Skip to main content

One Nation Under God


You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
 
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1)
 
                From 1562 to 1598 in France, the "wars of religion" took place because the Catholic French were offended by the growing influence of the Huguenots, French Calvinists. This was a time of civil war in Europe that is usually attributed to religion. Catholics and Protestants regularly fought for supremacy within a given country. It's considered one of the proofs about how terrible religion is for society.
                About a hundred and twenty years before these wars began, a young woman in France responded to her visions and led the people she called "Frenchmen" in a war to free France from the British. French nationalism was born with Joan of Arc, and grew to adulthood in the 1790s with  French Revolution. It gained its greatest power under the reign of Napoleon.
                It is not unusual for a nation to seek and find its identity in a unified vision. That was the goal of the Italians, the Japanese and the Germans in World War II. It's the goal of the Daesh today. In each of these, there was the sense that one was French, Italian, Japanese or German first, and anything else only in-so-far as it supported the sense of nationality. The French Catholics were not Catholics who happened to be Frenchmen, but Frenchmen who happened to be Catholics, and anyone who threatened the solidarity of that vision, like Frenchmen who considered their Calvinist faith to have a higher place in their lives, were traitors or enemies. It was French nationalism that placed the yoke of Catholicism on the French. The Edict of Nantes broke that yoke, but nationalism continued to grow until 1798 when the French Revolution firmly strapped the yoke of secularism on that nation. It is estimated that 3-5 million people died in wars whose goal was to establish French identity.[1]
                This nationalistic trend didn't die with the end of World War II. There are people today who consider anyone who puts God first as un-American. They insist that America is a secular nation and there is no room for a Christian identity. There are others who insist that America is a Christian nation, but it doesn't matter what the Bible says. If anyone says anything against America, it's time to pull out the guns.
                I love my nation. I believe God brought Christians to this land and that the nation was founded on Christian principles. When we have worked within those principles, we have prospered. When we have put them aside, even in the name of "America" we have suffered. God has used this nation to bless the world because we followed those principles. When "America" demands that we turn away from those principles, whether in worship of diversity or patriotism then I believe Christians must be Christians (not Americans) and speak, stand and suffer for God rather than for country, not in order to force America to do our bidding, but because we will have no other god before God, not even America.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On the Calendar:
Huguenot Day - anniversary of the signing of the Edict of Nantes
Birthday of
Thomas Jefferson,
John Hanson (first pres. Of Congress of Confederation)

[1] At the moment, I do not recall where I read this idea.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more