"Can you direct me to the DNC headquarters?"
Posted on 09/12/2006 9:39:00 PM PDT by jmc1969
President Bush said yesterday that he senses a "Third Awakening" of religious devotion in the United States that has coincided with the nation's struggle with international terrorists, a war that he depicted as "a confrontation between good and evil."
Bush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people "who saw life in terms of good and evil" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms.
"A lot of people in America see this as a confrontation between good and evil, including me," Bush said during a 1 1/2 -hour Oval Office conversation on cultural changes and a battle with terrorists that he sees lasting decades. "There was a stark change between the culture of the '50s and the '60s -- boom -- and I think there's change happening here," he added. "It seems to me that there's a Third Awakening."
The First Great Awakening refers to a wave of Christian fervor in the American colonies from about 1730 to 1760, while the Second Great Awakening is generally believed to have occurred from 1800 to 1830.
Some scholars and writers have debated for years whether a Third Awakening has been taking place, although some identify other awakenings in U.S. history. Bush aides, including Karl Rove, have read Robert William Fogel's "The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Duck...liberals throwing multiple items in all directions about now. LOL!
Let's hope he's right.
I pray that is true. The forces of darkness are attacking us everywhere in this country and around the world.
Very kewl...that he would be willing to articulate this.
I sense a CWII.
I think that is the real reason they hate Bush. He's too good, upright, monogamous, loyal, etc. Clinton was the favorite of sinners, not Bush.
The war on terror, and our ability to endure to the end and emerge victorious, is as much a spiritual struggle as it is a political and military struggle.
Bingo. It's that simple.
Bush certainly has that "vision thing" his father lacked.
The Second great Awakening was in the 1820-1860 time. This one gave us many religious movements and new schisms and denominations--the Mormons, Christian Scientists, Adventists, Shakers, rise of Methodists, Unitarians, Congregationalists, etc. At the end, slavery was ended, Christmas was made a national holiday and Christmas trees became popular.
The Third Awakening was in the 1920-1930's. It gave us prohibition and social doctrines, like social security. Ended with the onset of WWII.
The Fourth Awakening started in the 1990s with televangelism, growth of psychics and similar beliefs, the fall of communism, and a generalized distrust of government. The fall-out is not known, but previously the pendulum has swung. From a faith-orientation to a secular orientation and back. Excesses of religious fervor and anti-rationalism were curbed in the past, and rational, pragmatic considerations won the minds of the day.
Some say great awakenings were actually "Great Darkenings".
And they say it from a position of bigotry and ignorance.
Only those who consider light "darkness." The other force at work in our society is a radical secularism, which claims for itself enlightenment and tolerance, but which is appallingly ignorant of religious conviction and is intolerant of people of faith.
This is probably the big divide in our nation -- a chasm between people of faith and radical secularists. Something has to give, and if I understand the signs, faith has the momentum at the moment, because what the secularists have to offer isn't enlightenment and tolerance, but nihilism.
I find Bush's line of thought (if that's the right thing to call it) a bit scary. Rather than simply "good" vs "evil," I would rather contrast hard reasoning vs mindless religiousity. Or we may find ourselves confronting the Rude Awakening of armed conflict with those those whose goal is the worldwide imposition of the Nth Caliphate and the culture of the 7th Century.
Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing, though. Some of the evangelicals being touted right now by the LameStream Media may not be as biblical as advertised.
"Can you direct me to the DNC headquarters?"
There's also a similar book out there called something like "The Turning" by a couple of sociologists, written in the 90s. They say we're due for the 4th turning about now, which is a very tumultuous time but is also an awakening of sorts.
Agreed.
For instance ping!
The Stand in the Gap rally that took place on Oct 3, 1997 was an incredible moment in the history of this country's religious barometer.
It was the largest crowd ever to assemble in one place in American history.
Even though the Park Service tried to downplay the size, saying they stopped keeping records, this photo is evidence. The National Mall has never even come close to a gathering this size - before or since.
well said.
...and so was the appropriate coverage then, and annual rememberance now, by the MSM.
/ sarcasm
CWII ping, thanks to rose's comment. Some good news, for once.
Agreed. And, it's not limited to conservative versus liberal. There are plenty of radically secular political conservatives, including right here on FR (see evolution threads).
I was there.
We shut that city DOWN!
The worst "mindless religiousity" we have in the country today, is that of the secular statists. The things they believe on pure faith are unreal, and they are about as far from "hard reasoning" as one can get.
It was actually called "The Fourth Turning" - you're right, it definitely predicted the period of time we are just now starting to go through.
Get out the shop vac and stand clear, I think the bad guys are gonna hurl.
Giggling....
Vacuum motor will be running soon...
I think W is trying to prepare us for the fact that Islam is at war with us.
I love the web page that contrasts that, with the so-called, and much-hyped by the media, "Million Mom March".
http://www.smartcarry.com/mmm.htm
If that's what you want to believe, fine.
But I'm not too impressed with the 'faith based initiative' that we all endured five years ago.
And, I think most of the "christian-based" religions are on the side that we would call "good". and that the "muslim-based" religions are on the side we would call evil.
So, I believe Bush is correct on this.
Facial-ticks twitching to beat the band... heads spinning like tops... blood dripping from eyes... the commies will go nuts with this!
Absolutely powerful stuff.
I truly believe that we are engaged in a struggle for the survival of civilization vs. 7th century tribalism.
We've had 40+ years of "Great Society". Among many other expressions of mindless statist secularism.
And you're dealing with someone who isn't particularly religious. I just know enough that if it ever came down to throwing in with either the extremist secular Leftists we see today, or with modern Christians, it's a no-brainer for the latter.
Spiritual awakenings have nothing to do with "mindless religiosity", except to wipe the slate clean of it. No where in the Bible is religion or theology mentioned. The struggle between good and evil is boiled down to the struggle between the spirit and the flesh.
While the flesh is full of all manner of evil, anger, jealousy, strife, hatred, etc..The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, etc....
Atheists wrongly state they don't believe in God. Logically, they must, they just believe it's them, causing lots of stress (so much to carry).
May I amend that?
We are all sinners. Clinton was the favorite of sinners who wanted to wallow in their sin and call good evil and evil good. Bush was not.
Point taken.
Culturally, perhaps. Politically, unlikely -- religious influence over political institutions smells too much of the enemy.
Well, there IS a "Holy War" going on between Christianity and Islam. It's been "going on" since the eighth century or so....
- John
I read that book. 9/11/01 was right on schedule as a crisis moment to bring the next great turning.
Very true. I was thinking that very thing when I wrote it. Although I would say that religious belief, or at least respect for religious belief, is a characteristic of conservatism. I think what we see in the heated discussions on FR is a clash between conservatives and libertarians.
The "faith-based initiative" is alive and well. Read the latest issue of World Magazine.
Well-said. I'm heartened to read such thoughtful and insightful comments on FR.
The Promise Keepers rally was really over a million people - and the MSM knew it. I will never forget Sam Donaldson admitting this on the ABC morning show - and I thought Cokie Roberts was going to cry and have a heart attack right then and there.
Thank you. While I comment quite infrequently, I have enjoyed lurking and learning from you and others here.
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