You wanna see something really scary?

Then go to the Frontline section of PBS, and take a look at "The Jesus Factor". It's a documentary about our current President, his religious beliefs, and how those beliefs affect his decisions.

I taped it when it aired, and the Hubby-Man and I watched it this weekend. It was scary and depressing. Did I mention it was scary? Here are some of the bits that scared me:

The Faith Based Initiative

I'm all for tax dollars assisting religious charities with their services to the needy. Religious institutions offer community, which you don't get from the current system. And here's my problem with this:
"The second executive order on the faith-based initiative created five Cabinet centers -- that is, faith-based centers in five departments of the U.S. government. Later, an additional executive order of the president expanded that, so that there are now a total of seven, adding the Department of Agriculture and USAID."
These offices have given our tax dollars to several religious groups, however; the money has only gone to evangelical Christian groups. Not one penny has gone to Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists (Tibetan or otherwise), or Pagans; yet each of these groups offers services that fit within the laws for the Faith Based Initiative.

Religious References in Bush's Speeches

Prior to September 11th, 2001; Bush was openly religious, but not threateningly so. Things have changed.
"When President Bush adds God to their formulation and says God's purpose or intention is somehow linked with American military preeminence, that's a very dangerous thing. President Bush [and] the White House basically choreographed a liturgy at the National Cathedral. President Bush was a chief homilist. In the pulpit of the National Cathedral, he made a war speech. He called the nation to arms in the pulpit of the National Cathedral, and he claimed a divine mission for our nation to rid the world of evil.

That is not only bad foreign policy or presumptuous foreign policy -- I would say it's idolatrous foreign policy to claim God's purpose for that mission. And in the language that Mr. Bush has used, he does this again and again and again. Our role, and his role as president, this is acclaiming a righteous [decree] that Pax Americana is God's foreign policy. This is a very unsettling thing."

The viewer comments section is pretty interesting, too.
"Thank you Frontline for covering this vitally important aspect of the Bush Presidency. Many Americans are amazingly uncritical of religious views and tend to see only positive things as coming out of religious faith. However few of us have taken the time to really read the whole Christian bible. If everyone had - would Bush be able to hold up a bible and claim that it is the only real guide that is needed for child care? Does even George W Bush realize that the Bible demands that unruly children be stoned to death?"

"Thank you for airing "The Jesus Factor". I had no idea how deep and wide Bush's messianic zeal is.

How fortunate for Bush that 46% of people in America are "God fearing." He has tapped a demographic and marketed himself to those people as the "chosen one". Perfect, since these God fearers seem to want a chosen one. This seems okay with the Evangelical Christians because it furthers (and funds with our tax dollars)their missions.

But what happens to the other 54%; Wiccans, Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Atheists, and Christ lovers who aren't living in fear of God? I would love to see a follow up to The Jesus Factor which would address this question.

Keep the faith...to yourself."