There are a lot of people supporting Bush now, and supporting him vociferously, for what I think are the wrong reasons. I think they want someone to venerate as God’s steward of the Earth and he’s handy. But no matter how hungry you are, you should watch what you eat, and the same goes for a worshipful impulse and the object of worship.

Where does this strong impulse come from? Why does it seem like so many people can’t endure any criticism of Bush, or believe that such criticism implies criticism of all that America stands for, as well as being an atheist? Why are the Left Behind novels selling like hotcakes, so rapidly that Newsweek ran a cover story about the books and their success? I have some ideas.

The Christian Right believes that the prosperity and success of the nation, domestically and abroad, depends directly on the quality of America’s religious observance and on the values that are held up by the American social contract. Now, I’m not going to argue that point in this entry, partly because there’s something to it: nations that have corruption, injustice, and foolishness built into them do not prosper, at least not for long (where “long” might be a generation or two).

The changes in the American social contract that have happened since the 60’s and especially during the last, say, 15 years, have really made these people anxious that America is committing cultural and social suicide (possible), and that the 9/11 attacks were the first real evidence of the crumbling (probably not). Furthermore, after the 9/11 attacks, they, like all of us, have a strong feeling that they should “do” something, and they want to somehow show fealty to, and give sacrifices to, both God and country.

There is nothing wrong with that.

But why on earth should George W. Bush merit this offering?

I don’t think he does. And I wish that this group of people were less “easy” and a little more choosy with their affection. Save your worship for God. The Republican Party is full of thieves, murderers, and fornicators no less than the Democratic Party. I mean, wake up.

And where is the moral outrage over the current administration’s zeal to erode the Geneva Convention? Or the rush to war with Iraq over WMDs that never materialized, with all the attendant damage to our alliances and reputation worldwide? Or the massive deficit spending? (When did the Republicans stop being the party of fiscal responsibility?) Or where on earth Osama Bin Laden is? Or why we’re still making nice with the Saudis after 9/11? Why was it so easy to get this group of people frothing at the mouth about Bill Clinton’s sexual peccadilloes, and why are they so silent now except to bark down critics?

It is not unpatriotic to insist on accountability from our leaders. It is unpatriotic not to.

I’ve got a Bible lesson for the would-be theocrats who believe that none of this matters so long as Bush shares their beliefs: just because King Saul was an Israelite didn’t make him a good king.