07/04/2024
America…Home Of The Brave And The Doomed
I went to America once. Where Christianity cost nothing. Here, in the territories of freedom and the almighty dollar's residence, they choose their own gods. Here, in the land of plenty, God is a commodity reserved for hard times, terrors in the night, sickness, and impending death. Here, in the land of two-party presidents and squabbling politicians, God is less powerful and subtle in the affairs of men and stays where He belongs until He is summoned to intervene. Here, martyrdom only occurs when unconscious bias relegates another to a lesser place in the societal rankings. Here, death is by deception, disrespect, and deliberate acts of contrived violence, never because of beliefs or convictions. Here, heads roll because of power and prestige, precedence and pride.
Here, God doesn’t cost more than three dollars, and He rarely seems to bring a sword, a just reward, or even a paltry penny for the homeless. Here in America, He is worshipped out of duty and tradition, not love and devotion. On Sunday mornings, His place is the most visited. His songs are sung with vigor and clamorous praise, yet by 2:00 PM, He is back in His place. Weekly devotion to Him has been satisfied, and now, it’s back to the real world of work, pressures, and pleasures. In America, God doesn’t extract much attention from His chosen people. His great commission is reserved for those “other people” who choose to go to foreign lands. After all, He came over there first, and here, they happen to know him by way of ancestral prayers, hardships, and occasionally a chance “personal” crisis.
Now that life is easy, He is reserved for life's emergencies, and well, isn’t that what their Pastors are for!
Here in America, where everyone has a Bible, perhaps even two or more, they remain just books on the bedside table or as leveling ends within the bookcase. All that needs to be known is read or quoted in their weekly religious jaunts to church. It is not required that they attend anything else, give more than their schedule allows, or even give more than their due penitence because, in America, they fear the authority of man, not God.
But here, wars abound, and evidence of the wrath of God is all around with drugs, street crime, killings every day, and robbery each night. But they are blind here, seeing only the poor souls across the world as they fight with open hostility. Like frogs in a pot, they are unaware of the heat surrounding their souls and withered spirits. Because here in the home of the free and the land of the brave, they would rather have a form of godliness, deny its power, and live as if God would not dare to judge them; after all, they are Americans!
