The great
diary by Aztec about what Bush is reading got me thinking about what Bush SHOULD be reading. My mind immediately went to Matthew, Chapter 23, of the New Testament.
Mind you, I'm no bible thumper. This is one of my favorite parts of the bible, though. Even if you don't subscribe to the Christian faith, I think you'll find it applicable to the current political scene. Bear with me, brothers and sisters, and read on, below the flip...
Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."
This passage screams CHICKENHAWK to me. I'm sure that it has other applications as well. What does it say to you?
"But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, `Rabbi, Rabbi.' But you, do not be called `Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ..."
Bush talks a good game about democracy and spreading freedom throughout the world, but he is nothing more than a power-hungry, egotistical tyrant.
Jesus is just getting started. He then issues a series of warnings that all begin "Woe unto you..."
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."
Sounds like the secret, corrupt administration, circumventing the law to me.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation."
Cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the neediest...talking about 'faith based initiatives' while people go without food, medical care, shelter, and basic needs.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."
Sounds like a condemnation of imperialism and creating sweatshops abroad to me.
"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it."
BushCo's services are bought and paid for by the oil industry, energy industry, banking industry, pharmaceutical industry, insurance industry, defense contractors...did I leave anyone out?
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!"
Military tribunals, waterboarding and torture, Saddam's kangaroo court, Padilla, NSA and domestic spying, Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, rendition...
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."
Bush, Cheney, Delay, Abramoff, Rove, Libby, Abrams, Feith, the list is endless.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
I would say this passage sums up how the rest of the world must see the U.S.