Thursday, October 30, 2008

pledge cont.

The following is an actual letter from G.W. Bush. I am not showing it to make fun of Bush or Republicans or anything like that. What I want to highlight is the common view of many Christians in the U.S. of the Pledge. Let me know what you think.


Dear Mitsuo Murashige and Associates:

Thank you for your letter regarding the Pledge of Allegiance. I appreciate hearing your views and concerns.

As citizens recite the Pledge of Allegiance, we help define our Nation. In one sentence, we affirm our form of government, our belief in human dignity, our unity as a people, and our reliance on God. During these challenging times, we are determined to stand for these words.

For more than two centuries, our flag has stood for a unified country. When we pledge allegiance to our flag, Americans feel a renewed respect and love for all it represents. We are thankful for our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are also grateful for our freedoms, which were protected by our Founding Fathers and defended by subsequent generations of brave Americans. When we pledge allegiance to One Nation under God, our citizens participate in an important American tradition of humbly seeking the wisdom and blessing of Divine Providence. Our Declaration of Independence proclaims that our Creator endowed us with inalienable rights, and our currency says, “In God We Trust.” May we always live by that same trust, and may the Almighty continue to watch over the United States of America.

Thank you again for writing, and best wishes.

Sincerely
George W. Bush

- George W. Bush, November 13th, 2002

you gotta have faith


Faith
This is a word that is tossed around a lot lately.

Have faith! Be faithful.
or
You gotta have faith (thanks George Michael)

Growing up I learned that faith is like believing in the wind. You can't see it but you just know it's there. I learned faith is what makes God real. I learned that without faith I won't go to heaven.

As I was reading Jesus for President, I discovered a new term of faith. Faith as it was used before Jesus was a 'term for trust in, allegiance to and hope in the Pax Romana. It had much to do with loyalty.' (Fides or loyalty). After Jesus it was a hope in but also allegiance to Jesus.

This is new for me. Faith redefined. I not only have to have faith in God but I have to hold an allegiance to him as well? However this is what James was getting at in 1.2 when he notes, 'you know you're under pressure, your faith-life (allegiance not wind) is forced into the open and shows its true colors.'
In 2.18 he says, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

So it just got real for me. I mean it's been 'real' before but now that I hold an allegiance in God and not just see him as wind, I gained responsibility.

I leave you with some questions.

1. What do you think about this idea of pledging allegiance?

2. I know that we have a connotation of saluting the American flag while we give our Faith (allegiance) to this country, but what would happen if we quit putting the flag first?

3. What would happen if we quit getting pissed those kids in school who don't stand for the 'pledge of faith' and started to think about the words that spew from our mouths?

4. What would happen if we quit worrying about the stupid phrase "under God" in the pledge and started pledging to serve "under God?"

Answer me!

also check out the pledge to the Bible and Christian Flag and tell me what you think
http://www.christianhomeschoolers.com/christian_pledges.html

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Patriot


9/11 can now be deemed "Patriot Day."

The point of this post is not to in any way be associated with 9/11 except for the name. The term 'patriot' in general has become an issue with politicians on who is more 'patriotic.' Personally I think it's a silly argument. In addition, understand that I am not bashing the men and women who have died for the U.S. I do appreciate what they have done. I am only fighting against the 'patriot' terms.

While I am discovering what a "patriot" is, I am finding more and more that I don't always want to be considered a patriot. I am grateful to be American.

Patriot

it can be...
a Jeep vehicle
the losers of super bowl XLII
a missile
or Mel Gibson and company

Mark Twain thinks it is
“the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.”

Voltaire (a French Writer) noted:
“It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind.”

One definition that I read for patriot was:
"One who loves his country, and zealously supports its authority and interests"

I completely understand why Americans want to be considered patriots. It's antonym is traitor. This continues my belief that "we the people" love the U.S. over the rest of our lives. This idea of Patriotism is a religion. To support the U.S. authority and interests zealously, passionately, fervently, and obsessively, I would give up my Christian interests.

I know that the idea of not being a patriot seems untactful, but really all you're going to call me is unpatriotic. That's fine.

Listen, when my country is not holding the standards of my God I can be unpatriotic.

I cannot see the patriot being able to serve his country and his God. Again, I am not bashing our troops. I am not even trying to bash the United States and I think that there are Patriots in the U.S. that fervently support the ideals of the U.S. However, Christians may I say.... How dare you back your country before your God!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Separation

I am still trying to decide how to blog. Is it all random or should I pattern? I guess for now I will share some of my studies and let conversation emerge from that and hopefully we can make a pattern with it.

In my last post I briefly explained how politics should not blend with religion. This is a tough accusation to make because there are many Christians who serve in politics. Now I must explain that I think it is not the end result of the blending of politics and religion as much as it is the root of it.

The information I have learned on politics has been from a non-religious point of view. Although I went to a Christian University, the professors were very intent on not blending the church and state (although they technically could). Likewise, my later years in examining the Bible and deciding my faith has not been from politics. I will admit, I was once a student in the school of "Jesus for President (because he would be republican)."

Note: I am not bashing Republicans and if you think I am it is only helping my point. The Democratic party and Republican party have much to stand for....

.......so do Christians!

There are many reasons why we must separate the Church from the State (also the State from the Church). Now, many Christians hate the idea of this separation because they only focus on one item - Prayer in School. If that is why you hate this idea then please e-mail me and I'll send you a paper I wrote. I know it's almost cliche but it's true that there will always be prayer in school.

Separation is good for the Church. Can you imagine Pastors preaching from the podium on the platform of the Democratic party? How can this help us? In addition think about the conversations that the body of the church would have. For many Christians, the issues of faith and politics are so completely intertwined that they cannot imagine how genuine faith could lead in a political direction other than the one they themselves have taken. It can come as quite a shock, therefore, when Christians realize that other Christians with faith convictions similar to their own actually support the opposite political party. It can ruin a church.

Maybe it has ruined the church.

In addition, the church should stay out of the state. I can explain this in a very simple way. In the US we have the luxury of 'church shopping' (going around until we find a church that fits our ideologies). WE (as Americans) do not like the petty things about other denominations so much that Catholics and Protestants rarely speak of their faith to each other. If the church was a political body, we would have the Catholic party, the Baptist party, the Cross Street North Memorial Evangelical Free party, and maybe an Atheist party. Any politician will tell you that nothing would get done (except a bunch of Yearly Meetings). This would ruin the State.

Please please please begin to examine the reasons you believe you are a Democrat or a Nazarene - maybe even why you're a Christian or what it would be like if you were not one .

Please be careful but not shy.
--------------

Respond to my post or e-mail me! I want some feedback.
dacarnesATgmail.com

Sunday, August 24, 2008

my title


The New Class

This is the temporary name that is given to the Sunday school class I go to at my new church here in Clarksville. I have only been there twice but I can already tell it is going to affect my daily life. In fact, it's the reason I started blogging. The class is reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. After sitting through today's class I realized that the name "the New class" was going to stick in my mind even if it changed in the bulletin. This 'new' class is something that I've heard people talking about for the last 4 years. It is the Christian version of a grassroots political movement. It is a 'new' way to view money, neighbors, relationships, traditions, and the church.

Today we talked about the spectrum of politics. This is not Republican and Democrat. It is the activity Christians should be involved with politics. So many people have a fear of not knowing the right answer so they simply stray from politics. As well, there are people who grease themselves with politics and are simply allowing this to be the center of their lives. So where should a Christian place themselves?

There is a line between faith and politics. However, in the U.S. it tends to be a faint line. We are stuck in a society that has every politician (Republicans and yes even Democrats) claiming a faith of Christianity. How can this contradict itself so much! I know that the Bible can be interpreted differently and that is theology. On the other hand, how the hell do we let our Party ID become our religion? How can this 'faith' be rooted in our vote?

Claiborne writes, "When Jesus said, 'you cannot serve two masters,' he meant that in serving one, you destroy your relationship to the other."

Tony Compolo puts it, "Mixing the church and state is like mixing ice cream with cow manure. It may not do much to the manure, but it sure messes up the ice cream."

I am not stating that we should be apathetic toward government - at all. In fact, I think we should become vocal and active. This is not a 'new' thought friends. We need to be knowledgeable about our faith and our government. Knowing the bill of rights and ten commandments is not good enough!

I am not sure what to do.

By writing this and continuing to read this book, the Bible, and by watching the news, I intend to come up with some answers.... or at least more questions.

Here it comes

I saw a mother tickling her child the other day. When she started moving her hand toward the child she would say "here it comes!" By the sounds of the child's scream I could tell that it was going to be fun but painful altogether. I guess since I've never blogged (but planning on making this a hobby with a purpose) I can see the process of blogging being both painful and fun. I hope it is not boring. As well, I hope that some of the things I say will strike conversation (as every blogger must hope).

I assume that things I have vocalized have affected some and my assumption is that this blog will as well.

While I am nervous, I am excited to connect with friends and others that read this so......

Here it comes!