<div>Ralph et. al.</div>
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<div>I have pondered how much Bush's religious faith is sincere, or a pose to gain the loyalty of the 35 million strong "Religious Right" voting block, arguably the most powerful single voting block in the US electorate. I don't know how I could answer this question without getting to know Bush personally and informally.
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<div>Whether Bush thought that the invasion and occupation of Iraq was a wise idea, based on what seems to me to be a faulty understanding of history, the ethnic and religious conflicts, and the likelihood of achieving a good outcome by the use of military force, or whether he believes God told him it was the best course of action, the result is the same, frightening either way!
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<div>On the issue of global warming, which is a more science based issue than decisions on the Iraq war, a religiously based anti-science bias on the part of the Bush administration, I agree, frightens me also! Even if it is just a pose to appeal to the those in the "Religious Right" who seek to undermine science as a means of knowledge that should be respected.
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<div>A friend of mine who teaches high school science in a very conservative religious community has been taken to task for posting scientific information on global warming in the classroom. This sort of development reminds me of Galileo and the Inquisition! How many realize the similarity between the suppression of scientific information on global warming by the Bush administration, and the suppression of Galileo's findings on astronomy?
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<div><a href="http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileoaccount.html">http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileoaccount.html</a></div>
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<div>Quote below from web link above:</div>
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<div>"His noble goal of spreading scientific awareness to the public was being frustrated by a narrow-minded bureaucracy intent on preserving its own power."</div>
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<div>Ted Moffett<br><br> </div>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 2/8/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Ralph Nielsen</b> <<a href="mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu">nielsen@uidaho.edu</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">No, Ted, I wasn't joking. Bush really believes this stuff. He really<br>frightens me.<br><br>Ralph<br>
<br><br>> Ralph et. al.<br>><br>> OK. I'll bite!<br>><br>> Assume "God" made the universe according to certain immutable laws,<br>> and deliberately endowed human beings with the capacity to
<br>> ascertain these laws for the wise and compassionate use of these<br>> God derived principles. To use our minds to their highest capacity<br>> to discern these laws via scientific experiment and logic/<br>> mathematics is showing God great respect... To ignore our capacity
<br>> to discover scientific law and follow the results to prevent cruel<br>> disasters from befalling human beings, to declare that the results<br>> of science should be mystified or marginalized, even when science
<br>> warns of unwise actions human beings are engaged in that could<br>> endanger millions of people... Well, I just don't think God or<br>> Jesus would recommend this course of action in regards to global<br>
> warming. Of course I am assuming certain concepts of what "God" or<br>> "Jesus" intends...There is great disagreement on this subject.<br>><br>> Perhaps Bush is talking to corporate heads in the energy business,
<br>> big time Wall Street investors, and even many people of more modest<br>> means, who find the reality of global warming inconvenient for<br>> their profit/investment models, their lifestyle and energy<br>> consumption habits, rather than God or Jesus, on this subject.
<br>><br>> O.K. You were just joking...or were you?<br>><br>> Ted Moffett<br>><br>><br>> On 2/8/07, Ralph Nielsen <<a href="mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu">nielsen@uidaho.edu</a>> wrote: But you seem
<br>> to forget that Bush talks with both God and Jesus every<br>> day. No wonder he thinks he is right.<br>><br>> Ralph<br>><br></blockquote></div><br>