A Library of Quotations on Religion and Politics by George W. Bush

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Religion and the Election (back to index)
On religion and the election:
"The question ought to be asked, it seems to me: Is faith an important part of your life as a person? And if it is, is it reflected in policy or is it reflected in your life? And if you happen to be a governor or whatever other position, how is it reflected in your policies? Because I can see why an electorate should be suspicious if someone only talks about faith during election years. It's kind of a new phenomenon. "Vote for me; I'm more religious than my opponent" is a motto that people ought to be very concerned about."
US News Online, "George W. Bush: Running on His Faith"

"I want to win, but if it doesn't work out, I accept my fate here. And part of that acceptance and part of that comfort and part of the calm that I feel is a result of my religion."
20/20 interview with Barbara Walters, July 28, 2000

"I don't pray for votes or I don't pray for the stock market to go up, I pray for strength and patience and love and understanding."
20/20 interview with Barbara Walters, July 28, 2000

On Christ and the road to the White House:
Q: Governor, we would like to know about your personal relationship with Christ, and how he has equipped you and continues to equip you as your journey to the White House continues?

Bush: Well, I appreciate that. As you know, during a debate, one of the debates in the public arena, I was asked about a philosopher who influenced my life. I didn't spend much time thinking about an answer. It just came out, and I said it was Christ, and it was Christ. "What does that mean? Why?" he said. And I said, "Because he's changed my heart." And the man said, "Could you explain it further?" And basically what I said is it's kind of hard to explain it in 30-second sound bytes. It's hard to explain unless you have witnessed it yourself, and so it is hard to explain.

I'm mindful of people in public office who say, "Vote for me. I'm more religious than my neighbor." I want to be judged on my actions, and I want to be judged on my--on how I--on how I conduct myself. That's what I want to be judged by. Faith to me is strength. It puts life in perspective. I recognize that I'm a humble sinner and I've sought redemption. I recognize that I'm no better than anybody else. I believe that. I believe that I have had the good fortune of not only recognizing that, but of asking for redemption and finding redemption. My faith helps me keep life in perspective, and I think that's important particularly for somebody in the public arena.

My faith helps me prioritize, and the priorities in my life are my faith and my family. And I want--I'm sure you know. I'm sure you've read some of the stories about, you know, thinking about running for president. I never dreamt I'd be running for president. It wasn't one of those things that, you know, I was hoping to get elected to the eighth grade class president and maybe parlay that into, you know, and then kind of maybe become the such-and-such and then kind of work my way up.

And so one of my worries was my family, as I'm sure you can imagine. We're the proud parents of 18-year-old twin daughters. But I recognized, through a lot of soul searching, that our love for each other was strong enough to help us endure--and so my faith has helped me keep my priorities straight, and recognize exactly who I am.
Town Meeting. Columbia, South Carolina, February 12, 2000

On upholding the office of the presidency:
Q: President Clinton says he has sought forgiveness from God for his mistakes. What effect do you feel the Lewinsky scandal had on our nation spiritually?

Bush: You never know, ultimately. In the short run, it had a very negative effect because mothers and dads were so disillusioned trying to explain to their children what [the Lewinsky scandal] was all about. I know we did in our household. It was hard.

But hopefully this is an awakening for all of us to be able to understand how important it is to keep a check on carnal desires and to be responsible for the decisions we make in life.

We need to change the culture of America, but cultures don't change instantaneously. But we've got a culture that has sent a signal that says: "If it feels good, just go ahead and do it. And if you have a problem in society, then blame somebody else."

This attitude existed before this recent scandal. I think what this country needs to do is to usher in what I call "the responsibility era"--where you are responsible for the decisions you make. But we can't usher in the responsibility era when a figure that is on your TV screen on a daily basis has behaved irresponsibly. It sends a mixed message. What's needed in a president is a consistent message.
From "God and the Governor," Charisma Magazine interview, August 29, 2000

"To unite this nation and lead this nation and bring people together for a common cause requires a leader who understands his own fallibility, someone who's humble. After all, our faith is based upon the most ultimate humble man of all time, Christ, and I think humility is very important in the political process.

"I think one can be a very strong, forceful leader and be humble at the same time. All of us are sinners, all of us. And in my case I sought redemption and found it."
Catholic News Service interview, September 20, 2000

"And to lead this nation to a responsibility era, a president himself must be responsible.
"And so, when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not only uphold the laws of our land, I will swear to uphold the honor and dignity of the office to which I have been elected, so help me God."
Acceptance Speech, Philadelphia, August 3, 2000

"This is an awesome job [the presidency]. With it comes big responsibilities, and my faith is going to help me handle the job. My faith will help me handle the responsibilities inherit in the job...and the pressures."
Interview with the Baptist Press, the national news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, August 31, 2000

On the job of leaders:
"Our job as leaders--Republicans, Democrats, nonaffiliateds--is to rally that compassion of America, is to call upon the love that exists not because of government, that exists because of a gracious and loving God."
AP story in LA Times, Aug 4, 2000

Education and Family Values (back to index)
On family:
Q: Many Christians hold the family as the foundational institution of human society and marriage as the union of a man and a woman in lifetime covenant to each other and to God. Do you support these traditional beliefs concerning the family and marriage?

Bush: Of course I do. I believe the family is the backbone of a hopeful, more prosperous America. I will just give you the practical aspects of the breakup of the family. If you're a single girl, young girl with a child, it's much more likely that you'll be impoverished...and your child will be impoverished. There's an economic impact besides the social impact, besides a real psychological impact. If you're alone in life, and you're a young woman with a child, it's more likely that you're going to end up in poverty. Family is the backbone.

There's nothing better that having a man and a wife pulling for each other and raising children in a loving and peaceful home. I'm worried about out-of-wedlock births. I believe we ought to encourage abstinence education in America. I believe the president must set the example. The most important job a parent will have is to love their children with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their mind. That's how you lead. That's the tone you set. And I try to set it in every speech I give.
Interview with the Baptist Press, the national news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, August 31, 2000

On moral education:
"So today, here in New Hampshire, I want to make the case for moral education. Teaching is more than training, and learning is more than literacy. Our children must be educated in reading and writing--but also in right and wrong.

"Of course, every generation worries about the next. "Children today are tyrants," said one educator. "They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers." And that teacher's name was ... Socrates.

"Some things don't change. The real problem comes, not when children challenge the rules, but when adults won't defend the rules. And for about three decades, many American schools surrendered this role. Values were "clarified," not taught. Students were given moral puzzles, not moral guidance. But morality is not a cafeteria of personal choices--with every choice equally right and equally arbitrary, like picking a flavor of ice cream. We do not shape our own morality. It is morality that shapes our lives...

"Schools must never impose religion--but they must not oppose religion either. And the federal government should not be an enemy of voluntary expressions of faith by students.

"Religious groups have a right to meet before and after school. Students have a right to say grace before meals, read their Bibles, wear Stars of David and crosses, and discuss religion with other willing students. Students have a right to express religious ideas in art and homework.

"Public schools that forbid these forms of religious expression are confused. But more than that, they are rejecting some of the best and finest influences on young lives. It is noble when a young mind finds meaning and wisdom in the Talmud or Koran. It is good and hopeful when young men and women ask themselves what would Jesus do.

"The measure of our nation's greatness has never been affluence or influence--rising stocks or advancing armies. It has always been found in citizens of character and compassion. And so many of our problems as a nation--from drugs, to deadly diseases, to crime--are not the result of chance, but of choice. They will only be solved by a transformation of the heart and will. This is why a hopeful and decent future is found in hopeful and decent children."
Speech on "The True Goal of Education," Gorham, New Hampshire, November 2, 1999

On whether there is a spiritual crisis:
Q: Do you think that the spiritual crisis in the country, that absolute truth is something that's degraded and that we've embraced as a society a wicked relativism?

Bush: Interesting question. I don't think we've necessarily embraced a society of relativism. I think the evangelical movement and spiritual movements are very strong in America. I think that's one of the most hopeful signs we have in the 21st century.
US News Online, George W. Bush: Running on His Faith

On creationism:
"I believe in the alignment of authority and responsibility away from the federal government when it comes to issues of governance and schools. Secondly, my own personal opinion is that I believe that it's important for children to understand there's different schools of thought when it comes to the formation of the world. I have no problem explaining that there are different theories about how the world was formed. I mean, after all, religion has been around a lot longer than Darwinism. And I think it's important for people to know what people believe in-but whatever the case, here's what I believe. I believe God did create the world. And I think we're finding out more and more and more as to how it actually happened."
US News Online, "George W. Bush: Running on His Faith"

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