Bush Faces Criticism Over Statement that Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God

November 22, 2003

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4697-2003Nov21?language=printer

On November 22, 2003 The Washington Post reported on the backlash among evangelical Christian leaders over President Bush's statement that Christians and Muslims worship the same god. "At a news conference with Prime Minister Tony Blair in England on Thursday, a reporter noted that Bush has often said that freedom is a gift from 'the Almighty' but questioned whether Bush believes that 'Muslims worship the same Almighty' that he does. 'I do say that freedom is the Almighty's gift to every person,' the president replied. 'I also condition it by saying freedom is not America's gift to the world. It's much greater than that, of course. And I believe we worship the same god.' Bush's remarks sent immediate shock waves through Christian Web sites and radio broadcasts. A Baptist Press report quoted Richard D. Land, president of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, as saying that Bush 'is simply mistaken...' Sayyid M. Syeed, secretary general of the Islamic Society of North America, responded to Bush's statement with a single word: Alhamdullah, Thanks be to God. 'We read again and again in the Koran that our god is the god of Abraham, the god of Noah, the god of Jesus,' he said. 'It would not come to the mind of a Muslim that there is a different god that Abraham or Jesus or Moses was praying to.'"