On Not Being Silent

I come from a Christian (and Republican) family that strongly believe that the United States of America was created as a Christian nation, by Christians. Therefore they believe that it is only right to return this country to its roots, Christianity. I do empathize with that faulty point of view because up until just a couple of years ago I believed that way too. I did not understand why there was such a furor over allowing prayer groups or Bible studies at a school, and I didn't understand why it is so wrong to prominently place the Biblical 10 commandments in courthouses. I, like my family, considered this not only part of our American heritage but also to be the foundation for our country.
So, from that point of view, my sister's email to me a few days ago was right and good and correct. Here is my response to her email, and following that is her original email.

Please don't take this as a personal attack, but I sincerely hope you don't seriously think this way. I think rather than this being "totally awesome" that it is a total abomination. I'm not talking about the altered Pledge of Allegiance, per se, but about the idea that the United States of America was created as a Christian nation, fell away, and that now we need to return it to being a Christian nation. This is not factual. Go to the sources, The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights and read it for yourself. Please, please, please visit this link (don't be put off by the title, and scroll down) for excerpts and quotes of our founding fathers that you can read for yourself, of their intent.
It is very true that many of our founding fathers were church-going Christians. But not all of them were, and very few were espousing any sort of Dominionism or Christian Nationalism. As much as we Christians would like to be able to say that this was started as an explicitly Christian nation, it is not factual.
Congress passed the legislation adding the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance on June 14, 1954. From what I have read, and from my examination of the original founding documents and not seeing any support of a particular religion or specific deity, I would have to surmise that the founding fathers would have been completely against this phrase being added to the pledge. And what is it you are saying was the result of adding it to the pledge, that now it is not said in classrooms because of its declaration that we are all under God? Maybe that phrase should not have been added, because that is our personal faith, not politics.
My kids tell me that they still say the pledge in school every morning, and as a matter of fact at the graduation ceremony a couple days ago all of us, students and parents alike, stood and said the pledge of allegiance. So, saying that the pledge of allegiance has been banned from the classroom is not factual either.
Maybe this disinformation is designed as another wedge issue to get us all fighting each other again? Why? Because if we are fighting each other we are distracted and ineffectual in politically opposing our real enemies, those who only care about one thing, money. Our entire nation, all of us and our jobs, are being sold out to the interests of megacorporations who care not a whit for the United States of America. Money is their God, their idol, their lover, their sustenance and their language. Money is their king, and we are merely subjects. These megacorporations have bought out the administration, the news media, and they are replacing the courts too.
But the megacorporations cannot buy us all, with money. Those of us of sincere Christian faith do not put money first, right? We put our faith in God first. So in order to buy us, they first try to sell us on a prosperity gospel, that God wants us to be rich. Bible scripture is taken out of context to support these claims. But not discussed is the biblical (Luke 12:48) idea of noblesse oblige, that if we are successful we are to support those who are less successful (this idea is too liberal for their selfish tastes). So if you don't fall for the prosperity gospel they hit you with the ideas of theocracy, but warped with extreme nationalism. This is not the Old Testament Hebrew theocracy, this is modern day fascist dominionism, and its sole purpose in life is to support corporations.
Not only was this not the intent of the founding fathers, it is not the intent of God. Jesus is our messiah, our leader, correct? He showed us the way, correct? (Many times people forget this. Yes, I believe in the divinity of Jesus, but he always remained humble, telling people to follow him in worshipping God, praying to God. He was showing us the way, not just God on display.) So when did Jesus ever say that we need to rule politically? What about, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's"? Although two of the Apostles were 'zealots' did Jesus ever encourage them to act on their zealotry? Not that I can see.
Another way we Christians are manipulated nowadays is by a faulty interpretation of scripture regarding the end times, and an even more faulty actualization of that interpretation. Everyone nowadays seems to hold to the idea of the 'rapture' -- that all Christians will be caught up to the sky to go back to heaven for a time, while what is left on Earth festers and boils with turmoil and dissention. I'm not saying this is wrong, but check this out. Jesus said in Matthew 24:39-42:

"and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

What really happened in the time of Noah? Weren't the bad guys the ones that were taken away, not God's chosen? Be very careful that what you hear, even from your own, trusted, pastor, is correct biblically and not an assumption or an interpretation of their view of the Bible. We are to be like the Bereans, who examined everything they heard and squared it with scripture.
I previously talked of a "faulty actualization of that interpretation" (of the rapture of Christians into to the sky), and here's what I meant. Believe it or not, there are some believers that think it's perfectly OK for all of the war and inhumanity that is going on right now because "it's the 'End Times.'" They don't feel an obligation to fight this, because they want Jesus to come now, to rapture them up so they don't have to care about any of the atrocities or worry about the future. This suicidal pattern of thought is nothing more than trying to twist God's arm to suit their selfish wants. But what if it's not the time that God wants? And what if their interpretation of the 'rapture' is incorrect and all of us actually go through the 'tribulation?'
I don't believe God wants us to re-create America into His Chosen Nation on Earth. And I can't find any scripture to back up that crazy idea either. What I can find are lots of passages that say we are to feed the poor and needy, and take care of widows and orphans. And we are to speak confidently of the message, the way, that God offers us through our messiah Jesus.
To say that if we are ashamed of this faulty pledge of allegiance that we are ashamed of God is abhorrent, and utter rubbish. Hypothetically, if we say that to be ashamed of the real pledge of allegiance is to be ashamed of God, that is equally as bad!
Please, I love you, but do not spread this piece of dung to anyone else. If we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ then we need to loudly speak out whenever we hear nonsense like this, otherwise if we don't speak out then we implicitly accept what is being promulgated as the truth. If we care about God's 'little one's' we will not stand for these falsities to be thrown around without a healthy dose of facts.
I still love you! And I'm still your brother! Take care,

And here is her original email I was responding to:

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME).


New Pledge of Allegiance!




Since the Pledge of Allegiance

and

The Lord's Prayer

are not allowed in most
public schools anymore

Because the word "God" is mentioned....

A kid in Arizona wrote the attached
NEW School prayer.


I liked it.





Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.






If Scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.




Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.




For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.






We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.




We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.






We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.

!




It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen



If you aren't ashamed to do this,

please pass this on.


Jesus said,

"If you are ashamed of me,

I will be ashamed of you before my Father."





Not ashamed. Pass this on.

What makes it difficult is that I know her heart is in the right place and that she's a good person, it's just faulty philosophy. Why does a person's particular philosophy matter? That's a big topic for another post, but here's a brief example. Some people may think it's OK to run a red light, as long as there are no cops or cameras around, and as long as the coast is clear. Is this a dangerous philosophy, and to whom is it dangerous? Shouldn't we talk to them? I'll let you think about it. Take care.