Yesterday I participated in a 9/11 program to honor and remember all those who were involved that day in New York, DC, and Pennsylvania. I played flute with the community band and we performed some patriotic marches and uplifting music for the day. The event also honored all the military forces, and had a special acknowledgement to a 100 year old Army veteran of World War 2. It was very touching at times. And it offered me a chance to see the commitment that veterans have, to make sure we all remember all those who have sacrificed for our nation, in many ways – including EMS and local police and fire departments.
The event was put on by the Knights of Columbus, and since I am not Roman Catholic I did not know much about them. Thanks to Google I came home afterwards to learn that they are a group of RC men who do charity work, and support causes in many ways. Yesterday’s 9/11 event was held in a large Roman Catholic church’s gymnasium.
We are right now living in a time when church and state and the needed separation of the two in this country is really being tested. The conservative Evangelicals have been pushing successfully to change laws, and to influence politicians. The obvious change is about losing the federal right to legal abortion . Because of this atmosphere I have become a bit more aware of how religion and government mix and yesterday’s event was a prime example of it.
I am a Christian. But I sat and listened to the speeches, and even the RC Father’s prayers, and wondered how this nationalism viewpoint is so strongly in our religions and Vice versa. I heard over and over again “God bless America” and I was fascinated as I watched a formal American flag folding ceremony. Until yesterday I never knew that each fold (13 of them) mean something in particular, and a few of them had to do with God. With each fold was read a meaning. I’m not sure who came up with them.
I sat there and wondered who in the audience might be a follower of an Eastern religion, or even an atheist. Who might have served their country out of duty but felt still like an outsider – or at least has had to learn to overlook the Christian religion parts. One flag fold was for the “Hebrew’s”. Again, interesting to me that the Jews were singled out in that one moment…. like, oh yes, them too.
I remember back when Trump was running for president and the evangelical movement was getting pretty vocal, and getting more media attention. And, I especially remember at the January 6th insurrection there were Christian flags, even one with a representation of Jesus, being carried – along side American and confederate flags.
I know every American president has ended speeches with “God bless America” and I heard it often yesterday at the event. But don’t we pray that God will bless all of us? The Brits, the Aussies, etc. and even the Saudis, and the Russians? Does not God say to love your neighbor without any asterisks of *except those beyond our boundaries, or *those in third world countries, or *even those living in places of authoritarian control? I don’t think God likes us Americans better than other people of the world. God does not care about borders. But, God does care about how we see each other, and what we do for each other.
I heard the word ‘patriot’ over and over again at yesterday’s event. And, yes, I believe in being patriotic about our homeland, and in supporting those who work for our safety. Absolutely. I believe we have endless goodness in our country. But let’s be real, the word ‘patriot’ in today’s world is a dividing word. It’s been hijacked by the conservatives and used to show they are ‘better’ than others. Or, that others are not as true to the country as others. Am I wrong about this? Am I less a patriot because I have not been in the military, or heaven help me, I am a Democrat?
I have never been in the military, or a police officer, so I have never gone through the basic training required – but the mix of religion and government pride is alarming. It was just reported that a membership list of the extremist group “The Oath Keepers” included many in the military and in law enforcement. This is worrisome to me.
Some of you reading this may think I am being too concerned, or too nit-picky. Again, I say – I am a Christian. I live in a country founded by people who left a country that was forced a religion and had lots of unfair requirements (including) giving money to that religion. Yes, the founders came to America to worship their Christianity but they wrote into the Constitution the right to freedom of any and all religions here. Yet, the evangelicals today want to push only their ways. They want to make all Americans into them.
I wonder what God thinks of this. Of course I certainly can’t comprehend his greatness, and his immense forgiveness given to us for all the stupid, mean, dangerous, unkind, and selfish things we do. He sees the big picture. But I know he wants love, and I believe he is bigger than one religion on earth. God gave us the Bible, the Torah, and other Holy books to show the way.
The United States is the best chance of democracy working on earth due to our forefathers. They gave us the US Constitution. The forefathers were Christian so ‘who’ they were helped prepare them to write down the foundations for the country. But, nowhere in the constitution does it say one religion is the country’s religion. The United States has always been the melting pot – a land for people of all types, from all places, that believe many different things. We have to seriously remember that right now.
Because look around, people are fighting over intolerance. Some religious people are pushing – even into violence. The inability to separate church from state is scary.
My personal faith tells me that peace and love are more important than anything else. And acceptance. And helping others. I believe in that God.
Marla’s Musings 