More on FDR Versus Modern Liberalism

Oh what the heck: since I already introduced the theme below about how FDR differs fundamentally from today’s liberal, let’s look at some of FDR’s statements on religion.

Democracy and Christianity, he said, were “two phases of the same civilization.”  “We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation,” he said, “without reckoning with the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic.” During World War II FDR wrote a preface for an edition of the New Testament that was distributed to American troops (think we’d have the moxie to equip our troops in Afghanistan with the New Testament?): “As Commander-in-Chief, I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States.”  On the eve of the 1940 election, FDR said in a radio address: “Freedom of speech is of no use to a man who has nothing to say and freedom of worship is of no use to a man who has lost his God.”  On June 6, 1944, FDR led the nation in prayer for our armed forces on live radio, and in his final inaugural address in 1945 he said, “So we pray to Him for the vision to see our way clearly … to achievement of His will.”

Today’s liberals would no doubt regard these statements and acts as grounds for impeachment.  At least they acted that way when President George W. Bush expressed similar sentiments.

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