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Oct 27, 2003 Man! Here I am, supposedly in paradise and today President Bush came to Waikiki Beach to give a speech to a group of island national leaders only two doors down from my hotel. Not only did this cause an incredible traffic jam, but the visit ensured the coming out of every liberal fringelet on the island. I suppose I have to wait for tomorrow's paper to read the spin on what was basically a group of about 400 left-leaners marching to the chant of "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, George Bush has got to go!" I'm all for freedom of expression, but does it have to tie up traffic? Anyway, I am happy our President completed his Asian trip without incident. A few days from now the left will begin a series of bemoanings about what the trip did not accomplish. I want to address one thing that it did. Our President put himself out there. Yeah, the protection was there, but our President was right in the heart of evil-guy-land. In your face, Radical Islamists! I'm sorry. I can't help myself. The United States Army was my profession for thirty years. I always took things like the killings in Lebanon, Aden, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and, lately, New York and Oklahoma City rather personally because these all involved the deaths of soldiers. The first reaction of any soldier is in tune with "Remember the Maine" or "Remember the Alamo" and that is the absolutely most "politically correct" stance of a soldier who takes his oath to support and defend America seriously. I happen to care very deeply for this country and I thank the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob every day I was born in America. I believe this flap over the comments of General William Boykin stabs at the heart of this war against terror. I am a Christian, so I have been able to understand the comments of this man of war. Jesus was once confronted by a Roman Centurian who was concerned for the health of a servant who was on his death bed. Jesus offered to accompany this man of war back to his house to help and to heal his valued servant. The Centurian, knowing Jewish tradition and law concerning Hebrews dealings with gentiles, declined the offer of Jesus in an effort to protect the reputation and standing of a person quickly gaining local fame as a Prophet of the True God. He told Jesus that he knew he had only to speak the word and his servant would be well again. Jesus did not condemn this Centurian for openly expressing his faith in the One True God of Heaven. Jesus praised the faith of the man by exclaiming: "I say unto you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" In General Boykin, I see a great faith. In our President, I see a great faith. In those who dare to stand and condemn the faith of men who are trying their best to confront the enemy of all faith, I see only evil, vitriol and hatred. In many of the churches I have attended since my conversion to Christianity 28 years ago, there is a Sunday set aside to honor congragants who are currently serving in the active or the reserve armed forces, and those who have rendered past honorable service. In every one of these churches, the Christian flag stands beside the flag of the United States. This is because Christians believe in the ideals represented by this country, and that these ideals support and defend a Christian's right to worship the One True God of Heaven. There are those in this country, in fact, throughout the world, who want that relationship destroyed. They attack Christianity with charges of intolerance, bigotry, homophobia, exclusionism and anti-Semitism. When a man of faith, who happens to also be a man of war, (kinda like George Washington maybe?) stands in a personal and private church setting and is vilified for speaking believed truths concerning his God and his country, to a congregation of like faith, it is time to re-look at who is charging who with intolerance. Jesus did not preach a God of multiculturalism and diversity. He preached a single God, and a single faith, with a single purpose. He also preached complete intolerance against those that would try to destroy that faith. General Boykin and President Bush know who they believe and they remain faithful that Jesus can keep what they have committed to him against the forces arrayed against truth, morality and the One True God of Heaven. President Bush has been attacked for not chastising General Boykin for comments that are supportive of the Christian faith. General Boykin has been attacked and forced into apology mode for his comments born out of his deep faith in his personal God. These attacks come from the tolerant, diverse, non-homophobic, non- exclusionary, non-anti-Semites. So I guess, as long as it is only Christianity being attacked, it must be OK. ------------ About the Author: Independent, Conservative, Christian. Married 29 years this month with five children raised and one grandson being raised. 30 year Army Veteran and published poet with www.poetry.com for the past 3 years. Email Michael John McCrae: michael.mccrae@us.army.mil Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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