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Bush calls for faith-based foreign policy to help democracy

Nov 13, 2008, 19:01 GMT

New York - US President George W Bush urged governments at the United Nations on Thursday to include religion in their work and help spread democracy around the world.

In his final days as the top but not the most admired US leader, Bush remains true to his belief to bring democracy to other countries, including using military force to invade Iraq in March, 2003, to make that country a democracy.

Bush told the UN General Assembly that the United States, represented by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, led the discussion that resulted in the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights 60 years ago.

'Today, the United States is carrying on that noble tradition by making religious liberty a central element of our foreign policy,' he said in an address to the UN assembly session on the Culture of Peace.

'We strongly encourage nations to understand that religious freedom is the foundation of a healthy and hopeful society,' he said. 'We are not afraid to stand with religious dissidents and believers who practice their faith even where it is unwelcome.'

'And the best way to safeguard religious freedom is to aid the rise of democracy,' he said.

The assembly session was called to debate how best to use values deriving from various religions and cultures in order to help resolve political and armed conflicts. The session was strongly pushed by Saudi King Abdullah, who broke the barrier between Islam and Catholicism by meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.

King Abdullah was praised by the kings of Jordan and Bahrain, emirs, and presidents of Israel, Pakistan, Afghanistan and most of the 80 government delegations that attended the two-day conference at UN headquarters in New York.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari said King Abdullah brought about change rather than just talking about it in his efforts to advance interfaith dialogue among governments. But Zardari urged the king to make another step by giving Saudi women more freedom following the construction of a university for women in Saudi Arabia.

'This may surely be considered as a historic milestone for women empowerment in the kingdom and the Muslim world,' Zardari said.



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PperfectNov 13th, 2008 - 19:30:02

As many people listen to him as listen to SP4---you can count them on one hand!

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SP4:ppperhapsNov 13th, 2008 - 19:37:22

...bu that certainly does not make him wrong, either. Now, run back to the new president who wants $1 billion per state to pay off his union voters in Michigan.

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lanceNov 13th, 2008 - 20:09:01

Need I remind everyone that faith-based organizations are run as a dictatorship:

One guy on top like the pope and everyone else praying for forgiveness and a spot in heaven.

Hardly a democratic process.

Now, if we could all vote who gets into heaven and who does not then it might be different, but last I checked saints were hand selected by dictators.


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yup, sounds about right...Nov 13th, 2008 - 20:52:58

faith based politics is why we are in such a mess right now. 'lets do whatever we want because god is an American and he will make everything work out in the end!' end the age in which ignorant people are run by ignorant people.

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SP4: Lance talking out his ass part 7Nov 13th, 2008 - 20:56:08

...I guess you've never heard of the College of Cardinals...

Now, get back to work on your Bush thing where he wrecked the Bank of England...we are all dying to hear the explanation for THAT!

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lanceNov 13th, 2008 - 21:17:50

'College of Cardinals'

Yes I have. Is that the group that includes Cardinal Law, the cardinal that oversaw and knew about the mass raping of at least 1,000 children in Boston and was the subject of a grand jury investigation by the AG in Massachusetts?

You know, he got promoted to a special Basilica in Rome do you not? Did you (cough, cough) 'vote for him'?

Cut me a fricking break. The faithful do not vote for cardinals nor the pope. There is no democracy in the catholic church. You shut up and beg for forgiveness and that is it.

Pray, pay and obey.

Democratic process my ass.

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lanceNov 13th, 2008 - 21:23:29

I've got to wonder why anyone would defend a dictatorship that is known to mass rape children throughout the world and spend billions of dollars getting away with it, protecting their managers who committed the crimes.

... Oh, I forgot: 'faith-based'. They do not ask questions, they take orders on faith.

What a crock.

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lanceNov 13th, 2008 - 21:26:32

Ah, here we go:

/www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_ biografie/cardinali_bio_law_bf_en.html

... so I guess you voted for him?

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???Nov 13th, 2008 - 22:02:33

Maybe these other countries don't want a democracy or adhere to Christianity.

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Jayzeus H. Kriste!Nov 13th, 2008 - 22:50:35

Keep religion out of politics. They are both cesspools that DO NOT mix well. If you want a recipe for disaster, just try and put them together. Then stand back and watch the shake and bake.

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