One of the most amazing things about the Gospel is it's incredible adaptability and applicability to cultures of all kinds. While it severally meets the myriad scope of human needs, it remains directly translatable to peoples around the globe, whatever the epoch or arena into which they have been born.
Those who personally respond to God's call to "believe in the One whom He has sent" [1] find themselves separated to some degree from their former culturally-imposed moral/ethical standards and socially-acceptable patterns of normal and patriotic behavior. They are sanctified, or set apart for God's Holy purposes, like vessels of fine China that one brings out in order to honor special guests on rare occasions. These believers, like Abraham, often find themselves to be "strangers in a strange land".
The Apostle Paul once said, "I have become all things to all men so that if at all possible I might save some". [2] In stating this, he affirmed his methodology of culturally adapting the Gospel message for missionary work. Yet conversely, it still remains that the central tenants of Christianity may be intermixed, mingled, diluted, compromised, and/or made ineffective by the infusion of cultural, and/or political value systems, wherever Christianity is transplanted into these foreign soils.
Consider the American culturally-based doctrine of Manifest Destiny that was used as a rationale for the abhorrent ethnic-cleansing and mass genocide of the Native American peoples which orrured during the 1600-1800's. This atrocity, like the Crusades of Medival Europe, was done..."in the Name of God", much to our nation's shame. But what was really behind it? Is Christianity merely a tool, to be employed either for good or evil purposes, depending upon who wields or commands it's power? Or is there more to consider in this entire issue?
To begin with, you have two quite different systems operating in the society. First, there is Christianity - pure and Biblically inerrant - divinely inspired and presented by the Holy Spirit from God to Man. Its' Author is essentially an inseparable blend of love, grace, power, justice, and mercy. His standards of acceptable moral and ethical behavior are clearly presented, and He desires to live out His life through the lives of His devoted followers.
The other system is nationalism, or patriotism - which is a blend of politics, emotional loyalty, ingrained values and expected norms of individual and societal behavior. These include many regional or ethnic presuppositions about national self-importance, self-justification and false pride.
Whenever the value systems of God and man come into conflict, a battle for the control and allegiance of the populace ensues. It may be obvious and well-orchestrated, or quiet, unassuming and inadvertent. It may be brought about by the designs of men or by the heartless hordes of Hell, but a state of protracted warfare for the control of individuals and people groups ensues.
It is exactly at this point that the enemies of God become subversive. Rather than witlessly attack the unreproachable ethics and moral integrity of the Almighty God, His enemies must resort to the subtle guerilla tactics of sabotage and subterfuge. They might attempt to force an unholy alliance between the State and the Church, in order to blend the values and ideals of both to create "a new order". (This system existed throughout feudal Europe during the Dark Ages). Or they may even attach "cultural-additions" to the Gospel. These may be rooted in local practices or previous religious-systems. They may also be materialism-based, such as some so-called "faith ministries" where people are cajoled to "believe-and-receive" the financial/material blessings of God, by performing some form of Theological or spiritual gymnastics. No matter the additions made to the Gospel, it becomes an abhorrent distortion of the Divine - an empty, lifeless caricature of the One True and Living God, a twisted perversion of the One who is "the same, yesterday, today and forever" [3].
In America today, in the year 2000 a.d., one can't help but become increasingly aware of a steadily-progressing and predictable movement among those forces who are vehemently opposed to traditional Judeo-Christian values, ethics and morality norms. nbsp; "Political-Correctness" is crowned the newborn King and has been self-appointed as the sole keeper of the holy keys of Truth! People of all faiths, generations and ethnic backgrounds must tread ever-so-lightly upon this sacred ground, offering obesience. People of Faith, living with private fears that they might someday be publicly accused, shamed, (or even convicted) of being blindly prejudiced or showing some "unacceptable preference" towards others that are inherently "due" such treatment by virtue of their belonging to a select minority or protected class.
To me, the loud and angry cries of the Politically Correct (PC) movement seem to echo the haunting, familiar echoes of the country of Germany just prior to the rise of the Third Reich. (Now I know that we are all sick and tired of hearing every splinter group and variant viewpoint being instantly compared with Naziism, but bear with me, and allow me a chance to make my point).
People in Germany then, as in America today, were increasingly being told not only what to think and say, but also how to go about it. Today's societal peer pressure is strongly asserted to enforce uniform conformity to this exclusively acceptable PC world order.
There are some compelling questions that we must ask ourselves in light of all of this. Are we to allow ourselves to be coerced, shamed and compelled into compliance? Will we eventually pay a high price of our continuing silence? Are we to be complacent payors to some ideological extortionists that demand payment through the tactics of intimidation and fear? Will we cower before this bullying mindset, allowing a plain-vanilla homogeneity to be thrust upon us in the absurd name of diversity?
Heaven forbid!! May we each feel the Divine slap of reality across our faces and wake up before it's too late!!! It looks to be but a small step over the cliff of political correctness to tumble into the depths of anarchy or totalitarianism! And whatever happened to freedom? Where is freedom of the individual - the supposedly Constitutionally protected freedom of thought, of expression or religion? Why, in America today, a child cannot even privately, silently and unpretentiously pray in a public school! Why are people "gag-rule banned" from expressing even the Name of God during those solemn moments where expressing Divine appreciation or offering up supplications would be appropriate, such as at High School graduation ceremonies or before School sports across America? Why is it that the media routinely (and I believe purposefully) depicts Christians as a bunch of hypocritical social misfits and mental midgets that possess no powers of logical reasoning, and never shows anyone truly living out their convictions or sincerely striving for Holiness?
Woe to the person who stands up for the traditional, honorable, time-proven precepts and values of Christianity! It seems to be becoming increasingly acceptable, and even trendy among the PC crowd, to viciously attack evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity by exposing, scandalizing, and blowing out of all reasonable proportions any incidents of fraud, sexual immorality, misuse of finances or power in the vast American Church.
Across the nation, both Christians and non-believers must clearly see that there is an enormous potential for societal division, hatred and destruction by radical elements and extremists, inherant in th PC movement. Selective application of freedoms-of-speech and the squelching of America's religious moral voice present us with the dangerous potential for societal destruction. The most unholy union of any form is that of religion and politics. But, unlike what is espoused by PC politicians, Thomas Jeffferson only (one time) mentioned the idea of PC's sacred cow, "The Separation of Church and State", and this was in a personal letter to a friend. It is not, and I believe, was never intended to be the Guiding Light of our Constitutional Democracy.
So what then of the herald cry of "God and Country!"? Is the term "Christian Patriotism" an oxymoron, consisting of two diametrically opposed and forever irreconcilable forces? Is it possible to be both a Christian and a patriot? Absolutely!
The Devoutly Christian Founding Fathers of American Constitutional democracy proved this fact to the entire doubting world. But today it is increasingly difficult to keep the two separate, or to successfully integrate them so that their intermingling does not pollute or pervert them both.
In conclusion then, let us reflect and linger for several moments upon the wisdom of Divine Scripture in order to gain a secure foothold, and a solid ground to stand upon to face the incredible, awesome challenges which we are currently facing in America... "Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and give unto God that which is God's." [4] These are the words spoken by Christ when He was confronted about His duty and obligations to the political/governmental system of His day.
As believers, can we fully accept this teaching? Will we make use of our vote to help influence the future direction of our country? Will we devote our lives unswervingly to the teachings of Scripture and allow God to use us as instruments of change in our culture? Or will we give in to fear and intimidation, or erroneously presume that we know with such certainty exactly what God wants and how He (in His infinite wisdom) will choose to bring it to pass?
What is our duty to our Country, as citizens, as presented in the Bible? As the final word on this matter, let us take to heart the words written in the book of Romans: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against this authority is rebelling against that which God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement upon themselves.... Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another." [5]
Scripture References
1 John 6:29.
2 1 Corinthians 9:22(b).
3 Hebrews 13:8.
4 Matthew 22:21.
5 Romans 13:1-2 and 7-8.
"Now many will hear of the wonderful things He has done for me, & put their trust in Him"(Ps 40:3)
E-Mail Randy at:.randyrocket@juno.com 
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