W On Power and Christianity

An interesting bit from an interview of George W. Bush done by Hugh Hewitt.

HH: This is a God-drenched book, Decision Points. He’s not in the Index, but He’s pretty much in every chapter, and on almost every page.

GWB: (laughing)

HH: I’m curious as to what impact, having been the most powerful man in the world, has had on your understanding of Christ and your faith?

GWB: That’s a very interesting question. I think what you realize, at least when you’re in the position I was in, it enabled me to better understand the need for a loving God’s strength and comfort. I guess the more power you had, the more it accentuated the fact that you needed help.

HH: I know you’re not a theologian. Neither am I. But in Philippians...

GWB: You sound like one. You’re doing a pretty good job of it.

HH: No, I’m not (laughing). In Philippians, when it talks about Christ emptying himself to become that, that’s giving up all power. And power is a worldly thing. Was it, did it ever crop up to you that being president is just not consistent with Christian theology, and you have to kind of take a different look at Christian theology as a result?

GWB: You know, it’s interesting, and Tim Keller helped me understand this, that if you allow power to become your god, then it is corrupting. If you allow fame to become your god, it is corrupting. If you allow money to become your god, it is corrupting. And what religion helped me was to understand that that was those truths. And so power can be used effectively to help people, or it can be intoxicating, in which case it is difficult to have a proper relationship, if you’re a Christian, with Christ.

HH: Did you, in all the reading that you did, and you did a lot of reading when you were president. Did you think any of the previous presidents had become intoxicated with power? Did anyone stand out? I mean, you obviously admire Lincoln, and of course, your father. But was there anyone out there that you marked out as someone who just fell prey to all those intoxications?

GWB: Interestingly enough, not American presidents, because it’s hard to become so totally intoxicated with power when you’re responsive to the people. But the people that became intoxicated by power that affected me were like those idealistic souls that convinced others that their vision for the future was the right one, whether it be the folks who led the French revolution, or those who bought into Mao, or those who corrupted the Leninist movement in Russia. These are people that became so intoxicated with power that they ended up being murderers.