Does Bush's Shinto Worship prove once and for all that he is not a Christian?
US President George Bush worshiped the Shinto god. I have seen no repentance from him. Japanese and Korean Christians were executed by the Japanese government for refusing to do this act of wisp in World War II.
No true Christian would worship another god besides YHWH, but Bush did. Shouldn't this prove once and for all that US president George W Bush is not a Christian, but a liar who pretended to be a Christian in order to get evangelical votes during the 2000 and 2004 President elections?
http://www.cephasministry.com/nwo_bush_goes_to_shinto_worship.html
He did not go and merely observe the Shinto ceremony (which I have done). He worshiped the Shinto god.
Japanese and Korean Christians recognized this act as the same one the Japanese government executed some of them for refusing to perform during World War II (in fact Japanese today still harass Japanese Christians if they refuse to participate in these ceremonies.)
This would have been equivalent to Roman Christians worship ping the cult of Caeser prior to 300CE, which they refused to do and were killed for.
If Bush really was a Christian, he would not have participated, but politely declined explaining why.
My bad. Poor choice of words. I shouldn't have used "the Shinto god", but instead wrote "the Shinto god of that shrine."
Specifically it is the Emperor Meiji who is believed to be enshrined as a god there according to the Shinto religion.
I went into a mosque and stayed while they were praying. Does that mean that I am not a Christian? I was there for two reasons. 1) To see what goes on and 2) to hopefully encourage a Muslim to be my friend. I had a reason. So did Bush. I would have gone out of respect for those he was with.
I am baffled that the Japanese Prime Minster was made to sit in the car while the Bushes went in. Sounds like a subservient position to take, you might think that such rules/laws would have been dissolved years ago.
As a president, when you go to other countries, you take interest in their culture to show that you're not a complete idiot. Many leaders, when they go to Israel, go ahead and wear the yam aka on their head. Are they Jewish? No. Do they go and pray at the wall? Yes.
It's important to be open-minded when in other countries, because, let's face it, insult a religion all you want in your head, but if you went to an area and made fun of their main religion, you'd get into a lot of trouble.
That being said, Bush is a Christian, he's your mess, not the Shinto's, deal with it.
He did not worship the "Shinto god" (does Shinto have a god? I thought it was animistic). He probably saw it as participating in a cultural ritual to build good relations.
Bush is an evangelical Christian as reflected in a few messy policies and speeches, though I do not think he is personally extreme like Focus on the Family.
And Nancy Reagan had an astrologer. But we don't generally make our assessments about the president based on what we judge is their personal relationship with the Lord. We vote based on what we think they'll do with issues which are important to us as Christians.
And since President Bush is on his way out, and since this is R&S, not Politics, how about it doesn't even matter any more.
He was being respectful of the culture! I did watch/read your clips. If/when I go to say a Catholic wedding. I do the sign of the cross,etc. I AM NOT Catholic! I know it to be a cult, as a matter of fact. But I am respectful in their house of worship. If you don't like Bush, vote for Obama. I won't comment on him w/o being asked. God Bless!
No, it wouldn't prove that he's not a christian.
But, remember, George W. Bush is a politician.
Yes, he could have politely declined, but he was trying to make an impression...that's what politicians do.
A TRUE CHRISTIAN wouldn't worship any god other than YWHW,...but, like alto of other blind Christians, he's stupid.
Personally, I have fewer problems w/ this than I do w/ a lot of Bush's other behavior but I lean towards universalism. This was the politically correct and expedient thing to do for a head of state. But I also think that Mr. Bush was ignorant of Shinto worship practices and didn't realize he was doing more than paying his respects at what he considered a memorial to a previous emperor.
Does Bush's Shinto Worship prove once and for all that he is not a Christian?
