God bless America.
It's such a familiar phrase that it rolls off the tongue. But it seems to do so today without a lot of thought or sentiment behind it.
It has become little more than a slogan.
It used to be a prayer.
In fact, Irving Berlin's famous song that made the phrase iconic included a little-used introduction that ended with, "As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer."
God answers prayers. Slogans are another matter.
Why should God bless America if we don't mean it? Why should we expect God to lift a finger if we're not willing to?
What are we doing to be worthy of His blessing?
Well, many things, of course. Americans are the most generous people on Earth, and have shared those blessings in charitable donations, mission trips and millions of other acts of kindness.
The president recently claimed we are no longer a "Christian" nation. Interestingly, Americans don't agree: 62 percent of Americans in a recent poll said they consider this a Christian nation. Moreover, the paper trail left by our Founding Fathers leads straight to God.
President Obama held secularism up as a lofty ideal during his visit to largely Muslim Turkey. But we doubt that many in the Muslim world consider secularism a good thing.
The president should have, but did not, make it clear that the absence of a state religion does not mean the absence of faith. Far from it. This is still a very spiritual country.
Yet, we fall short in so many ways.
We abuse drugs and sex. We've become gluttonous, both with our mouths and our fuel tanks. Our obesity rate is shameful. We've almost risen self-indulgence and self-gratification to the level of sacraments.
Our overfed sense of self shows itself in many ways large and small. Stories of angry fast-food customers calling emergency workers on 9-1-1 are amusing, but alarming: Like overgrown babies with the sophistication of being able to dial a phone to fulfill their every want and to vent their every tantrum, some people seem to think the world revolves around them.
Somehow, this society has reinforced that belief.
Why would God bless that?
God has long blessed America. But if we expect or hope that God will continue to bless America, what's our end of the bargain? Do we not have any responsibility for being worthy -- at least more worthy -- of being blessed? Don't we need to cut down on the sloth, the greed, the gluttony, the self- indulgence and the self-absorption?
This is still a great nation because it's a good nation. By some accounts, the United States -- with but 5 percent of the world's population -- provides about 75 percent of the world's missionaries.
It's the trend lines we need to worry about. As our waistlines have expanded, our manufacturing base has shrunk. As we run out of money to fund our spending spree, we take from our children yet unborn through massive debt. But there's lots of comfort food down at the local buffet.
We can't just mindlessly chant "God bless America" anymore.
We need to give some reasons.
Comments
All the more reason to remove the "In God We Trust," and "Under God,' from our currency and pledge of allegiance. If we are indeed insincere about asking for God's blessing/s (according to the AC) perhaps we can just quit hoping for a supernatural, omnipotent tooth fairy to put America back on track to a legitimate, constitutional government of the people, by the people and for the people. GGpap
The Augusta Chronicle editorial staff (ACES) let another slogan roll off their tongue without thinking: "Americans are the most generous people on Earth". Americans are not an ungenerous people, but as a percentage of GDP, Americans are not the most generous people on earth when it comes to foreign aid. Private citizens are very generous, but that has to do with disposable income. Charitable contributions are way down as our economy implodes. I seriously doubt that President Obama claimed "we are no longer a 'Christian' nation". When it comes to foreign policy, stressing secularism over religious extremism is the path that President Bush took as well. For example, when the U.S. Viceroy of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, appointed Ayad Allawi as interim Prime Minister, among his reasons for doing so, Bremer stressed that Allawi was a secular Shiite. President Obama stressing secularism in Turkey is entirely appropriate. ACES should look up the type of state that modern Turkey's founder, Kamil Ataturk, established. He founded a secular state & kept religious extremism out of the picture. That has served Turkey well. Theocracies are anathema to democracy. Pray for peace, love & understanding.
What a presumptuos [filtered word]. Where does he get off trying to decide who should and should not be blessed by God.I wonder,Does God consult with him on every blessing or just blessings for America.The book that I read says that we are all God's children.
When Rev. Wright said the same thing but used different words, all hell broke loose. Can we be wicked and expect to be blessed? Or do we have a sense of entitlement about that too, just because we are Americans?
Why shouldn't GOD bless America?
This convoluted mess is one of the worst editorials ever written. coalminerpa is right. This editorial is Rev. Wrights perspective put in civil language.
The AC editorial board thinks that providing 75% of the world's missionaries is laudable. I can't believe the presumptuousness of linking tangible assistance to people in need with coercion to believe in one's "god", regardless of the culture of the people served. Talk about ulterior motives. Why not join the Peace Corps and lead by example rather than blatantly trying to convert people? Yeah, yeah, someone is going to point to some passage in the Bible exhorting Christ's followers to go forth and spread the "Word". Whatever. Just don't pretend you're doing good selflessly and without ulterior motives.
I agree with the writer that America has become self-centered and selfish, materialistic, gluttonous and sadistic. He leaves out that the two sayings were not added until 1956, and ignores that while the Founders may have been spiritual, they were not intending anything BUT a secular state that protected any worshiper or non-worshiper. Belief is PERSONAL, not political and not intended to be forced on anyone. That is GOD'S will, and has nothing to do with the Constitution. God gives us free will, and I will fight anyone who tries to force any religion on me. Prayer is good, but often is NOT done in a manner according to God's design or will. If the prayer has "me" in it, it most likely will be ignored, unless the prayer asks for His will to be done. Happy Easter! Christos Anesti!
Is it just my imagination or is the Augusta Chronicle editorial staff (ACES) getting plenty of negative Reader Comments lately in response to knee-jerk editorials like this one? I don't much think that The Augusta Chronicle editorial page editor Mike Ryan even believes the crap he churns out by rote. If I remember correctly it was President Ronald Reagan who ended every speech with "And God bless United States of America". He didn't end them with "May God bless United the United States of America." Something happened to our humility along the way. "God bless United States" became de rigueur for presidents after Reagan most notably for George H.W. Bush & his son George W. Bush. Saying "God bless America" is required just like wearing the American flag pin became required dress. To me "God bless America" sounds too much like an imperative just as "Have a Nice Day" can sound like an order. I prefer "May God bless America" and "I hope you have a nice day." And if God does not bless United States of America whose fault is it? The Arabs have the term "Insha'Allah" which means "God willing" or "If it's God will". That sentiment seems a more humble & fitting invocation of God's blessing.
PT, you're still a boob.
If PT is a Boob, then the ACES are a bunch of boobs. Does God bless boobs? If he does then that must be why Hooters is doing such a damn good business in Augusta.
Why should God Bless America? The President has denied our "christian herritage" by stating that we are not a christian nation, but a nation of citizens. Sad sad sad indeed.
I doubt that President Obama stated "United States is not a Christian nation", but the fact is that United States is not and never has been exclusively a Christian nation. We do not have a state religion. That is expressly forbid in The Constitution (and wisely so because disputes over religion led to many wars in England and continental Europe). United States is a nation that supports freedom of religion which means religious pluralism. There have always been non-Christians living in this country. Many of the founding fathers were Deists not Christians. If the people who proclaim this country is a Christian nation followed Christian precepts personally we would all get along a lot better. Christian crusaders and Christian Zionists are among the most militant people in the world. The statement "United States is a warlike nation" is closer to the truth than is the claim "United States is a Christian nation". President Barack Obama NEVER denied the religious heritage of Christians who live in America.
Billy Bob and his disciples, what a sad story for EASTER. Praise HIM in all his Glory.
Idiot, God blesses america, every second, of every day!!!! Now all of us that claim to know him, need to start acting like it!!! Including myself!! We sit at our computers, and call each other names, ridcule others opion, disrespect the president of the united states, past and present, and call our selves christians. Well I truly belive, that on that final day. God will remind us of all the nasty things, that we have said to each other. Think and say what you will, but one thing for sure, we all came here the same way, and we will all leave the same way. God gave us all diffrent colors of the skin, but we all have the same color blood.And while we type away, know that God is reading what we type!!!!!
Your right JRHC
Ignore the haters and ignorati, brothers and sisters in Christ. They aren't a part of the solution anyway, as you probably know quite well: "If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:14) Even the Lord himself wasn't expecting cooperation from the people who don't believe in him or respect what scripture teaches. It's not up to us to convince; just to put the info (ie, the Truth) out there for any who will listen. Forget the others; they aren't our problem but the Lord's.
Our nation has become obsessed with guns, gore and violence like never before and it is showing in places like Binghamton, NY and even in very small towns like Vance, South Carolina in Orangeburg County. And I see that the ACES decided to, once again, leave this nugget of info from its lead editorial.
More superstition from The Chronicle. Most of the founders were deists, not theists. Atheists outnumber Episcopalians and are growing as a group. Hopefully, reason and rationality will someday prevail.
All the more reason to remove the "In God We Trust," and "Under God,' from our currency and pledge of allegiance. If we are indeed insincere about asking for God's blessing/s (according to the AC) perhaps we can just quit hoping for a supernatural, omnipotent tooth fairy to put America back on track to a legitimate, constitutional government of the people, by the people and for the people. GGpap
Posted by GGpap on Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:04 AM....More pap fromGGpap. Our founding fathers based their convictions in creating this great nation on their belief in that "tooth fairy".
Religious Affiliation
of U.S. Founding Fathers # of
Founding
Fathers % of
Founding
Fathers
Episcopalian/Anglican 88 54.7%
Presbyterian 30 18.6%
Congregationalist 27 16.8%
Quaker 7 4.3%
Dutch Reformed/German Reformed 6 3.7%
Lutheran 5 3.1%
Catholic 3 1.9%
Huguenot 3 1.9%
Unitarian 3 1.9%
Methodist 2 1.2%
Calvinist 1 0.6%
TOTAL 204
And yes, we can STILL pray to God for His blessings, though we don't deserve any.
And you can betcha it never would have been written during George Bush's regime.
Posted by Retired Army on Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:07 AM....This is an aASSumption and you know what assumptions are prone to do.
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