Chris Ho-Stuart <> wrote in message . > Rowland Croucher <> wrote:

>

> > Just received this from UK – from Selwyn Hughes, (via a friend of his

and > > mine)

> > who says this is reliable.

> >

> > Whatever our views about Bush (and I have joked about his ignorance on

some > > things) let us pray for him – and those he influences…

>

> *Should* the president of the USA be an evangelist? I suggest definitely

> not.

>

> There is an ugly side to this religious fervour — exemplified by

> the previous Bush president, and his remarks on how atheists should

> not be considered good citizens of the USA.

>

> Cheers — Chris

And yet, and yet…

Here’s the first para in this week’s Time article by Michael Kinsley, ‘Don’t Want to Convert? Just Say No’ (Feb. 19, p. 34):

‘If I think a movie you plan to see is lousy and I attempt to spare you a couple of hours of boredom by talking you into a better flick, that is generally considered a friendly gesture. But if I think your spiritual beliefs are in error and I attempt to spare you an eternity of hellfire by converting you to a different set of beliefs, that is widely considered a terrible insult.’

BTW strictly speaking, of course, every American President – and everyone else living in society and communicating with others – is an evangelist for something or other. It’s _proselytizing_ as distinct from _evangelizing_ that’s problematical for many.

Rowland Croucher