Ok, many of you are going to be bothered (angered?) by this post. But it's my blog and so you get to hear my soap box. I have been wrestling with something...I'll pose it as a question.
When are the times in our country that we are encouraged to stand and take off head coverings and sing to honor something/someone? I can think of two: Church and the National Anthem. So in a sense my posture (non-verbal actions) are identical when I "stand to honor America" and "stand in God's presence"? Woah.
I had a class at Mount Union College called "Intercultural Communications". By design, the majority of students in the course were not American (at the time, I believe it was the only course in the U.S. purposefully designed this way.) The first class session, the international students were asked what annoyed them about Americans. Among the most avid responses? "Why do Americans ask how I'm doing and then keep walking without giving me a chance to answer?" (I could write another blog on this one!) and "What is the deal with your flag?" Many of the students said they would probably even have trouble drawing their flag from memory. But Americans not only recognize the flag, they fly it at their homes, they put it in their school rooms, and in their churches?! (often in the sanctuary.) Beyond that, there are all sorts of rules of how to properly treat the American flag.
Ok, before you go telling me that if I don't like this country, I should leave, just hear me out. Is it possible that we've been duped into idolatry? I mean think about it...throughout history, God-followers have fallen into idolatry...and I don't think they woke up one day and said "Gee golly, I need to mix things up in my life by breaking the idolatry commandment." Idols usually begin in our hearts unbeknownst to us. Many Christ followers have made the church and patriotism (or democracy...or the American Dream...etc) bedpartners. Churches who are more passionate about supporting the elephant or the donkey than they are about the hungry and the poor have become adulterers to the Most High God.
Its time we end our obsession with politics and be part of the Church in the WORLD that is bringing peace. Stop waiting for your government to fix health care, poverty and all the other issues. Be the miracle! Take a stand, pledge allegiance to God and God alone in the freedom that we know ONLY in Jesus Christ! Hallelujah. I feel better now.
When are the times in our country that we are encouraged to stand and take off head coverings and sing to honor something/someone? I can think of two: Church and the National Anthem. So in a sense my posture (non-verbal actions) are identical when I "stand to honor America" and "stand in God's presence"? Woah.
I had a class at Mount Union College called "Intercultural Communications". By design, the majority of students in the course were not American (at the time, I believe it was the only course in the U.S. purposefully designed this way.) The first class session, the international students were asked what annoyed them about Americans. Among the most avid responses? "Why do Americans ask how I'm doing and then keep walking without giving me a chance to answer?" (I could write another blog on this one!) and "What is the deal with your flag?" Many of the students said they would probably even have trouble drawing their flag from memory. But Americans not only recognize the flag, they fly it at their homes, they put it in their school rooms, and in their churches?! (often in the sanctuary.) Beyond that, there are all sorts of rules of how to properly treat the American flag.
Ok, before you go telling me that if I don't like this country, I should leave, just hear me out. Is it possible that we've been duped into idolatry? I mean think about it...throughout history, God-followers have fallen into idolatry...and I don't think they woke up one day and said "Gee golly, I need to mix things up in my life by breaking the idolatry commandment." Idols usually begin in our hearts unbeknownst to us. Many Christ followers have made the church and patriotism (or democracy...or the American Dream...etc) bedpartners. Churches who are more passionate about supporting the elephant or the donkey than they are about the hungry and the poor have become adulterers to the Most High God.
Its time we end our obsession with politics and be part of the Church in the WORLD that is bringing peace. Stop waiting for your government to fix health care, poverty and all the other issues. Be the miracle! Take a stand, pledge allegiance to God and God alone in the freedom that we know ONLY in Jesus Christ! Hallelujah. I feel better now.
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