So its the fourth of July. Its raining here – which is something we really need, but annoying since its the 4th and all that. That hasn’t stopped our neighbors from setting off firecrackers all day. They must have hundreds. I really can’t see the appeal of basically lighting your money on fire.
But anyway. We spent most of the day at a commissioning service for a friend of Mike’s from England. It was cool, but it was at this church that had all the scary aspects of the 4th of July/patriotism stuff. Flags, handouts, signs and meetings all based around American civil religion. Some of the proclaimed evangelistic stuff was actually all about trying to convert people to believing that America is a Christian nation. Its crazy – it just totally misses the point and sets up major roadblocks to the faith. In a way its just basic idolatry – people worshiping a false god (America) and calling it true religion. I like my country and really appreciate freedom, but America is not God and does not deserve my reverence like that. I’ll celebrate its birthday, but will not tie it to my faith. I like the way Tony Campolo refers to it – “America may be the best Babylon around, but it is still Babylon.” I will have no other gods before God.