Questing for Wonder: On America

Yesterday was the fourth of July--Independence Day--a day of unbridled patriotism celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the typically American fashion of cooking hearty food and blowing things up. I love admiring the beauty of fireworks as much as the next guy (probably more than a lot of guys), but this year the holiday was, for me, somewhat less of an occasion for celebrating America than contemplating what it means to be an American as well as a follower of Jesus Christ.

"Though we have known disagreement and division, we are bound together by the creed that is written into our founding documents, and a conviction that the United States of America is a country that can achieve whatever it sets out to accomplish." --President Barack Obama, 22 June 2011 (full transcript here)

"from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." --Luke 12:48

"today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people." --President Barack Obama, 1 May 2011 (full transcript here)

"Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves: otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.'" --Genesis 11:4

"With great power there must also come great responsibility." --Stan Lee, Amazing Fantasies #15, August 1962

"And thanks to our intelligence professionals and Special Forces, we killed Osama bin Ladan . . . One soldier summed it up well. 'The message,' he said, 'is we don't forget. You will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes' . . . there should be no doubt that so long as I am President, the United States will never tolerate a safe-haven for those who aim to kill us: they cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve. . . . We are a nation that brings our enemies to justice" --President Barack Obama 22 June 2011.

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." --6:14, 15

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary:

'If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." --Romans 12: 17-21

"When threatened, we must respond with force." --President Barack Obama, 22 June 2011

"Now this I know:

The Lord Gives victory to his anointed.

He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary

with the victorious power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,

but we rise and stand firm." --Psalm 20:6-8

"Red alert is the colour of panic

Elevated to the point of static

Beating into the hearts of the fanatics

And the neighborhood's a loaded gun

Idle though lead to full throttle screaming

And the welfare is asphyxiating

Mass confusion is all the new age and it's creating a feeding ground for the bottom feeders of hysteria

Hysteria, mass hysteria!

Mass hysteria!

Mass hysteria!" --Green Day, "American Eulogy"

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect." --Matthew 5:38-48

"The belief that violence 'saves' is so successful because it doesn't seem to be mythic in the least. Violence simply appears to be the nature of things. It's what works. It seems inevitable, the last and, often, the final resort in conflicts. If a god is what you turn to when all else fails, violence certainly functions as a god. What people overlook, then is the religious character of violence. It demands from its devotees an absolute obedience--unto death. The Myth of Redemptive Violence is the real myth of the modern world. It, and not Judaism or Christianity or Islam, is the dominant religion in our society today." --Walter Wink, "Facing the Myth of Redemptive Violence" (the full article, here)

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all." --Francis Bellamy 1892.

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other." --Matthew 6:24

"Well maybe I'm the faggot America.

I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.

Now everybody do the propaganda

And sing along to the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension

All across the idiot nation

Where everything isn't meant to be okay.

Television dreams of tomorrow.

We're not the ones who're meant to follow

For that's enough to argue." --Green Day, "American Idiot"

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instittuted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be freed from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. --Romans 13:1-10

"Don't wanna hear the noises on TV

Don't want the salesmen coming after me