New Book: "Schroeder: Bush's faith raised suspicion "

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061021/ap_on_re_eu/germany_schroeder_bush_1

BERLIN - Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, whose second term was marked by vehement opposition to the war in Iraq, described in an advance copy of his memoirs how he was suspicious of President Bush's constant references to his Christian faith.

In an excerpt of his book, "Decisions: My Life in Politics" published in the German weekly Der Spiegel Saturday, Schroeder discusses the key political choices that marked his seven-year term in office, including the decision to call early elections and his split with Bush over the Iraq war.

"I am anything but anti-American," Schroeder told Spiegel in an interview to accompany the excerpt of the more than 500-page book that goes on sale Thursday.

<snip>

While meetings with Bush at that time were friendly, Schroeder said he could not reconcile himself with the feeling that religion was the driving force behind many of Bush's political decisions.

"What bothered me, and in a certain way made me suspicious despite the relaxed atmosphere, was again and again in our discussions how much this president described himself as 'God-fearing,'" Schroeder wrote, adding he is a firm believer in the separation of church and state.

[rodeodance]

1. folksy God talk.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

2. Schroeder is most likely aware that Hitler used the

church extensively to get out his propaganda and saw himself as doing G-d's work with the final solution.

[leftchick]

3. yes indeed

history repeats

[xchrom]

4. many europeans have the same suspicion.

and remember to the average citizen the church -- both protestant and catholic have very, very heavy hands in european history.
the average citizen remembers all this very well.

[OneBlueSky]

5. I shake my head in amazement at people who are "god-fearing" . . .

the God I know is all-loving, compassionate, and wants nothing but good for his/her children . . . the God I know would be puzzled -- and greatly saddened -- to think that anyone could possibly fear him/her . . .