Is it Christian to say we will "rid the world of evil"?

Bush has said this very thing several times if I'm not mistaken - that we will rid the world of evil.

Now, God himself can't even rid the world of evil, right? I'm not an expert on the bible, but it seems that *'s statements strike me as incredibly arrogant, from a biblical standpoint.

It's almost like * has taken on a battle that God can't even win. Afterall, doesn't the bible depict the battle between good and evil as an ongoing struggle that even God can't stop and has yet to be able to win?

Any Christians out there that can answer this?

on edit: also note post #25 where Bush proclaims that our enemies "have no souls" - this is not a Christian statement!

Just my humble opinion you understand, but he is thinking he is the annointed and appointed one, speaking directly for the Big Guy (or Gal, if you prefer). He gets to say stuff like "rid the world of evil" because he believes that is what God is telling him. Because he isn't real bright, he doesn't question the fact that God seems to look a lot like Unca Dick.
Carol

It would be incorrect to say God himself can't rid the world of evil.

If you look in Romans, I think 8 or 9, it tells us that basically God allows evil in the world in order to show us how terrible his powers can be.

as far as justification for the war? I don't know. I suppose the "Just War" theory is how he justifies it.
The theory is a bunch of conditions that war must fill. I'll see if I can find a link.

On Edit:

http://www.painsley.org.uk/re/signposts/gcseaqa/xianfiles/154.htm

the world of it?

not at all.

You can almost hear the filth coming out of his mouth already.

It's my belief (I'm Roman Catholic, just for background knowledge) that God can and will rid the world of evil, at the end of the world. The original sin of Adam and Eve gave people the power to reason and understand what is good and bad. God gave us the power to do evil, and thus obviously has the power to end evil since he's the one that gave us the power to do evil. God is willing to allow humanity to make it's own mistakes, because by our actions we proved that we wanted this power.

God can end all evil. I don't think any individual person on earth can end all evil...thinking that is just stupid.

God allows good and evil to exist. How can the shrub declare he will rid the world of it...

So god allows Satan to exist? I thought that God couldn't get Satan?

Am I wrong on that?

Various sects of Christianity would answer you differently.
Most agree that God can and will destroy Satan, but that out of the necessity for free choice, he is allowed to tempt those on earth.

only God can do that.

So either he THINKS he is God, or he is saying what sounds good to get re-elected, or both.

You call it, I'm tired of trying to figure out the punk. Personally I think he is just saying whatever his sorry ass has to.

He on to the rhetoric that is effective with the evangelical RW and using it to score some votes. Why else would he be treated with such reverence by the radical republicans? Clinton didn't play their hand and look how they treated him.

But I think we need to challenge him on a religious ground. I don't think a real Christian would take it upon himself to rid the world of evil.

What is evil? My definition

Hungry children
Adults who can't read
elderly people whop can't pay for perscriptions
Child abuse and molestation
Rape and crimes of violence
Deliberate mistreatment of animals

This is my definition of evil and I would love to rid the world of it.

But Bush does not share my definition of evil. His definition is much simpler. Evil is "Ay-rabs" to him, particularly Iraquis.
So, no, I don't want Bushco ridding the world of "evil"

and have faith in many other religious points of view. This I know: we can not "rid the world" of evil. Our goal should be to rid ourselves of evil. However, this November God is allowing us the opportunity to rid the White House of a flock of evil demons named george and dick and condi andthe like. They are evil by definition. Let's get rid of them.

Bush said this last month. Is that no a terribly un-Christian thing to say?

Who gave him the authority to make that declaration?

what was the exact quote? I'd love to tell it to my Christian, bush-lovin' friends!

(In the interest of full disclosure I am a Christian, but COMPLETELY of the non-arrogant, non-proselytizing variety......)

I think Bush should be called out on this. This statement is dangerously un-Christian. Where are the Christian leaders on this?

""We will never show weakness in the face of these people who have no soul."
President Bush April 19, 2004

It's in the second to last paragraph....

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040419-4.html

Here's the Washington Times article covering that speech, he is clearly quoted as saying that...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20040419-111749-9485r

No Christian has the right to say that others have no soul!

so they're vampires, and that makes it OK to kill them indiscriminately. Even if we have to kill a few thousand ensouled human beings to get to them, because "We've got to be strong and resolute and determined." That's what I'm getting out of *'s message.

Sheesh. This sort of dehumanization of others leads directly to excusing, even ordering, torture. What do we have to do to get * to face an international tribunal for his misdeeds?

Jesus said 'My kingdom is not of this world.'

Many refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah, because they expected the Messiah to set up a kingdom.

He had to constantly emphasize that his kingdom is/was in the changed hearts, minds, souls, and lives of his followers.

I see nowhere in the Scriptures where Jesus enjoins us to "rid the world of evil."

What we ARE commanded to do is to:

1) Love God.

2) Love one another even as God has loved us.

Anything not in compliance with these two incredibly simply commandments is highly questionable.

There is no big mystery. In the Scriptures God has demanded justice and mercy over anything else. Just abiding by "the Law" doesn't cut it.

as God has loved us?

You're spot on right, rumguy. We humans don't "pack the gear" to make that determination. Although, God help me, I feel strongly that the members of this administration are about as close to soulless as I have ever seen (but I shouldn't make that call).

that's the way I see it...

Just what is evil. To some loving your best friend in a physical way is evil. But bu$h causing the deaths of brown skin innocents for 9/11 is not.

To think that he or we could rid the world of evil is not just arrogant, it's nuts.

In the Lord's Prayer (which Jesus taught us to say) we ask that God's will be done, not our interpretation of His will.

We ask for our daily bread, not for superhuman powers.

We ask to be delivered from evil, not to free others from evil.

We ask to be able to forgive others as He has forgiven us, not to demonize them at every chance.

And so forth.

So, no. I think it's pretty presumptious of this administration to suggest that we either can or should "rid the world of evil".

the demented twisting of religion.

Crusades.
Burn the witches.
Pogroms.
etc...