BUSH-BLAIR...The AXIS of Evangelicals

By Doug krieger
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Tony Blair, the Brits’ version of what we thought was Bill Clinton’s reflection—has undergone a steady metamorphosis into the image of George W. Bush. The latest devolution of the once immensely popular Blair into his evangelical counterpart Bush involves divine intervention into the affairs of Middle Eastern wars—and telling the Brits “In the end, there is a judgment . . . if you believe in God, it’s made by God.”
By Doug Krieger
How prudish of the British secularists to accuse their Prime Minister of evoking the Christian God as evidence of divine intervention into the affairs of war and peace! What godless sacrilege has been committed by Tony Blair! Alas! The unpardonable and disgusting sin was uttered from the lips of the UK’s leadership. Surely, by profaning the altars of atheism and agnosticism he hath revealed his absolutist reliance once championed by Crusaders of yore. Worse yet, he followeth in the train of one, President George Bush, whose stalwart profession upon this same dependence causeth us to adjudge their alliance, cloaked in evangelical fervor, as THE AXIS OF EVANGELICALS!
“Mr. Blair answered ‘yes’ when asked on ITV1 chat show Parkinson - to be screened on Saturday - if he had sought holy intervention on the issue. ‘Of course, you struggle with your own conscience about it... and it’s one of these situations that, I suppose, very few people ever find themselves in.’ Anti-war campaigners attacked Mr. Blair's comments as ‘a joke’. Mr. Blair told show host Michael Parkinson: ‘In the end, there is a judgement that, I think if you have faith about these things, you realise that judgement is made by other people... and if you believe in God, it’s made by God as well.’”
“‘When you're faced with a decision like that, some of those decisions have been very, very difficult, most of all because you know these are people's lives and, in some case, their deaths. The only way you can take a decision like that is to do the right thing according to your conscience.’” (Blair Prayed to God over Iraq - BBC, March 3, 2006)
It’s this unsightly pontification on the part of Blair—and especially his cohort, Bush—that incites the rhetoric of cheery England’s impassioned populous; some of whom do not share the same Blairish flare for a “just war” akin to St. Augustine to wit:
“Anti-war campaigner Rose Gentle, whose son Gordon died in Basra in 2004, said: ‘A good Christian wouldn't be for this war. ‘I'm actually quite disgusted by the comments. It’s a joke.’ Dr. Evan Harris, a Liberal Democrat MP and honorary associate of the National Secular Society, said the comments were ‘bizarre’ and warned against politicians making ‘references to deity’ in public life.” (Ibid – BBC)
Tony . . . in the name of secular-rational humanism, social evolution, enlightenment, scientific observation . . . as well as nihilism, meaningless existence, hedonism, and relativism—please abstain from such bizarre reliance upon the supernatural!
Now, wait, is it just a couple of Brits out of sorts with Tony’s evangelical longings—longings allegedly suppressed, but surfacing from time to time (akin to Bush)—which illicit this disconcerting response? Grant it, like America’s Cindy Sheehan, they have lost their sons and daughters in the Bush-Blair War on Terror, and admittedly are outraged and distraught over the intentions of this military-industrial struggle to seize the wealth of the Middle East.
But there’s something gnawing at the soulless résistance of many a Brit, American, and the West in general to the Bush-Blair appeal to the Almighty: Crusades, Jihads, Hitler’s das tausendjährige Reich—anything, and everything, that ascends to the heavens may as well descend to the abyss!
This mixture of religion and politics—when it invokes the name of God in matters of launching war—bewilders, dismays, disturbs, and engenders deep-seated animosity against the West’s leadership not only from those who oppose the war for geo-political reasons, but, in particular from the irreligious, agnostic and atheist (who may oppose the policies of ever-increasing war wrought by the Bush-Blair Axis). That opposition is infuriated by the outspoken, periodic, but persistent, appeal by the entitled Axis of Evangelicalism: Bush-Blair.
As far as the aggrieved are concerned, the Bush-Blair answers to prayer are at best a cover-up for their ineptitude, and, at their worst, a dereliction of political duty—Bush-Blair should never have committed our troops to a war predicated on blatant lies, preposterous conjectures, and foolhardy stupidity. Furthermore, the spurious appeals to divine injunction on behalf of commercial empire—which the central banks of the USA-UK know full-well are at the heart of this debacle—is the most outlandish subterfuge of the aforementioned Axis of Evangelicals. In sum: How in “heaven’s name” can Bush-Blair be in contact with an Almighty God Who esteems the power of the sword over the power of the cross? What on earth has happened to the Jesus of the Cross vs. the Crusader Christ “marching as to war?”
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IS NOW, AND EVER SHALL BE . . .
The Bush-Blair Axis of Evangelicals incessantly reminds us of the religious overtones injected into the current War on Terror—don’t think for one minute that these leaders are not cognizant of what inspires the troops in the midst of a growing and never-ending conflict with the religiously-oriented Mujahadeen insurgents—insurgents which wage suicidal war for Allah. It may shock the unbeliever, leaving many of them in utter disbelief, that prior to the assault on Fallujah on Nov. 6, 2004—Christians with evangelistic fervor—rallied for the fight ahead. They were inspired by, among others, US Marine Colonel Gary Brandl:
“The marines that have been killed over the last 5 months have been killed by a faceless enemy. The enemy there has a face, and it’s called Satan, and it lives in Fallujah.” (Who says this isn’t a Holy War?) (MyAntiwar.org)
And, what was the prayer and fellowship of those peering into the face of Satan; and what was the atmosphere that prepared them to carry out the duties of their Commanders-in-Chief?
“With US forces massing outside Fallujah, 35 marines swayed to Christian rock music and asked Jesus Christ to protect them in what could be the biggest battle since American troops invaded Iraq last year.
“Men with buzz cuts and clad in their camouflages wave their hands in the air, M-16 assault rifles laying beside them, and chanted heavy metal-flavored lyrics in praise of Christ late Friday in a yellow-brick chapel.
“‘You are the sovereign. You’re name is holy. You are the pure spotless lamb,’ a female voice cried out on the loudspeakers as the marines clapped their hands and closed their eyes, reflecting on what lay ahead for them . . . the US military, with many soldiers coming from the conservative American south and Midwest, has deep Christian roots. In times that fighting looms, many soldiers draw on their evangelical or born-again heritage to help them face the battle.
“‘Victory belongs to the Lord,’ another young marine read. Their chaplain, named Horne, told the worshippers they were stationed outside Fallujah to bring the Iraqis ‘freedom from oppression, rape, torture and murder . . . We ask you God to bless us in that effort.’
“The marines then lined up and their chaplain blessed them with holy oil to protect them. ‘God’s people would be anointed with oil,’ the chaplain said, as he lightly dabbed oil on the marines’ foreheads.
“The crowd then followed him outside their small auditorium for a baptism of about a half-dozen marines who had just found Christ. The young men lined up and at least three of them stripped down to their shorts. The three laid down in a rubber dinghy filled with water and the chaplain’s assistant, Navy corpsman Richard Vaughn, plunged their heads beneath the surface.
“Smiling, Vaughn baptized them ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.’” (Irshad Salim, AFP, Fallujah, Iraq, Nov 6, 2005)
I’m certain there’s an occasional atheist (hardly outspoken) holding out in a foxhole somewhere in Iraq. But, it’s one thing to face death in the face—it’s entirely another matter to face Satan in the face! And, it is this facing Satan in the face in the Name of Christ that is disconcerting—for the Name of Jesus Christ is at stake—the very One Who decried the raising up of the sword for the sake of the Kingdom or the defense thereof:
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight . . . but My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36).
GOD PUT ME HERE
The now famous Seymour Hersch piece—relating Bush’s divine calling—incensed the Atheist-Agnostic Axis, for now there was a reason why he was elected President of the USA and de facto leader of the West:
“After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that ‘God put me here’ to deal with the war on terror. The President’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that ‘he’s the man,’ the former official said (anonymous senior advisor). Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.” (Annals of National Security, Up In The Air, Where is the Iraq War Headed Next? By Seymour M. Hersh, New Yorker, Nov. 12, 2005)
The interesting twist in all this is, without question, the two most vociferous advocates in the prosecution of the War in Iraq, and of the expansion of that war against the Axis of Evil in the Middle East (Iran and Syria) is the Anglo-American nexus—it is resilient, determined, evangelically-motivated, and commercially inspired no matter what the criticism of the paleo-conservatives, Libertarians, the left, the Greens, the socialists, the ultra-rare Christian pacifists, the communists (or what’s left of the compromised communists—a.k.a. Neo-Communists), and of course, the rank and file of the Democrat Party.
BUT TONY BLAIR IS MORE REASONABLE IN HIS WAR ON TERROR . . . OH, REALLY?
There is a notion about that PM Blair’s evangelicalism moderates his views of the War on Terror and that he reluctantly leads his troops into the fray. Likewise, his ameliorating tone, unlike the rigid absolutism of President Bush, provides a more hopeful reconciliation with Islam. One might conclude as much from his remarks made in Portugal, after arriving from a memorial service held in Madrid after the train bombings by radical Moslems (Slacktivist, March, 2004)—Blair’s comments:
“Let me repeat again my profound condolences to the Spanish people over their loss. The grief, felt and shared round the whole of Europe and the world, at this atrocity has been intense.
“Everyone everywhere condemns without reservation the act of terrorism. However, outside of the shared grief, has been another debate.
“Some, like myself, believe that the war in Iraq is all part of the same global threat to our security which we face. Others believe, with equal passion, that the war was an unjustified provocation of the Muslim world or at least a diversion from the true war against terrorism.
“This is a disagreement we cannot at present resolve. Perhaps we never can but my plea tonight, here in Portugal, whose Prime Minister with great courage supported our action in Iraq but whose people like the British people were sorely divided over it, is that for now we surmount this division and seek common ground. It would indeed be a ghastly victory for the evil people who committed the carnage of the innocent in Madrid, if in addition to the destruction and death they also caused us to turn in recrimination on each other.”
Sounds conciliatory—bringing these two divergent streams (for and against the war in Iraq)—together; whereas George W. Bush appears incapable or unwilling to bridge such a gap juxtaposed to the Brit; Bush’s approach:
“I hope they care deeply about the fact that when we find suffering and torture and mass graves, we weep for the citizens that are being brutalized by tyrants. ...
“I obviously felt like September the 11th changed the equation to the point where we needed to deal with emerging threats and deal with them in a way that would make America more secure. And they didn't see that ...
“I would hope you understand that I have learned the lessons of September the 11th, 2001, and that terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war on people who love freedom ... I have an obligation as the President to keep our country secure.” (Ibid. Slacktivist)
Blair’s accusers are not “appeasers” who are “soft on terrorism” – but simply those who genuinely see the conflict with Radical Islam as an “unjustified provocation of the Muslim world or at least a diversion from the true war against terrorism.”
My dear Anglo brethren—notwithstanding the banality of your Prime Minister’s remarks, past, present, and (I would assume) future—he stands shoulder to shoulder with President Bush’s War on Terror . . . simply put: Blair’s a bit more articulate but wholly knows on which side his bread is buttered. The interlocking financial world of American-British Corptocracy is so enmeshed, so intertwined—that he who views this personage may see a slight variation but “he that hath seen the Bush, hath seen the Blair!”
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
It is the same Christian faith that abounds in both Tony Blair and George Bush. Where will this “faith” lead us—or, more importantly, where has it led us? We know where those awful secular humanists have led us—Western Europe (and their war on Islamic Intolerance). We know where organized Christianity is leading us: Vatican II, the World Council of Churches and all things ecumenical. We know where Christianity Today and Wheaton College have led us: Neo-evangelicalism. We know where evangelicalism has led us: To Nashville, Tennessee . . . and classical fundamentalism hasn’t even led us—we’ve been LEFT BEHIND!
The amazing reactions—and they act as if the American Pledge of Allegiance and “One Nation Under God” as well as the “In God We Trust” upon the Almighty Dollar – or for that matter, “God Save the King/Queen” Brits and their leaders who couch their wars of democracy under divine inspiration and edict are somehow out of the norm of things. Not only is this expected of the Anglo-American Alliance (a.k.a., The Axis of Evangelicals) but wholly demanded by the mainstream of their populous. The only ones being “bizarre” in all this are Rose Gentle and Dr. Evan Harris—both of whom simply cannot fathom the concept of “Onward Christian Soldiers Marching to War” (and you thought the lyrics were: “Marching AS to War”).
Notwithstanding the ever-increasing justifications and conciliatory remarks of the Bush-Blair Axis of Evangelicals towards moderate Moslems and the like—be clear, very clear—they have no truck with the type of “terror” so advertised, nor with the wishy-washy rank and file of their own parties, let alone those who oppose their excursions throughout the Middle East. George W. Bush is the iron fist surrounded by the velvet glove of Tony Blair—a remarkably good fit at that.
Of Prime Ministers and Presidents let it be said . . .
“Somehow I feel in divine providence I have been prepared for this moment” (Sir Winston Churchill to his wife, Clemy, as the British Parliament turned to him to serve as Prime Minister—a man they had rejected a few years earlier).
‘In the end, there is a judgement that, I think if you have faith about these things, you realise that judgement is made by other people... and if you believe in God, it’s made by God as well.’” (Tony Blair)
“Having given the order, the president walked alone around the circle behind the White House. Months later, he told (Bob) Woodward: ‘As I walked around the circle, I prayed that our troops be safe, be protected by the Almighty. Going into this period, I was praying for strength to do the Lord's will. I’m surely not going to justify war based upon God. Understand that. Nevertheless, in my case, I pray that I be as good a messenger of His will as possible. And then, of course, I pray for forgiveness.’
“‘Did Mr. Bush ask his father for any advice?’ ‘I asked the president about this. And President Bush said, ‘Well, no,’ and then he got defensive about it,’ says Woodward. ‘Then he said something that really struck me. He said of his father, ‘He is the wrong father to appeal to for advice. The wrong father to go to, to appeal to in terms of strength.’ And then he said, ‘There's a higher Father that I appeal to.’” (Bob Woodward, Woodward Shares War Secrets, CBS-60 Minutes, April 18, 2004)
“What we are we have become not against, but with, the will of Providence. And so long as we are true and honorable and of good courage in fight, so long as we believe in our great work and do not capitulate, we shall continue to enjoy in the future the blessing of Providence.”1
“Providence has caused me to be Catholic and I know therefore how to handle this Church.”2
“I believe in Providence and I believe Providence to be just. Therefore I believe that Providence always rewards the strong, the industrious, and the upright.”—Adolf Hitler
1. At Rosenheim in Bavaria, 11 August 1935 2. At Berlin in 1936 on the enmity of the Catholic Church to National Socialism 3. At the Nuremberg Parteitag to National Socialist Women, 11 September 1936.

Saint Peter:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (I Peter 5:9-11).
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Doug is a member of the "Last Days Network" . . . a group of evangelical pundits providing news and analysis on Religion in Politics. "Applied Biblical prophecy," apostasy and deception, the impact of the American New World Order System, and the influences of the Religious Right and Left upon American culture--are topics discussed by the group. He is an educator-administrator in California @ The Tribulation Network