American Exceptionalism and the Roots of the Approaching American Revolution
I have updated and revised this post inspired by the “pro-choice” people who, in NY and VA, now extend their choice to the murder of living babies as they exit the womb. Back in the 60s, Francis Schaeffer forewarned Americans that the slippery slope of abortion on demand would lead to both infanticide and geronticide. Pro-choice advocates laughed at him and dismissed him.
Unfortunately, Linus can’t have a real conversation with Lucy. It’s practically impossible. There is no firm, reasonable starting place because Lucy will not admit the inconsistencies in her thinking. Her worldview, based on emotion, cannot allow for reasonable honesty. So rather than laugh at her inconsistency and be willing to reevaluate and alter her view, Lucy has to bully, name-call, and shame her friend. Bullies want control. They intend to deprive others of their liberty and crush their rights.
BOTH extremes–Right and Left in our country–operate this way.
This is not about Democrat vs. Republican–although Bullies exist in both parties. This is about liberty versus slavery and it has been going on for thousands of years. This is about Unity versus disunity. Polarization begins with those who depart from the foundations of what made us great and United. Only one thing kept the United States from going the way of every other nation-state or Empire in history.
American Exceptionalism Rooted in Christ
Backdrop is WWII. The totalitarian socialists knows as the National Sozialistiche Deutsche Arbeitpartei (National Socialist German Party–NAZI party for short), had invaded Europe. Their storm troopers crushed and were rounding up and killing their enemies, which included political enemies, Jews, and the Christians who helped rescue both. Dr. E. Stanley Jones, noted missionary and theologian-statesman serving in India at the time said this regarding our UNITED STATES and American freedom:
What a Christ this is! taking the energies and pioneering spirit of a people gathered from all climes and all races, and in spite of all their sins and prejudices welding them into a living whole until they become perhaps the most united nation on earth, and perhaps the greatest.
Christ has done this? Yes, for without his Spirit working in the hearts of this American Civilization–cleansing, inspiring, uniting,–this civilization would not have been possible. He is the cement that holds it together. Through its centrifugal forces and its dividing sins it would fall to pieces tomorrow without him. He is the most cleansing, constructive, potent force working within the soul of this people–and its one hope.**
Given the contemporary hatred of Christ and his family in our American civilization today. Given the polarization of those who love liberty and those who want power to force their Christless worldview upon the people. What is the future of our union?
My hope is that God will heal our nation on behalf of our forefathers and their sacrifice–that Lucy & Linus will get tired of the polarization that separates them and find ways to listen to one another. My fear is that it’s too late. Lucy likes bullying and controlling Linus. And Linus won’t give up his freedom to her control. Thus, unless the nation repents, we, our children and our grand-children will experience a revolution unlike any in previous history as political parties polarize, our unity unravels, and our economy implodes. The revolution will center around religion, because Christ and Yahweh are the ONLY source of Freedom and unity.
The only way out is a return to what made us great–honoring Christ and loving God and people made in His image. Can it be that simple? Oh, yes!
I pray that I’m wrong about the Revolution, because I’m absolutely right about the root and the deterrent.
QUESTION: What do you think?
**quote from E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of the American Road, Cokesbury Press, 1944, p. 15.
Peanuts dialog (c)2013, Dixon Diaz; except “Peanuts” characters are (c) United Features Syndicate
Many Democrats Are Waking Up
Let’s hear from one man who woke up.
Zero Toleration of Racism or Regionalism for God’s Family
“ . . . For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,”
–Ephesians 2:14 NIV
With the increase of immigrants–legal and illegal–into our nation, with the spread of Neo-Nazism, vigilantism, and the rise of separatist churches, the body of Christ needs to address racism. Not that there is anything wrong with having national borders. God himself established nations and borders.
“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.” (Deuteronomy 32:8, ESV)
But the discerning see Satan moving–in the upswing of Neo-Nazis and skinhead racist activities and in the south in black churches where white people are not welcome and in white churches where black believers are unwelcome. We see him at work spitting in the face of a Mexican migrant in Texas. As a result, we must be thoughtful about how WE–the Family of God–will respond, when Puerto Ricans, Chinese, Mexicans, Liberians, or African-Americans begin to attend our lifegroups, worship, and Celebrations.
One Blood
Have you come to realize that, as believers, we no longer are to consider Hispanic, Latino, African-American, or Caucasian blood? Instead, we see only the blood of Jesus that has reconciled our lives through His blood shed for us and has joined us to one another through salvation, symbolized as we partake together at the Lord’s Table. So that we are of one blood in the body of Christ. The wall of partition has been broken down. What a profound thought.
The text above tells us that Christ has “destroyed the barrier.” That is, the barrier in our hearts against others.
When we of many colors and backgrounds gather around the cup of the Lord, we proclaim His death for us all and “drink His blood” (symbolically). In that blood, the nations have been reconciled into ONE family, ONE nation, ONE household in Christ Jesus. You and I are no longer separated by blood. We belong to Him and to one another. Here is no room for prejudice or retribution, anger or vengeance, only thanks-giving.
Zero Toleration In the Churches
In the churches, Father-God wants to bring people from all the Nations into our midst. We must not tolerate racism or regionalism in ourselves. Your growth in spiritual life requires that you begin to see from God’s perspective (2 Cor. 5:15-16). You are not your own, you’ve been joined to a new community, a new family (Eph. 2:19-22), a family of the nations.
God wants you to see other born-again Christians as a part of your very own body (1 Cor. 12), no matter what their color or national origin. As for our enemies, we are to learn to love those who oppose us. As a matter of fact, who do you have more in common with: your white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant neighbor, who bullies his wife and kids, drinks until drunk, and shouts profanities out his window until 2am, or a born-again, Spirit-filled Iraqi or Iranian? In Christ, there is no room for racism.
Are You Connected to Him?
Let’s remember that the precious shedding of Jesus’ blood, connected you to God and to His children . . . ALL His children. Your future is a life in community, not as white or black or yellow, but as an obedient disciple and a child of a multicultural Family. Blood counts, but only the Blood of Jesus. Join me in creating a welcoming, Kingdom-fellowship, the Oikos (household) of God to the Nations (Eph.2:19).
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