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Geo. W. Bush & Barack Obama

On 20 January 2009, on Barack Obama's inauguration, I wrote the following box on the New View main page. At that time the wworld was still analysing Geo. W. Bush, and so this box contains an analysis. However, things have moved on, and we have had a year of Barack Obama, which >I comment on after the box ...d

Evaluation of George W. Bush

Many who disagree with him acknowledge they really liked George Bush as a person. Witness the generosity with which he has welcomed Barack Obama. He is a devout believer in Jesus Christ. But it could be said that his leadership has brought dishonour on the Name of Christ. So what went wrong?
According to this New View, he failed to understand the importance, to God, of the Rest of Creation. It seems that:

Instead of Reality Rejoicing, only born-again humans can truly rejoice.
Instead of Humankind shepherding the rest of creation, humankind could plunder it.
Instead of Relatedness, we are primarily free individuals.
Rich Redemption becomes limited to souls or worship.
Instead of Representing God, we are called merely to obey and enjoy him.

Let's pray for Barack Obama, as he leads us into the "new era of responsibility". Joyful responsibility is one of the central issues in New View.

But I'm disappointed: Barack Obama has squandered his initial popularity on getting into an american squabble about who should pay for the health of their nation, and is now in no position to do anything about climate change. Perhaps he is no better in his deepest beliefs than Bush was on this issue of this joyful responsibility. But perhaps it's because I didn't pray for him much. From today (30 September 2009) I intend to pray for him.

Now (24 January 2010), with the removal of Obama's senate majority, I find it even more sad. Barack Obama chose a left-right political issue, health insurance for all, as his first main task, rather than an issue of responsibility to the rest of creation, climate change. That he did so is disappointing. As a result, the USA was in a very weak position in the Copenhagen Climate Conference and allowed China to largely wreck it.

Instead, he should have tackled climate change first, because that is an issue on which even many Republicans would agree, and he could have achieved something.

However, perhaps it's our (my) fault: I failed to pray regularly for Barack Obama, even after my September note.

This page is offered to God as on-going work in developing a 'New View' in theology that is appropriate to the days that are coming upon us. Comments, queries welcome.

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Created: 25 January 2010. Last updated: