Dear Kim,

I am wondering if the Austin American-Statesman has found religion. I noticed that you have penned two articles in two days.

As I am sure you know, I am running for governor. Why don't you go take a look at my WorldPeace Peace Page and see how much time I have devoted to understanding all the religious texts of the world. I think you will find that I have rewritten all the major texts with a common peace and harmony glossary and a universal definition of God that explains the difference between the Infinite God of the East and the anthropomorphic God of the Western Religions.

You will also find some scripture on the top of my Political Web Page.

I have been John WorldPeace for 14 years and I have been a researcher of religious and spiritual matters all my life. Yet at the same time, I am not preacher or priest or other holy man trying to sell religion to anyone. But I do have a unique perspective grounded not only in research but in everyday miracles that I observe and experience.

A close look at my web page should reveal to you that the work that I have done with these religious texts is worthy of a doctorate in philosophy or religion. I was a member of Mensa until I changed my name and withdrew from all organizations to which I belonged, including the Masons. I felt that as John WorldPeace I needed to be all inclusive of all factions of society and membership in any particular group made me an elitist or sorts.

The World Trade Towers have been leveled, people are turning to God in fear and confusion. I was the first to step forward and advocate prayer be returned to the schools and judges be allowed to place the Ten Commandments in their courtroom (because seven of the commandments are the foundation of the secular law) and then Rick Perry picks up the issue (because he knows that for me to take that stand on prayer meant an erosion of his Christian political base - and based on your article on Karen Hughes, the rest of the Republicans know it also - sure makes one cynical doesn't it.) and then the Express News and the Statesman picked up Tony Sanchez' opinions on the issue. It is mind boggling to me that anyone would ask the most morally bankrupt candidate in the governor's race his opinion on anything to do with religion. It just shows how confused this society is right now.

I will be the next governor of Texas and I will bring to that office spirituality that has been the foundation of my life. And at the same time I do not intend to sell Jesus or Buddha or Mohammed in the process. No other candidate can speak to these issues with the authority that I can. The new millenneum and the WTC tragedy have shown that there is a change present in the social subconscious. And I can tell you that come election time, people will vote for WorldPeace over any other candidate.

I doubt that your editor will allow you to write about me. I have been labeled a "crackpot" by his/her candidate Don Sanchez. I have never used drugs, I have served in the military, I have three degrees from the University of Houston which I earned while working full time, I have six children and eight grandchildren, practice law but I have zero net worth because of the pro bono work that I have always done, and I changed my name to WorldPeace so that when people said, read, heard or spoke my name they would have to think about WorldPeace for just a moment. Because I stood up for WorldPeace fourteen years ago and meant it, I am a crackpot. It is a strange world.

That being said, the days of materialism for the sake of materialism, the looking up to the rich and ignoring the foundation of their wealth, the belief that money rules, all this is about to change. Jesus and Buddha had nothing but a message. Yet the priests and preachers of today who speak about these men who had nothing, in fact live in inconceivable wealth. The Pope is vicariously the richest man on the planet. And look at the televangelist - selling Jesus pays well indeed. Yet believe me when I tell you these people have been measured, weighed and found wanting. We will very soon move into a more just and sane society where compassion finally begins to impact on unbridled materialism and true spirituality overcomes religious based materialism.

Peace and WorldPeace,

John WorldPeace
The next governor of Texas
http://www.johnworldpeace.com

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Bush counselor keeps Bible close by
By Kim Sue Lia Perkes

American-Statesman Staff

Monday, October 29, 2001

One of President Bush's top political advisers and closest friends told Austinites on Sunday that she's armed everywhere she goes. 

Karen Hughes, the president's senior counselor, is packing a Bible in her purse. "I love to read the Psalms," she said. "They calm me and comfort me." 

Hughes spoke at three services, with church youths and at a conference Sunday at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, where she is a member. She will wrap up the conference, "Living By Faith in a Fractured World," today. 

On Sunday, she told stories about her work at the White House, what it was like on Sept. 11 and how she recently approached the president, saying, "Anthrax! I want to go back to teaching Sunday school." 

Such thoughts are fleeting, she said. 

"As our Lord says, `Can any of you by worry add one more hour to your life?' " Hughes said of how her faith sustains her. 

Prayer was her first action after learning of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She was in blue jeans and a Habitat for Humanity T-shirt, getting ready to represent the White House at a Habitat event. Her home phone rang. It was her office, saying an aircraft had hit the World Trade Center. 

She turned on the television in time to see the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. Hughes dropped to her knees in prayer. 

Soon she was being paged to go to a White House shelter for safety. She would have, Hughes said, but she had no idea where it was. 

Her text pager was constantly buzzing, telling her to call the White House Situation Room. She would have, Hughes said, but nobody had ever given her the number. 

Eventually, the White House sent a car to her door. 

She went to the White House even though workers had already been evacuated. Was it an act of duty? 

"It was an act of faith," Hughes said. "It teaches us to be courageous and strong. . . . Suffering teaches endurance, and endurance teaches character." 

Hughes said she came back to Westlake to thank everyone for always being there for her and her family, sending them prayers, e-mails and cards of support. When she powered up her office computer Sept. 12, one of the first e-mails was from Westlake pastor Doug Fletcher, letting her know the congregation met to pray for her and the president. 

In the sanctuary, Fletcher placed his arm around Hughes and led the congregation in a prayer for her. Then she scooted out of the service to meet with more than 100 teen-agers, some of whom Hughes had taught in Sunday school. 

"What's inside the White House?" one asked. 

Hughes gave a verbal tour, noting there is a 40-seat movie theater. "They turn the movies on when you want the movies turned on," she said. "It's kind of neat." 

"What's the president like in person?" another inquired. 

"He has a great sense of humor. He doesn't take himself too seriously. He's focused . . . clear. He gives all of us who work for him very good marching orders." 

Who is doing this anthrax stuff? The White House doesn't know whether it's international or domestic terrorism, Hughes said. 

Does the president mind how he's portrayed on `Saturday Night Live'? Has she seen the Web site where the president is playing the drums and Secretary of State Colin Powell is singing and Osama bin Laden is jumping around? 

The president doesn't have much time for television, and when he does, he's watching baseball, Hughes said. As for the Web site, she'd never heard about it. 

"Does he ask you directly what to do?" one girl asked. 

Hughes said she meets with Bush every day, and he always asks her opinion. He also asks a lot of other people their opinions, too, she added. 

"She was a great Sunday school teacher," said Jenny Robertson, 15, after Hughes' talk. "She's such a godly person. 

"I hope she's OK. I know she is spreading her faith to the president." 

Before she left the teen-agers, Hughes said she had a message for her former students. 

"The proudest thing I've ever been is your Sunday school teacher," she said. 


You may contact Kim Sue Lia Perkes at kslperkes@statesman.com or 445-3974. 

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