George W. Bush - Faith in the White House
by David W. Balsiger
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Actor: Don Hodel, George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Ralph Nader, Ted HaggardDirector: David W. Balsiger
Editor: David Priest
Producer: Audrey Beckett
Producer: Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Producer: Ted Beckett
Writer: Joseph Meier
Writer: Sharon Dymmel
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-10-05
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Good Times Video
DVD Reviews of George W. Bush - Faith in the White House
DVD Review: Historically inaccurate and troubling.
Summary: 2 Stars
As the title of this work implies, this documentary attempts to give a general overview of role of faith in the Bush Presidency. It should be noted that the title does not indicate the nature of the faith, i.e. whether it is based on Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or the myriads of other religions in the world today. Therefore, it could be said that this work professes to a certain religious provincialism. Viewing it reinforces this opinion, as no attempt is made in the work to justify non-Christian influences in the Bush administration. It is the Christian faith, and that alone, that gives moral legitimacy to the Bush administration.
There are some astounding historical inaccuracies in the work, such as the assertion that Bush, Lincoln, and Washington are the only presidents to have to deal with war on American soil. The War of 1812 is not included, during which James Madison was President, and during which one had fierce battles in Chesapeake Bay and New Orleans, and of course the burning of Washington D.C. (which provided motivation for the writing of the Star-Bangled Banner). This omission sheds serious doubt on the credibility of this work, but evidently its purpose was not to engage in objective and accurate historical studies, but to justify the presence of the Christian faith in the higher ranks of government.
The narrator of this work asks the viewer to consider whether Bush is just another pandering politician paying lip service to the Christian faith. Every president the narrator claims has paid deference to and reference to God. She does not elaborate however, on just what the term "God" meant to each of these presidents. Their conception of God was highly variable, as a perusal of their speeches and writings will reveal. But the purpose of this work was not to engage in objective and accurate historical studies, but to justify the presence of the Christian faith in the higher ranks of government.
That this work believes that the Presidency is a divine appointment is clear from listening to the narrator, and that religious moral clarity is essential in a President. This need is apparent if one observes how much the churches in America were filled after 9/11, says the narrator. She does not give statistical evidence for her claims of the degree of church attendance, but the purpose of this work was not to engage in objective and accurate historical studies, but to justify the presence of the Christian faith in the higher ranks of government.
The narrator asks the viewer to consider whether a man of faith is more trustworthy as a President than one who is not (interestingly, she does acknowledge the possibility of a "woman of faith"). President Washington is quoted as saying that one cannot govern without God and the Bible. This quotation (no references are given) illustrates the inherent bias in this work towards the Christian religion. Could an Orthodox Jew govern America sufficiently? How about a person of the Islamic faith?
The Christian evangelist James Robison engages in frequent dialog throughout the work. Bush has deep convictions, he says, but he would not deliberately manipulate others, does not make grandiose claims about his faith, and believes strongly in the power of prayer (which Robison adds, he never tries to hide). In addition, much discussion is given of Bush's childhood, and it is apparent that this work believes that his childhood experiences are relevant to the evaluation of the character of Bush. The discussion is completely at odds with other commentaries on Bush's childhood, which paint a radically different picture of it: one of an absentee mother and an aggressive and sometimes sadistic young man.
Bush, with the assistance of Billy Graham and James Robison, turned his back on his drinking habits and became a transformed person, according to the narrator. Prayer, she says, saved him from alcoholism. Other commentators, and some psychologists though, have pointed to the dangers of untreated alcoholism, and if their assertions are supported by evidence, it would become imperative that Bush seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Ironically, it is perhaps his faith that will dissuade him from seeking medical help, believing that he can deal with any personal afflictions via the "power of prayer." After all, Bush says, faith can change our culture, give us purpose, and change lives. The daily workings of his administration exemplify his convictions in this regard, for Bible readings and prayer are part of the daily routine at the White House. "I could not do my job without prayer", says Bush.
Thanks to Bush's emphasis on the Christian faith, all Christians can now be emboldened, says the narrator. His faith encourages all Christians to be open about their faith. That many Christians in the United States are emboldened is perhaps beyond dispute, and they are determined to bring about what they believe should be a more "Christian America", this being justified by the real intentions of the Founding Fathers.
These are developments that must be watched carefully by anyone desired to live in a free and open society, and also from a pragmatic point of view. The issues facing each citizen of this planet justify careful thought and respect for facts, not prayer. With respect to the behavior of many citizens after 9/11, it could be said that the last thing one needs in time of crisis is prayer. The ratio of prayer time to thought time should be a very small number, as the time spent on prayer could be more wisely devoted to policy making and evaluation. Religion must not be a personal crutch, as it seems to be for Bush. He apparently does not have the personal strength or a powerful enough intellect to deal with his own problems and the important problems of his Presidency. Robison quotes him as saying that God wanted him to run for the Presidency, that his country was going to need him.
But we need more thinking, not prayer.
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