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!

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.
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dacarnesATgmail.com