet, the Good News is that God does know the hearts of men -- a thought that would leave George W. Bush quaking in his cowboy boots if he actually believed. In this election it seems that the hypocrites formed a formidable united front. True Christians should stand up and take back the name of Christ from these pretenders to the throne.
Rating: Summary: What do Christians want in a President? Review: After reading this book, I think I simply want a God-fearing man in office. A man who will seek the counsel of God before making decisions. This book and George W. Bush's faith convinces me that he does this. This book, written before Bush's re-election will not offer much insight into the political arena that you have not heard before. But, it does hi-light his upbringing, his slow conversion and the drastic effect it has had on his world-view. The movie, "George W. Bush: Faith in the White House" contains almost as much information, and if you're looking for the quick version, it'll save you some time. But, learning that the majority of his staff participates in early morning Bible studies and daily prayer meetings was worth the read for me, and gave me assurance in the administration. And the story about Condoleeza Rice being a classically trained musician who led a worship service on Air Force One...I wish we could hear stories like that more often. If you're a Christian who doubts Bush's heart, give it a read, and you can rest assured, he is a man who loves God. Whether that's enough for you though, is up to you.
Rating: Summary: His Faith is Important to me Review: After reading this book, I was relieved to know that we have a president that is human enough to admit that he believes in God and isn't afraid to do that.
In the book Bush starts out like most of us, stupid and full of mistakes on how to live and be in this world. It shows how he came out of that chaos by two big events. First by meeting Laura and then second, meeting the Lord. There is a humility in Bush that makes him approachable and more real than some of our previous presidents. This book portrays that so well. It brought peace of conscience and a sense of hope that our country has a chance to do good in the face of evil.
Rating: Summary: An inspirational look at the power of faith in Bush's life Review: America has seen many a politician wear his faith on his sleeve - more often than not, it's obviously fake, nothing more than a political play for votes from Christian voters. We've seen, in Ronald Reagan, a man of great faith whose powerful religious convictions are only now being truly appreciated by the public for the first time. We've seen, in Bill Clinton, a President who spoke of and obviously valued his Baptist beliefs but continually fell prey to temptation. Now, we have George W. Bush, a man who makes no secret of his Christian beliefs and ideals and their crucial significance in everything he does - and he acts on those beliefs, every day. Christians have been heightened and inspired, nonbelievers have increased their anti-religion lawsuits, and the whole country has had to reconsider the role of morality and faith in the life of the nation.
This is not a biography of George W. Bush, but it does take us back to his roots in Midland, Texas, and follows him all the way to the White House. The President never had a "road to Damascus" moment; the Bushes were a church-going family, and Bush has basically been a churchgoer all of his life. He did not truly commit himself to God's plan until he passed his fortieth birthday, but the ever-present religious aspects of his earlier life can clearly be seen moving him in that direction, preparing the ground for "the mustard seed" planted in the company of Billy Graham in 1985 to take root and prosper. Bush was, for many years, a man without a true purpose, a son living in the shadow of his famous father's name, and the account of Bush's "nomad" years reflect the man's search for meaning in his life. You will read about his "young and irresponsible" days, the years in which he grew in stature but vacillated in the application of God's word in his personal life, his ultimate decision to stop drinking, and several milestones on the road to faith that ultimately changed him completely.
While this book does not go into the details of Bush's faith-based initiative proposals, it does a superb job of relating these bold ideas to the actual actions and ideals of America's founding fathers. Obviously, the book covers the importance of Bush's faith in terms of dealing with 9/11 and its aftermath. Lest we forget, Bush has often been criticized by the religious right for his seeming acceptance of Islam as a religion of peace. Whether criticized from the right or the left, Bush follows his own moral compass because he now knows he is right with God. This does not mean he wants to force Christianity down everyone's throats - far from it. Bush equates personal morality with public policy, as the author explains extremely well in these pages. This belief system influences every decision he makes, which is a sign of the genuine nature of his faith.
The Faith of George W. Bush is an inspirational book all Christians can profit from reading - even those who dislike the President. In these pages you will see how God has worked in Bush's life, patiently waiting for him to heed the call he has heard all of his life, and you can see the incredible change that a commitment to Christ ultimately made in that life. In twelve years, Bush went from a good man without any real focus in his life to the President of the United States, one who has shown us all how richly faith can infuse a politician's important work in life without stepping across the line marking the separation of church and state. Forget politics, if you can - this is an inspirational story of the power of faith in one man's life.
Rating: Summary: Not hard-hitting, but definitely uplifting Review: I am tempted to say that this book is really two books rolled into one, but that's not really true. To look at the faith of President George W. Bush, author and historian Stephen Mansfield had to look at his life. He follows George W. from his initial christening in the Episcopal Church, through his dissolute and aimless youth, and on to his spiritual awakening in his middle years, finally ending up in his application of his faith to his role as President of the United States.Now, in many ways it is fair to say that this is a sympathetic book to Bush. The author does not delve deeply into Bush's drinking problems or his relationship with his family. But, that said, he does weave a fascinating story that shows the spiritual evolution of George Bush. Like many Christians, George Bush was born into a Christian home. And, his relationship with God was not one of a sudden and profound conversion, but was one of losing and refinding it, of stepping away from simple family-religion, and into a personal walk with God. So, if you are looking for a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred investigation of George W. Bush's faith, then this book is not for you. But, if you are interested in a straightforward and uplifting look at a man's faith, then you will enjoy this book - as I did. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: Summary: Speciously Apologetic Review: I read this book almost a year ago. At the time, I thought it was a moderately good read. However, given what I know about Bush II now (especially his dangerous support of the FTAA), I can't agree with the author that Bush II bears the fruits of being a Christian.
This book does read quickly. It does showcase how GW Bush grew up in the church with his siblings. It does point out his shortcomings (most notably, SKULL AND BONES!!!), and his supposed achievements before and after taking the office of President of the United States. It even showcases his conversations with Billy Graham (which, if you know Mr. Graham's suspicious history, is quite scary). The part I have a problem with is once the book is done, Mansfield tries to convince the reader that George W. Bush is a bonafide Christian -- despite the fact that he unwittingly "painted a portrait" of Bush being a typical unprincipled politician (i.e. "Islam is a religion of peace" -- no genuine Christian would ever say that! Bush tried to play to both sides, but it is impossible to placate one people group without offending the other. But then again, most undiscerning evangelicals looked the other way as time passed by.) It soon becomes painfully noticeable that Mr. Bush has not always been -- nor ever will be -- a straight shooter.
To the well-informed (regardless if you are politically apologetic or principled), a better title for this book should be The Duplicitous Faith of George W. Bush. Enough said!
Rating: Summary: We need a christian presadent in 2004! WWJD Review: I thought in the debates when Bush said that jesus was his favorit philosohy it was a moment for teh history books and I was rite, I knew i would vote for him from then on because noone ever said that before. It makes me mad when people try toput him down saying he is bad because of all the elections in texas--well you don't live here, it is bad,we need all the executions and more to stop all the crime that is going on here. They deserve what they get. It says right in the bible spare the rod and spoil the child and that is all Bush is doing, there is a bunch of other quotes I could show you to show how he is right to! And the same goes for the grate war for freedum in Iran to get rid of the evildoers and all the weapons of mast destruction that they is thretining the wold by. In the bible the isrealites fought many wars that God wanted and they WON, this one is not any different from them. Jesus said he who lives by the sword will die by the sword and that is exactly what we are giving to Saddom Husane right now, I am just glad we have a grate conservitive man to carry forword are christian ideas and from reading this book any one can see that Bush is the MAN for us. I get so sick of everyone saying he is bad or critisizing him on the news all the time, well he is not I just wish they would be quite or go back to france were they would like it better anyway. This is a good book that shuld be rwead by all patreotic americans!
Rating: Summary: I support George W. Bush Review: My dad got this book for Christmas last year and due to election time having been recently upon us, I decided to borrow the book and read about our re-elected President.
One thing I seemed to sense when reading this book was the author's tone of how he had the utmost respect and admiration for the George W. Bush, yet he seemed to lack agreement with the Faith the President possesses. This was a simple feeling I had about the author, it may be totally unfounded, but I noticed several instances where he said that George W. worshiped "his God" and prayed to the God of "his faith". It was almost like he was on the outside, looking in, and while Mr. Mansfield certainly uplifted and admonished the current President, he never did quite "agree" with George W. Bush's placement of Faith. At least not in directly quoted words.
Out of the seven chapters in this book, I would have to say that the final chapter is what made the book worth reading. The first six deal with the President's former life of growing up, becoming a successful businessman and baseball team owner, being elected to the Governor's chair in Texas, and moving into the Presidency in 2000. The first six chapters were a great history lesson and I enjoyed them, but the last chapter is what really did it for me.
This may be going back to what I said in the second paragraph, as in the last chapter the author claims Bush to be an "enigma" or a mystery to the faithful. Mr. Mansfield recalls times when the President invited Ozzy Osborne to a Presidential luncheon at the White House. How he appointed an openly [...] man to a prestigious position under his administration. How the President's administration itself is THE most diversified, nationality wise, in the history of US Presidents, having more "minority" groups under his regime than ever recorded before. The author goes on to talk about how President Bush is often at odds with his religious advisors and supporters, who he well-respects. This really got me to thinking about how much I truly admired our President.
Are we not called to love one another? Is it not the second greatest commandment? Does that mean that we are only to love one another, if we agree with one another? If we are in the same political group...the same church denomination...the same Bible translation? Is scripture not being quoted as to "love the sinner, but hate the sin"? Does this mean that we should not tolerate certain people until they become believers and agree with us on every issue? Perhaps if this were true, there would be no more "New Christians".
I believe that President Bush has succeeded where many "Christians" have failed. This is our highest calling, and the real mystery is why more of us are not acting in the same manner. Jesus did not spend his time with the Pharisees, Governors and religious leaders of his time. He surrounded Himself with beggars, thieves, and prostitutes. And while those may be extreme circumstances that only our perfect Lord could control himself in, I think that President Bush understood the message.
Acceptance of one another shows God greatest love for his people. President Bush doesn't need everyone to agree with his views; he simply needs to show God's love to those around him. This is his true calling.
I can see more clearly now why so many people are derogatory towards our current Commander-in-Chief. Why there are websites, apologizing to the world that we re-elected this "tyrant", as if it was any of the rest of the world's business. Apparently our founding fathers forgot to include French, English, and other European citizens on the US voter registration table. I guess it simply slipped their minds how important those peoples' opinions were.
The Word of God quotes Jesus, saying, "The world has hated you because it first hated me, but fear not, I have overcome the world!" Of course the world hates George W. Bush. He is a lighthouse for Christ and truth and that irritates people. The world hates the truth, and they hate President Bush because of it.
That may, in fact, be another one of the President's accomplishments. He found the best possible reason to be hated by this world in which we do not belong.
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