Yet another rant, but a patriotic one

We are bound to talk politics this year due to the fact that we are electing a new President. I was wary of diving right in, but then again, I figured I might as well just offend the core of who we are first, then we can discuss candidates later.

The hoopla during the recent primary season about American flag lapel pins is still amusing me. Just yesterday, when I got out of the shower, I realized that I had failed to grab a clean towel and ran to the pile of as-yet-unfolded laundry that lives in my bedroom. The first towel I saw was one of our pool towels that looks like an American flag. As I patted off the water, I wondered if it is a crime to dry my rear with Old Glory.

Now don’t get mad. I know how blessed I am to live in America and I really do appreciate the sacrifices that American soldiers have made to insure our safety. I have wept as mothers found out their sons died in battle. Sometimes, when I hear our National Anthem, and I think about our fight for Independence, I do feel that tenacity that we believe marks the American spirit.

But, as hard as it is for we evangelicals to grasp, being an American and being a Christian are two very different things. As a matter of fact, the two ideas are often at odds with each other. I do not want to pledge allegiance to a flag, I pledge allegiance to God and His kingdom come. When we sing, “God Bless America” I wonder why we feel so entitled. Does God really prefer us over the rest of the world? C’mon.

I recently read a very interesting quote. The writer wants to meet George W. Bush. "A lot of what I want to talk to him about is faith. Because I try not to judge, but I really don’t understand the notion of a pro-capitalist, pro-death, pro-war Christian. To me, that just seems like a vegetarian who eats a burger" (Moby).

I hear all the arguments about “freeing the people of Iraq from an evil regime,” as if that makes what we have done seem righteous. Once again, though, I consider Jesus. He was born and lived under one of the most abusive and oppressive governments in all of history – both the Romans and His own Jewish leaders. Consider how Herod ordered the murders of all male infants under two years of age - talk about a terrorist! Did Jesus come to earth, spend His time training an army, and “compassionately” free people from an abusive system with violence? No, He gave them a glimpse of how to change the whole world from the inside out, not take up arms to produce a fleeting change in His little piece of real estate. Compassionate violence is like a priest with a girlfriend (okay, bad example, but I couldn’t think of anything as good as the vegetarian/burger thing).

Jesus obviously thought His own personal safety was a secondary notion to promoting peace, because He died as a result of His ideals. That may be the problem here too. What if we're too scared to be peaceful? What if our allegiance to the flag is really the way we hide our fear? “America, strong and true!” If we’re not the strongest, we may get hurt, right? Nobody wants to get hurt. “Live the American dream!” Nobody wants their way of life to get hurt. “Canada: America’s hat!” Nobody wants to be the underdog.

Nobody but Jesus.