All those things are true, and in the swamp which is Bush's mind, it's likely that he simultaneously truly believes that he's anointed by God, while he knowingly and cynically manipulates believers for political power...circularly certain that he's doing so to serve a higher purpose. Similarly, he may actually believe much of the dogma of his religious followers, while simultaneously finding it a ready-made structure for manipulating the beliefs of voters to, again, gain political power...to serve God's divine plan.

While I don't think much of the human practice of religion, I think I may have a little more sympathy for the believers than you do (in stark contrast to my total lack of sympathy for their demagogic leaders). The demagogues manipulate believers through some of the better qualities of believers, such as their capacity for deep loyalty (coupled with appallingly bad judgment about to whom to give that loyalty), and a capacity for forgiveness. The combination of loyalty and forgiveness gives Republican demagogues a good long ride in power before believers finally get fed up with betrayal and broken promises, and withdraw their support.

That's the part of the cycle that seems to be beginning now, with the talk of religious conservatives forming their own third party. More power to them--that's at least an honorable path, where (for a while) their own politicians will honestly represent their own views and the broader electorate can judge yea or nay out in the open.

I guess I maintain a nuanced view of who are the real villains and who are the real victims when religion mixes with politics. If I don't needlessly attack the believers, I think I might find some potential allies among them to address the real problem of the political machine that's manipulating all of us to stay in power.