A good friend and leader in the Park Ave church of Christ in Memphis wrote an excellent, I think, short essay in July 2006 on patriotism. So I thought I would share it:
I always look forward to the Fourth of July. It means good food and good times shared with people I care about.
Expressing one's patriotism is the thing to do on the Fourth! And I have no trouble doing so. I am glad to have lived in a country that grants me the freedoms that this one does. I acknowledge an inestimable debt to those who have sacrificed, some ultimately, to preserve the freedoms I hold so dear. I root enthusiastically for our Olympians. I get as riled as most when I hear the U.S.A. unjustly maligned. My response to such is this: How many people are doing everything they can to get out of it, preferring to live elsewhere? I rest! And finally, I'm a Viet Vet! Convinced? I hope so, for I don't want to be misunderstood as to what follows.
I get a little nervous at this linking of God and country. There are all sorts of "good Americans" who are not "God's people" in any way. And, of course, there are believing English, Russians, Japanese, and such. Don't we share something with them that is far more significant than a mere common citizenship?
And though there is much in our country that is good by virtue of the influence of Christian values, this country can by no stretch of the imagination be accurately described as "Christian". A quick look around should convince you of that.
One can be both a "good American" and a Christian, but they are entirely separate things, the latter being of infinitely greater significance than the former. God is God. He is not the representative of any particular nation, not even such a wonderful one as ours. We Christians would do well to remember it, even on the Fourth!
- Tank Tankersley, July 3, 2006
Also, there are these words at the close of an essay by Charles Marsh, © Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company :
. . . I am certain that it would be better for Christians to stand in solidarity with compassionate atheists and agnostics, firmly resolved against injustice and cruelty, than to sing "Amazing Grace" with the heroic masses who cannot tell the difference between the cross and the flag.
- Charles Marsh
I wonder if anyone has additional or critical thoughts about this subject they'd like to post as comments here.
1 comment:
I am just not sure the Apostle John when writing his Apocalypse (esp. ch 18) meant "Be faithful to Jesus but be a patriotic Roman citizen too." Some how, every nation, tribe, party, etc... will clash with the confession that Jesus is Lord. What are we to do, decide then how we can both loyal to Jesus and loyal to X,Y, & Z or should we be law abiding citizens who refuse to celebrate the triumps of this fallen world? After all, the so called freedoms that Americans have we carved on the backs of Indians, Mexicans, and Africans. What is so good about that?
We talk about freedom in Christ because scripture speaks of the freedom we have gained in Christ! But we also speak of political and economic freedom grained by the nation state. Where does scripture speak of any other freedom? Most Christians would be deeply offended if I spoke of two Lords or two faiths, since scripture only speaks of one Lord and one faith. Yet many of those same Christians have no trouble speaking of two types of freedom? Why? What scripture are they reading? I just wonder if the Paul was rewriting the letter to the Ephesians if when he spoke of those seven ones in chapter 4, would he have added an eigth "one" to the list - one freedom in Christ?
(since I do not interpret Eph 4.3-6 to be an closed list that names the "only" exclusives, we might consider asking what are some other "ones" of the Christian faith that we are pluralizing?)
Just some thoughts...
Rex
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