God Bless It!

I spent several minutes this morning trying to figure out how to block someone from sending me emails....I think I may have succeeded. I had to enter "key words" for the filter to work.

Enter key word: America

Enter key word: God

How sad is that? Recently this individual started forwarding just about every "dang proud to be an American which is why I hate your guts and think that God only sheds His light on the Republican part of the country and if you don't think like me, go live in Iraq" email that comes her way.

I was hoping that when I "responded to all" for a "Jesus would pound political correctness folks in the face" Christmas email, saying that it just didn't seem Christ-like, I would be taken off her mass-hate-email list. Unfortunately I think she may have stepped up the attack. I had been receiving one a day, until today when I got TWO! Whoopee!

I have a running list of blog post ideas I keep and a few of these tie into this. First, "God Bless America". Really? Not that I wouldn't want His blessing, but what on earth makes us think that we deserve this any more than any other country? Collectively Americans are not His chosen people, and not His instrument of justice on this earth. Collectively can we do moral good? Certainly, but we cannot jump to the conclusion that our actions are somehow divinely appointed. Amazingly it seems we pick and choose issues of "rightness" to enforce.

Second, "In God We Trust". Really now, since when have we done this? There may be a handful out there who truly are living and trusting in God with their lives. I can guarantee it isn't the typical Hoosier sporting this on their license plate.

Third is the idea that the constitution is somehow more inerrant than the Word of God. I've heard televangelists who interpret God's Word looser than Paris Hilton, but then damn people who speak of interpreting the constitution. One preacher said "you don't want to know what I'd do to people who think we need to interpret the constitution!" No wonder people consider Christians hypocrites.

There is a heightened sense of righteous indignation these days that will no doubt result in a blow-up in mid-term elections. Frankly, it stems from hate and a lack of understanding what living a Christian life is truly about. When Christians' words spout out venom over love we need to understand that we are becoming our own worse enemy in bringing people into a relationship with Christ.

Something dawned on me last week, I'll throw it out for fodder. In Jesus day the Jews were looking for a messiah that would release them from Roman rule. They quickly dismissed Christ because He did not come as a king in the earthly sense, but rather was looking for people who would surrender their hearts. Christ never took on the Romans or their sanctioned government in Israel. Instead He turned His attention to the religious leaders and blasted away at them, the same people who were looking for an earthly king, until ultimately it was they who secured his crucifixion. And who did they demand to be released? Barrabas, who had incited turmoil against the Roman Empire.

Here is the parallel: today people who call themselves Christians (I'm separating them from Christ-followers) are attempting to use Christ in the same way the religious leaders of Jesus' day wanted from a messiah. Christians/religious leaders are using Jesus to incite turmoil in this country. It seems to be done at every election-the religious right pull Jesus out of their pocket and promise to deliver the vote by creating a sense of immanent moral decay. It seems that they have forgotten that Jesus came to be the king of hearts, not of America. No, in fact, this movement seems to be anti-Christ-like. Did you get that? Anti-Christ?

To those who do not seek to follow Christ out there......forgive us. We religious folks need to get back to how Christ told us to live and quit worrying about legislating morality. There's a slogan Home Depot is running right now that seems to fit today's Christianity perfectly and I'm thinking about putting it on a t-shirt: DON'T BLAME THE CARPENTER-BLAME THE TOOL.