God and Country

July 4th will bring a panoply of "patriotic" extravaganzas in cities and towns across the United States. Many of these will celebrate, not only the "birth" of this country, but also the jingoist notion that the Christian god has an excessive and enduring commitment to America so long as the American people thank him at every public gathering for making us such a wonderful nation, inscribe "In God We Trust" on our money, recite "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and post the Ten Commandments on the walls of our public buildings, etc.

We must also obey his "laws," which millions of people have been told by the extreme Christian right are anti-homosexual, anti-liberal, anti-abortion, anti-women's rights, anti-peace, anti-Islam, anti-stem cell research, as well as pro-Bush, pro-Republican, pro-Christmas creches in the public square, pro-war, pro-"family values," pro-prayer in the public schools, pro-conservative political values, etc.

The flip side of that patriotic coin is that bad things are sure to befall our nation if we don't do all of the above. Jerry Falwell spoke for many when he said, "I do believe, as a theologian, based upon many Scriptures and particularly Proverbs 14:23, which says 'living by God's principles promotes a nation to greatness, violating those principles brings a nation to shame.'"

And because Jerry believed those words, he could go on to claim, following 9/11, "... the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen."

An even more extreme example of Christian-American jingoism comes from the mouth of TV evangelist, Pat Robertson, who, on August 22, 2005, called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela. Robertson thought such a murder was a righteous cause "Chavez was bent on exporting 'Communism and Islamic extremism across the Americas.'"


On this upcoming Fourth of July, the Jaycees of our community will sponsor a "God & Country Day" which will tie together all of the above sentiments. God is identified specifically with the United States as if He were the "founder." The underlying assumption is that our belief in and obedience to God is what has made our country great.

God & Country Day is a nod to God to ensure that he will continue to "shower his blessings upon us."

This will be the 39th year the Jaycees have sponsored a God & Country Day. So far as I know, there will be no sermons by local preachers, but there will be many symbols in words and music of the presumed connection between God and the good old US of A.

You will not hear about the ravages of war in the Middle East. No none will give a speech about the culture of corruption in Washington. There will be no pictures of those who have died or who are about to die to serve the pursuit of Iraqi oil by the oil barons in the White House.

There will be a "Freedom Run," "bounce houses and other rides for the children, vendors and crafters for all ages, food of all types, and musical guests for all to enjoy.

"The day ends with a spectacular fireworks show that must be seen to be believed."


Certainly there is nothing wrong to gather on the Fourth of July and celebrate the birth of our wonderful country. The problem derives from the double pretense that our country can do no wrong, and that somehow God loves our country or the people of our country more than, say, the people of Saudi Arabia.

In fact, if you are a Christian you believe that Jesus was not only the "son" of God, but was, in fact, God himself. And the God believed in by the Christians down through history has been the Jewish God who early on established a covenant with the Jews which stipulated he would be their God and they would be his people.

Now tie that to the fact that Jesus was a Jew born of a Jewish mother and you cannot escape concluding that the Christian God is Jewish.

Not only so, but the Jews are the "chosen people" according to the Bible. So, if there is any country in the world that would have claim to God's special love and attention it would be Israel.


But then again, many have claimed that God did not "choose" the Jews because they were so wonderful, but to give them a mission: To proclaim his wonderful, life-giving Law (Torah) to all the nations.

If that is the case, God is not the god of any one particular nation, but of all nations and he must love all people equally. America isn't any "better" or more deserving in his sight than any other country, nor is Israel. God loves Cuba or Venezuela or China or North Korea or Iran just as much as he loves the "god-fearing" USA.

This equality stuff is sure hard to deal with isn't it? Especially when we've always thought we were God's favorites! How does one sing "God Bless America," and not include the rest of his people--all the men, women and children of the Earth?

And how do you justify bombing people whom God loves? If you're a Christian, the question becomes even more poignant: How can you you justify bombing people whom God loves and for whom Christ died?