Gerhard Schröder, the former chancellor of Germany, has published his memoirs and in them he has some very critical things to say about President Bush and, in particular, of Bush's constant references to his religious faith. An agnostic himself, Schröder thinks that basing government policy on what you think God wants is a bad way to govern a nation.

He's right...

“Again and again in our private talks it became clear how God-fearing this President was and how ruled he was by what he saw as a Higher Power,” says Herr Schröder in the memoirs, Decisions: My Life In Politics.

“The problem begins when political decisions seem to result from a conversation with God. If you legitimise political decisions in this way, then you cannot respond to criticism or suggestions by changing policies or introducing nuances.”

Source: The Times

Here is a slightly different translation:

"During our private meetings, I was repeatedly reminded of how "God-fearing" this President was and how much he considered himself to be in tune with this highest authority," Mr Schröder wrote.

"The problem I have with such a stance begins when the impression increases that political decisions are being made as a result of a conversation with God. Somebody who justifies his political choices in this way cannot accept that they may be altered or even toned down through criticism or discussion."

Source: The Independent

Also:

"Whoever legitimizes their political decisions like this leaves no room for changing or even moderating those views as a result of criticism or the exchange of opinions with others," Mr. Schröder, 62, writes. He adds that to his mind, secularity is an element of social progress and that Western democracies are right in criticizing Islamic states for failing to distinguish sufficiently between religious values and the rule of law.

Source: The New York Sun

Schröder believes that this attitude will make it very difficult for Bush to reach any sort of peaceful conclusion to his invasion of Iraq — or indeed any conflict he gets himself involved in. After all, if God tells you to invade a country, it's hard to justify leaving again until you get explicit instructions from God ordering a change.

Politics requires negotiations, compromises, and concessions. Those, however, are basically impossible when you think that you are fulfilling the Will of God. Who wants to compromise on what God wants you to do?

“We rightly criticise that in most Islamic states there is no clear separation between religion and the rule of law,” he says. “But we fail to recognise that, in the US, the Christian fundamentalists and their interpretation of the Bible have similar tendencies.

“If both sides claim to be in possession of the only valid truth, then there is no room for manoeuvre.”

Source: The Times

This is what's so fundamentally wrong with transforming the public square into a religious square by infusing all public policy debate with religion and God. Both sides are polarized because each side claims to be speaking on behalf of God, which necessarily means that the other side is speaking on behalf of Satan. Politics can't work that way, though. Democratic politics cannot function if one side has decided that the other is on the side of Satan in a cosmic war of Good vs. Evil.

 

Christian & Religious Privilege:

• Religious Privilege
• Christian Privilege
• Hidden Christian Privileges
• Christian Supremacy

 

Christian Nationalism & Dominion Theology:

• Dominionism & Dominion Theology
• Christian Reconstructionism
• Leading Christian Reconstructionists
• Reconstructionism & Christian Right: Common Goals, Beliefs