What Does It All Mean continued

All of this thinking, and writing, reminded me of sermon I gave, the week before the 4th of July of, this year.  A sermon that made clear, more than several times, that “We are a nation under God.”

We are a people free-to-be under God’s leadership.  However,  like the Hebrew nation of long ago, we have also “refused to look ultimately to God as King.”

If that statement make you raise an eyebrow of, doubt to the truth of such a statement, then ask yourself: 

Would Jesus be in favor of the behavior and actions of our current leadership?  

I speak specifically to the actions, and behaviors, of the political system in our country.  However, the entire human structure of world politics also come into question.

At least for me

It is so interesting to me how people, for years, have demanded a division between “church and state.”

Yet in our Constitution we claim to be a nation founded “under God."

On of the thing I made clear to every confirmation student, I taught, was that our faith cannot be separated out from real life.  

One of the ways I challenged their young minds was to have them watch recent movies of their choice; and then talk about all the ways in which the movie spoke to — or against — what Jesus taught about living with each other.  

One, particularly skeptical, young man finally challenged me.  He spoke up one evening and said “I have a movie that you will not find one thing to connect with faith in God.  

“Okay” I said, What is it?  

“John Q.” he announced.  It had just been release that year (2002).   I had not seen the movie.  But I agreed to take the challenge.  I went out the next morning and bought the movie.  After watching it a few time I created four pages of discussion points.

The young man was, to say the least, a fan of mine for the rest of the year.

I was gratful. 

We are a people professing to live by faith in the Creator God, who spoke his thoughts through The Prophets. 

God was the sole authority of the Hebrew people for centuries; before there was any thought of “elected” leadership.   

God was the go-to-person for every an all guidance.  

As a nation we seem to have forgotten that the founding fathers put their signature on the document, that formed this nation. which witnesses to us being a people of God.

An yet we get our shorts in a knot over a certain party who, is best voted for their ability to dehumanizing those who disagree with their personal political stance.

All you have do is to listen to the campaign rhetoric between each party claiming to  be the best.  Claiming to know what is best for the people.  

I can’t help but wonder if God would enjoy, indeed approve, of their rhetoric and behavior.

Do those unacceptable ways of talking and acting toward each other aline with what God asks?

An interesting question for we proud American people.