.... Cross-posted on
Cristo Lumen.
Yeah, yeah, I know. That fact is not going to come as any big shock to most of you out there... BUT ...you'd be surprised how many Americans do mix very tightly together, to the detriment of both, the worship of those two things... God and Country ...as if they're one and the same, especially now days. To do so I believe has been a great insult to God. Who are any of us to act as God's official sanctioning body, granting legitimacy and power to countries, people and earthly desires of our own choosing? That's deranged pompous insanity, that's historically led to brutal and evil acts under the guise of a blessed Church/State coalition. The Americaization of Christian faith has led to our current chronic case of delusional psychosis that has gripped the ruling theocrats and their followers of this country hard. Ironically, in the end, that psychosis has done a HUGE disservice to both the God and the country they profess to love so much.
More below...
God is above all... we are mere mortals, sinning and stumbling are way through life, constructing flawed and imperfect countries and political/economic systems. These things are NOT to be worshipped as God is.
In my opinion and those of others... that's just plain WRONG.
It's hard not to walk into a church sanctuary these days and find an American flag standing up in one corner.
I don't remember seeing one in the Presbyterian church I grew up in. But I see them in churches everywhere now, and that's not all [...]
It's not that I don't love America. It's not that I wish ill of any American in uniform. It's just that no one should worship the Stars and Stripes in the same way that they worship God.Think of it as a form of idol worship, or of having another god before God.
I hear America called a Christian nation, as if our interests always coincide with God's. As if America doesn't welcome people of all faiths.
It's our own fault, really. Some of us love America - and the material comforts it gives us - so much that we can't imagine our country ever doing wrong.
But Christians cannot become too cozy with politicians. We know that if we are faithful to our calling, our faith will require us to oppose the government in the name of Jesus.
I believe the invasion of Iraq called for such opposition from Christians. I wish I'd done more myself [...]
Too many conservative Christians think that because George Bush has identified himself as an evangelical Christian, God will guide him into making all the right decisions. Because God's on his side, so the logic goes, all they have to do is offer the president their unquestioning support.
This attitude does neither the president nor the country any credit.
Having a Christian belief system doesn't make one error-proof.
Some would have us be salt and light by exercising political power against those who do not believe in Jesus.
They think that by Christianizing
our political institutions, by posting the Ten Commandments in our courthouses, we please God. But in my view, this doesn't please God any more than putting an American flag in our churches does.
(my emphasis)
To taint one's worship of the Lord (of any religion) by mixing in anything else ruins the sacred recipe for worship and introduces a false idol into what should be soul-ly God's house. A interloper crashing the holy proceedings that many feel, including me, needs to be finally and permanently tossed out.
Where's the Sergeant at Arms?
This and more can be found on my very own Christian Leftist blog of progressive spiritual revolution and liberal redemption located over >>>>> here.