A Nation Under God?

In ancient Israel not all could presume to speak for Yahweh. The prophets, those most active as spokesmen for God, relayed the messages of God and we not so much "fortune-tellers." They were sought to discern God's will just as teachers of God's Torah were. Both teachers and prophets had to be able to back up their claim as spokesmen: a teacher of Torah Law would not lead men away from that Torah; if a prophet proclaim that Yahweh was bringing something to pass, it had better occur. Failure to do so could mean death. They either put up, or were shut up.

Who do you feel speaks undoubtedly for God on the same level as the ancient prophets today? Could they without hesitation say, "Thus says Yahweh . . . ." and would you accept it without hesitation, however disturbing? Would you proclaim such a person as the representative of God's will?

Sure, you may be able to nominate your preacher if you are a trusting parishioner. But what about your local government, politicians, mayors, or national representatives? Wow! Could you put that much faith in them? Whatever happens in your community or nation---is it underwritten by God and the people who do it under His sponsorship?

A country is full of people with differing views on everything, including God and scripture. And in a true democracy a good constitution allows each of those people equal rights to believe, observe, and express parts of their life centering on those views. The atheist is no better than the priest or the preacher in a nation with equal rights and free speech and religious freedom. So who are the people who are so "not under God" because of their beliefs that another group of people feels like they are not, and so that group must point God out to them?

Isn't someone trying to show that they are closer to God by making claims to know God and represent Him, while others have a way to go before they rate as highly? Who is it that does such a thing, thinking that they are so holy? I wonder if it is the group of people so ready and willing to damn others straight to hell? They knew and spoke for God so confidently that they went into religious ecstasy when AIDS killed homosexuals.

 

Here in Tennessee where I live there is a new method for local Christians to give the impression that their community is "God-fearing" (in other words, a nice Christian place to live and pay taxes to god-fearing county employees) by passing laws that acknowledge God's alleged role in their government. They do things like put up ten of the Yahwistic commandments (the "Thou shalt nots") and say God in public a lot. But who is behind it and which god are they talking about? Even though they take my Jewish "Ten Commandments" to post, they sure aren't talking about my God whom I assure you is not Jesus. Let's be honest. They acknowledge the Christian god Jesus when they parade all of this religiosity, and the rest of us are damned heathens headed for their hell and their devil. They make it very clear what they have in mind, how they view this nation, and our Constitution (a good one) when they stick American flags defaced with a Christian cross to their cars, and, in my area, on the office door of the elementary school, or displayed on teachers' "spirit" suspenders.

I have some news for such goofy people. We see right through you. You don't represent God or often even good. Anybody who believes in "God" (however their religion defines that) usually believes that we are all "under" that "God" as the prime mover of the universe. The universe is a big place by all accounts I read, and there's an awful lot of things going on in it.

How sad and ignorant it is to think that I can say God a lot, or paste up some of His slogans, scratch them into a rock, and think that by some type of osmosis that I and whatever I do becomes good, and I have His seal of approval. "Lord bless this business meeting tonight when we plan the new sewage plant, get paint for the fire truck, and sit here with an asinine self-satisfied, self-righteous grin.

What can we expect in a "god-fearin'" society where any guy put on a priestly collar, look like a Sears Catalog model, used car salesman, insurance agent and hop up and down or follow camera cues and pass himself off as a representative of God? The bigger the lie, or more expensive the church and furniture, the closer to God. And now it looks like people want to extend the same type of shallow religious masquerades that happen in churches to government.

But you know, if live like you know there's a God (and it ain't you or some other guy), nobody needs to name drop.  In my experience with Christians, the more they invoke God, the more they are trying to distract you and cover up what's really going on. 

People know God's around when you treat each other like you are in the presence of God. If we are patterned after God, and believe He created ALL, then how can we believe in God without justice and equality for everyone. You don't need to impersonate a holy person with scratches on paper or stone to display in a prominent place. Display it by living it and let people draw their own conclusions on what reigns over this or any other nation or people.

Saying a pledge to the United States that ends these days with, "...One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Does not offend me. God is behind, over, under, inside and outside of everything regardless of where it is. I'm not at all sure about the "liberty and justice for all" part. When one religion insists on dictating their own beliefs on others and make the government that promised equal liberty and justice look like it is a private tool of that religion, then that phrase may be totally meaningless, and a deception of the worst kind. And only one nation is under God? That's quite a limitation wrongly imposed on God, isn't it?

"Righteousness" may "exalt a nation" but sham religion put on display, religion from coercion or imposition instead of the heart, religion that oppresses (economically, socially, and otherwise) all who don't share its interpretation is not righteous. It is making a mockery of God, and in some cases borders on blasphemy. Sects and governments should think twice before using God as a rubber stamp in their petty agendas.

By erecting such monuments we are saying---usually in a pluralistic country that sets a goal of honoring all of its citizens equally---that our government will be acknowledging the desires of the type of people who put up that monument. By putting what we believe to be God's words on it as if they were our own to use or abuse someone else with as some kind of middlemen or gatekeepers or franchisers of God or goodness flies in the face of most religions with which I am familiar. And in a nation that hardly does anything listed on such monuments (like the Ten Commandments, for instance) there is only hypocrisy or self-delusion involved. Saying things do not make them so.