Patriotism

subllibrm

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Where is the line when patriotism (American or otherwise) turns to idolatry?

I get a lot of patriotic (jingoistic) spam on Facebook from Christian friends and it seems like there is often "America" worship going on.
 
subllibrm said:
Where is the line when patriotism (American or otherwise) turns to idolatry?

I get a lot of patriotic (jingoistic) spam on Facebook from Christian friends and it seems like there is often "America" worship going on.

I'm weary of mixing of patriotism and religion as well.  I've said often to my adult SS class "I'm a Christian first, and an American second".
 
And are we are so much better, arguing the 'stoopidity' of 'Funnymentalism', etc. etc. etc. while our country is being fundamentally changed before our very eyes?
We are only able to debate these inane issues b/c some people imbued with the concept of patriotism risked their lives some 230 years ago for the cause of freedom.
I realize that Christians have their citizenship in heaven, and I do not idolize America, but I also know that life as we knew it growing up is being radically altered. 
 
16KJV11 said:
And are we are so much better, arguing the 'stoopidity' of 'Funnymentalism', etc. etc. etc. while our country is being fundamentally changed before our very eyes?
We are only able to debate these inane issues b/c some people imbued with the concept of patriotism risked their lives some 230 years ago for the cause of freedom.
I realize that Christians have their citizenship in heaven, and I do not idolize America, but I also know that life as we knew it growing up is being radically altered.

This America may someday be a nation that rounds up Christians for hate-speech or other crimes against the state.  To quote one of those Southern Gospel groups (the Steeles I think) "I love America, but I do not love what she has become".  My loyalty ultimately is to Christ, and I'm sure you feel the same.
 
ALAYMAN said:
16KJV11 said:
And are we are so much better, arguing the 'stoopidity' of 'Funnymentalism', etc. etc. etc. while our country is being fundamentally changed before our very eyes?
We are only able to debate these inane issues b/c some people imbued with the concept of patriotism risked their lives some 230 years ago for the cause of freedom.
I realize that Christians have their citizenship in heaven, and I do not idolize America, but I also know that life as we knew it growing up is being radically altered.

This America may someday be a nation that rounds up Christians for hate-speech or other crimes against the state.  To quote one of those Southern Gospel groups (the Steeles I think) "I love America, but I do not love what she has become".  My loyalty ultimately is to Christ, and I'm sure you feel the same.
Absolutely...I agree with the quote that you have given to a tee.
 
Before I came to the FFF and was enlightened, I loved Christ, my family, my country and Rush Limbaugh.
 
Tarheel Baptist said:
Before I came to the FFF and was enlightened, I loved Christ, my family, my country and Rush Limbaugh.

Man... rsca really did a number on you.... .:)
 
christundivided said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
Before I came to the FFF and was enlightened, I loved Christ, my family, my country and Rush Limbaugh.

Man... rsca really did a number on you.... .:)


2...you left out the 2!  :)
 
Tarheel Baptist said:
christundivided said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
Before I came to the FFF and was enlightened, I loved Christ, my family, my country and Rush Limbaugh.

Man... rsca really did a number on you.... .:)


2...you left out the 2!  :)

If there's two of them around ..... I'm running for the fellowship forum......  :o
 
Remember, Jesus was a patriotic Republican.

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:D
 
subllibrm said:
Where is the line when patriotism (American or otherwise) turns to idolatry?

I get a lot of patriotic (jingoistic) spam on Facebook from Christian friends and it seems like there is often "America" worship going on.

God and country, and in that order.
 
We are ambassadors, pilgrims, sojourners. I couldn't care less about the "American Way" of life. If anything, we are spoiled brats that are oblivious to the fact that 'merica is the exception, not the rule. And believers beleive that by the fact that we are Americans that God bless's us first and the rest of the world gets the leftovers.
 
One reason I left a former church, was that the pastor would quote his favorite founding fathers more than he quoted the Bible.

JH taught us the goal of Christianity is to save America.  I no longer have America as my highest purpose for living a life which glorifies God.
 
UPFRONT: I'm proud to be American, and I feel incredibly blessed/fortunate to have been born here and to have had the opportunities I've had as a result.

ALAYMAN said:
This America may someday be a nation that rounds up Christians for hate-speech or other crimes against the state.

Strong disapproval of your speech does not equal being rounded up for it. Look at the Free Speech decisions coming out of the Supreme Court the last few years. Fred Phelps, by an 8-1 decision, is allowed to come to the funeral of a man or woman who died in service to his or her country and spew his vitriolic, by-any-reasonable-definition hate speech, with zero legal consequences.

So while the culture at large might not like your speech about abortion or homosexuality, and may even label it hate speech, and while you might be ostracized from "polite society" for holding the views you do, we're much, much farther away than you think from the scenario you describe.

ALAYMAN said:
To quote one of those Southern Gospel groups (the Steeles I think) "I love America, but I do not love what she has become".  My loyalty ultimately is to Christ, and I'm sure you feel the same.

America, believe it or not, has always been a country of fallen human beings. Thus, the sentiment expressed in the Steeles' quote is, in my opinion, misguided. Do they love the America that enslaved Africans? That slaughtered Indians? That segregated itself? That put on a cloak of self-righteousness and kept under wraps the sexual sins of its leaders (Jefferson, Clinton, FDR, Kennedy)?

America has never been pure neither has it ever been purely evil. Our sin merely expresses itself in different ways at different times. So too does our reflection, imperfect though it is, of His Image.

 
ddgently said:
UPFRONT: I'm proud to be American, and I feel incredibly blessed/fortunate to have been born here and to have had the opportunities I've had as a result.

ALAYMAN said:
This America may someday be a nation that rounds up Christians for hate-speech or other crimes against the state.

Strong disapproval of your speech does not equal being rounded up for it. Look at the Free Speech decisions coming out of the Supreme Court the last few years. Fred Phelps, by an 8-1 decision, is allowed to come to the funeral of a man or woman who died in service to his or her country and spew his vitriolic, by-any-reasonable-definition hate speech, with zero legal consequences.

So while the culture at large might not like your speech about abortion or homosexuality, and may even label it hate speech, and while you might be ostracized from "polite society" for holding the views you do, we're much, much farther away than you think from the scenario you describe.

ALAYMAN said:
To quote one of those Southern Gospel groups (the Steeles I think) "I love America, but I do not love what she has become".  My loyalty ultimately is to Christ, and I'm sure you feel the same.

America, believe it or not, has always been a country of fallen human beings. Thus, the sentiment expressed in the Steeles' quote is, in my opinion, misguided. Do they love the America that enslaved Africans? That slaughtered Indians? That segregated itself? That put on a cloak of self-righteousness and kept under wraps the sexual sins of its leaders (Jefferson, Clinton, FDR, Kennedy)?

America has never been pure neither has it ever been purely evil. Our sin merely expresses itself in different ways at different times. So too does our reflection, imperfect though it is, of His Image.

You are right, America has never been pure and neither has it been purely evil...
Slavery was and is evil, and yes it was propagated in the South, But many thought  it was wrong, Almost 600,000 Union troops thought so and were killed or wounded trying to right that wrong during the Cival War.
Granted, there were other reasons the war was fought also, but slavery was vanquished by the sacrifice of so many men.
Segregation was and is wrong and evil, but it has all but disappeared in our society today.
I believe our country has righted itself of these evils.

Today, however, we are experiencing sins of the world and the flesh which are deep and touch the soul of mankind to which there is no return except for the judgment of Almighty God.
When Homo-sexuality is propagated as normal and accepted, and thrust into our face day in and day out, there is no return from that.
The cat is out of the bag, the levy has overflowed the banks.
those who oppose the new morality are called homophobes and haters.
Not only homosexuality, but our country has become one of a perpetual orgy.
It's not hard to see, I saw it in  highschool back in the 80's and it has become more pronounced today.

When God is so far removed from society as has been initiated by the likes of the ACLU, our own government and a few godless leaders, we reap results never heretofore seen in our country...Wholesale acceptance of sin.

If nothing else, an entire nation minus a small minority (most of which are too timid to stand against the new morality for fear of reprisals) becomes immune to sin.
What politician is going to stand up against Homosexuality?
What politician can stand up for godly family values and win?
Truly wrong is right and right is wrong in our society today.

Yes, America has never been pure from evil, but she has in the past tried to right herself.
But there is no righting this 'new morality', which indeed is 'no morality' at all.
 
Smellin's pic got me to thinking. We say that the 2nd amendment is a God given right. If that is true, why did He wait so long to give it and why are we the only ones He gave it to?

<adjusting flame resistant suit>
 
Read a tweet the other day from a friend.  Went something like this:  Remember when Jesus was like "Suffer the little children to touch the Declaration of Independence?"

How about when the angels announced to the shepherds: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.  For unto you will be born a nation across the sea that will give the world capitalism and a democratic-republic."
 
16KJV11 said:
Segregation was and is wrong and evil, but it has all but disappeared in our society today.
I believe our country has righted itself of these evils.
Actually, it hasn't, it has now turned its attention to the Hispanics coming from South America.
Sounds like you have been listening to a lot of Billy Sunday
 
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