Popsonian

<b>Step 1, Watch this:</b>

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I get a little uppity when I get these clips in my e-mail because it's always from some super-conservative person who's convinced that Obama is, in fact, the anti-christ (or is setting the stage for him/her). The e-mail I got had a subject line, "Not a nation of Christians" and goes on to talk about how we are, in fact, a nation of Christians. Our country is predominately Christian, we're formed of ideals concurrent with Christian values. Our laws and social structures are indicative of Christianity. . .we are "undeniably" Christian.

...Until you look at America, that is...

Americans claiming to be Christians no more makes this a Christian nation than me claiming to be ice cream makes me a sundae. The evidence is strong: The divorce rate is creeping over 50% and is actually higher among "Christians" than those not claiming a religious affiliation. The programs we watch, the books we read, the things we say, the things we do, the contributions we make to spreading the Gospel, this all SCREAM that we're a nation of individuals who serve our own needs and God's when we find time and absolutely nothing else better to do.

Sure, we're generally all Christians and there are more flavors of Christians than there are of Baskin-Robbins, but does that mean it makes us better than any other group of human beings? No. It means our spirituality is secure. It means we've got the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and we know what happens when we die. It means we bear a greater burden than any other individual or group of people on the planet to share that message of Salvation with everyone who hasn't heard it. It means, more than ever, that we have an obligation to show the world our faith through our love for them and for all the people we meet. In a lost and hurt and dying world, Christians are obligated and even commanded by God not only to be a light in the darkness, but to be a friend to the friendless, hope to the hopeless, food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, comfort to the afflicted, strength for the weak, love for the hated, help to the helpless, support for the neglected, peace for the troubled, calm for the anxious, and rest for the weary.

In terms of what Obama has done here, he's drawn a line in the sand for how he wants the leaders of other nations to deal with us: not as a giant body of Christian believers, but as a group of people who simply love personal freedom with every fiber of their being. It gives us a better footing in the international political arena, it allows other nations to see that we don't have to be in conflict with them because of religious differences, and it shows that we've got a strong desire to interact with all the members of the global community where all parties are equal.



What do you think about this statement that Obama has made? Should we be troubled that he spelled out that we're not a religious nation (or specific to our interests, not a Christian nation)? Was this a good move on his part for foreign relations or is it a sign of his inability to stand firm against the rest of the world when it deals with matters of faith?

I agree fully. In fact, I'm interested to see what happens to our social culture as the many religions being to learn more about each other through blended families, communities, and social programs. It seems to me that, as we enter the 21st century, religion is going to play less and less a role in the workings of the lives of average Americans. Though I'm a self-proclaimed Christian, I can't help but wonder if some religious self-control isn't called for in our current stage of social development.

As societies grow and evolve, it's inevitable that they must set aside their religious affiliations in order to produce a government, a society, a culture that values the rights of the individual at the same level as the governing power of the majority. (I know, I'm sounding a lot like the anti-christ here... heheheh).

In a word: Harmony.

We've got to achieve harmony (and this spills over into a huge discussion of Confucian philosophy and how that can be used in Western society to improve our social structure...)

Speaking of those changes in religious views, values, etc:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/27/changi ... index.html