Thursday, July 05, 2007

Are you proud to be an American...


now everyone in unison (with harmonies from those of you that always do that even though you're not asked)...where at least I know I'm free!
Anyone else hear that song yesterday?
What's up with that song? Disturb anyone else?
Here's the words:
And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. (sucks for a ton of the world that isn't free but at least I know I'm free)
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. (They left out women and children, and I'm assuming he's not talking about our enemies that are men, women and children.)
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A. (Should God bless anyone else but the US?)
This is not Dan's anti-American rant, it's just a thought about the language we use as a country that could be seen as really offensive to the rest of the world.
Every time we've picked up the sword as a nation we've walked away from Jesus' mandate to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. I'm not saying that this world isn't complicated with complicated problems. I just think that we tend to puff ourselves up as a country when the cross is supposed to be the only thing we boast in.
As a Christian my allegiance is to God's kingdom which is always opposed to the kingdom of this world. It's not a better version of the kingdom of this world...it is totally opposite.
That doesn't mean that we can't be happy about the plot of land that God has placed us in but this whole love your neighbor thing (in our global economy) stretches way beyond Fontana! Just some thoughts...any other thoughts?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are 48 stars in that flag. ;p

ellieherrity said...

art lesson...beware.
that's because this piece was done by jasper johns, about 3 years before alaska and hawaii became states.
end of art lesson.

Jessica (Probst) Eveland said...

I'll admit it. I love that song, I crank it up everytime I hear it. I am sooo happy that I'm not living in a mud hut & diggin' up bugs to eat.

escamillaweddings said...

ian just got schooled.

i saw a truck on the freeway once and on the back window it had giant white letters painted on it: God Bless America with "Bless" crossed out and "Help" pointed in place of it. i thought it was appropriate.

Penny Lane said...

I've always thought the song needed a little alteration. I'm glad I'm not crazy.