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Bush was not particularly religious or spiritual as a young man, and he had what he describes as an irresponsible youth. Bush has acknowledged that he was "drinking too much" and on September 4, 1976, Bush was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol near his family's summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He admitted his guilt, was fined $150, and had his driving license in the state briefly suspended.
In 1977 Bush married the former Laura Welch. He attended the Methodist Church services with her. Bush said that he gave up drinking after waking up with a hangover after his 40th birthday celebration. He said: "I quit drinking in 1986 and haven't had a drop since then." He credits the change to a meeting he had in 1985 with the Reverend Billy Graham. Graham. Following the meeting Bush began a period of Bible study.
In 1998, Bush became the first governor in Texas history to be elected to two consecutive four-year terms. (For most of Texas history, governors served two-year terms until 1975). In his second term, Bush promoted faith-based organizations. He proclaimed June 10, 2000 to be Jesus Day in Texas. He said it was a day on which "I urge all Texans to answer the call to serve those in need".
Bush was elected President in 2000 in a controversial election that ultimately ended up with a US Supreme Court decision about the recounting of votes in Florida. In his first inaugural address he referenced a Higher Power when he ended his remarks. He said:
"We are not this story's author, who fills time and eternity with his purpose. Yet, his purpose is achieved in our duty. And our duty is fulfilled in service to one another. Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life. This work continues, the story goes on, and an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm. God bless you all, and God bless America."
In early 2001, President Bush worked with Republicans in Congress to pass legislation changing the way the federal government regulated, taxed and funded charities and non-profit initiatives run by religious organizations. Prior to the legislation it was possible for these organizations to receive federal assistance. The new legislation removed reporting requirements, which required the organizations to separate their charitable functions from their religious functions. Bush also created the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. Bush also announced his commitment to channeling more federal aid to faith-based service organizations. He created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to assist faith-based service organizations. Critics claimed that this was an infringement of the separation of church and state.
In the Bush White House, according to the President's former speechwriter David Frum, "attendance at Bible study was, if not compulsory, not quite uncompulsory."
In his first term as President, Bush's views on gay rights were often unclear as his White House sought to strike a balance of not appearing prejudiced, while seeking to avoid alienating evangelical conservative Christian voters. He did not repeal President Clinton's Executive Order banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the federal civilian government. He also did not attempt to repeal President Clinton's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding military service for GLBT persons, nor did he make any effort to change it. He threatened to veto the Matthew Shepard Act, which would have included sexual orientation in hate crimes. He opposed the legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
When the World Trade Center and other targets were attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001, Bush addressed the nation in a speech replete with powerful and frequent religious references. In his remarks he said:
"Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all of those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."
In his second inaugural address, Bush referenced "a just God" in connection with the war or terror, when he said:
"The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: 'Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it.'"
The 2004 Republican campaign strategy was to focus on "value issues" such as a Federal Marriage Amendment, that would prohibit same-sex couples from obtaining any legal recognition. Bush endorsed this proposed amendment and also expressed support for the Federal Marriage Amendment in his February 2, 2005 State of the Union address.
Bush implemented a policy requiring nongovernmental organizations receiving federal funds to agree not to perform abortions or to actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. In 2002, Bush withdrew funding from the United Nations Population Fund based on a finding that UNPF’s activities facilitated China’s one-child-only/forced abortion policy. In 2003, he signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act into law.
Bush found himself at odds with some of the leaders of his church over the subject of the Iraq War. In a TV ad sponsored by a group, including the National Council of Churches, a prominent Methodist bishop said that the war with Iraq "violates God's law and the teachings of Jesus Christ."
As President, Bush said that it was not a president’s responsibility to “convert people to religion” or to proclaim “my religion is better than yours”. But he said that he believed that it is a president’s responsibility to “set an example, to make sound decisions, to respect religion, and if asked, to herald religion.” He said his faith and religion forms his general “frame of mind, attitude, and outlook.” While in office he built ties with a diverse clergy. His re-election strategy in 2004 was predicated on building strong support and high voter turnout from Evangelicals and church members. During his two terms in office he supported programs allowing faith-based organizations to use federal funds to administer social welfare programs, a ban on partial-birth abortions and human cloning, limits on stem-cell research, and an amendment against same-sex marriage. Critics accused him of shaping his political agenda according to his religious beliefs. He was accused of aligning his agenda with that of the Religious Right.
Bush's critics argue that Bush crossed the line of church-state separation. His supporters maintain that there is nothing wrong with having a religious president, and that Americans needed a leader with a strong faith in times of crisis, to share in their grief and soothe their hearts with spiritual comfort. At the end of his presidency, his approval ratings were in decline. In retirement this has improved, though his detractors still outnumber his admirers. The extent to which Bush's religious beliefs influenced his policy will continue to be a subject of debate.