What is truly wrong with America and most Americans is that neither one is interested in having the nation defended under a just foreign policy. Too many Americans, even Christian Americans, are satisfied with a foreign policy that is in direct contradiction to the word of God, and it is in contradiction in almost every way!
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Too many Americans have drunk the kool-aid, and they believe that it is okay for America to engage in the same behaviors that they accused Saddam and others of having wrongfully engaged in (and in fact worse behaviors), in order to reportedly defend this nation. As a result, Americans, even Americans who consider themselves to be 'believers' have accepted lying, malfeasance, espionage, murder, invading countries, occupying countries, murdering innocent people and all the rest as being par for the course for Christians all over the world, as well as for America and its allies. Many so-called believers have forgotten that although we are in the world, we are not to be 'of the world'; we should be setting a standard for the world and an example to our own carnal and apparently religious leaders!
Interestingly enough, for other nations and people who are not allied with the United States, the same behavior is still considered criminal and therefore punishable behavior in the eyes of Americans and by the United States government. And what nation do you suppose is the one that usually insists upon those other nations or their leaders being punished as it excuses itself for similar behavior, even when it means turning another nation's leader over to a 'lynch mob'? Does anyone recall what happened when Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam invaded and attempted to occupy Kuwait, just over a decade ago? Well, the United States responded by organizing a coalition of nations to drive them out. And what did the United States do itself, in deference to international law and the United Nations, just five years ago, it illegally invaded and still is occupying the once sovereign nation of Iraq? Somewhat hypocritical, wouldn't you say?
I am amazed by the number of pastors who are on board with and in bed with such a venal policy. In my mind this represents just another failure of 'sold-out' American Christian pulpits that are presided over by ministers who are part and parcel of the 'American capitalist show me the money church syndrome', in America! And what were most of America's 'religious-lite' ministers preaching about when 9/11 snuck up on them and America approximately 5 years ago? Many were preaching about, 'just wars', 'the prosperity Gospel', 'going mega' and the 'prayer of Jabezz' particularly how to blow up and acquire wealth. The latter being a secularist American ideal that was brought into the church by American preachers who were trying to acquire wealth and to expand their congregations; the more members, the more revenue and more tithes!
NEWSFLASH America, having a just foreign policy and protecting America, the two are not mutually exclusively! My God what is wrong with some twisted Americans, professed Christian or not? If you still don't get it, America can have a just foreign policy and still defend itself and its citizens. And an unjust nation with an unjust foreign policy is in no position to judge anyone or any other nation, not even Satan (interpret as you will)? Ah, Hugo Chavez, how prophetic? Christians will recall that Satan was attributed with the distinction of being, the Father of lies.
WHAT SPIRIT IS AMERICA really of lately? Have some of you considered that question? What is really driving America, when we refer to ourselves as a Christian nation, a nation that says, IN GOD WE TRUST? America does not trust in God, America trusts in guns, nukes, evil alliances, surveillance, espionage, covert operations, lying, malfeasance, fomenting unrest in unsuspecting nations and political insanity. And America, appears to be driven by a spirit of consumerism, militarism and protectionism, we are just another world empire that has drifted further and further away from God. We are the American empire; we are to ourselves the real American idol that is to be revered by all other nations of the world!
And how about the late Saddam Hussein, and what a tragic figure in this sense? Saddam was just another one of those tragic figures who made the mistake of getting in bed with the United States of America. They have a saying in Pakistan that I learned about earlier this year. As the saying goes, 'the United States will treat you just like a rubber, they will use you (for protection) but when they are finished, they will peel you off and throw you away! And that is what America did with Saddam. He was okay, as long as he allowed himself to be used by the United States. Graphic for a Reverend to repeat such a saying, would any of you say? Come on, the Bible speaks about those who, 'piss against the wall', and others in even more graphic terms.
The fact is that America played footsie with Saddam for years; we encouraged him and supported him in wrong doing. We even participated in joint war games, assisted him in acquiring weapons of mass destructions, encouraged him to use toxic materials against the people of Iran, and assisted him with intelligence information that could be used in attacking other nations. In fact at one time, we were using Saddam to help stabilize the region!
However, when he was no longer useful to the United States, Saddam was simply discarded and subsequently turned over to a 'lynch mob'. Did he do anything wrong? Well, we know that he engaged in much of the same misbehavior that the United States has engaged in itself in over the past and in the present. Is it wrong to engage in similar behavior, well, I guess it depends on whether you are an American President, or a leader of an eastern or near-eastern country? Had he not been kept incarcerated and eventually murdered, what secrets might he have revealed about America's participations in his past activities? What was America trying to hide when it ordered the U.N. inspectors out of Iraq, when there were clearly no WMDs? What is it that America did not want the inspectors or the world to find out about?
And what is wrong again with America and most Americans is that Americans are no longer interested in having their nation defended by a just foreign policy, and they believe that it okay for America to engage in the same behaviors that they accused Saddam and others of having wrongfully engaged in.
Having said that, AMERICA HELPED TO CREATE SADDAM HUSSEIN, and right now we are in the process of creating other SADDAMs around the world! I hope that they are taking note of what just took place with a nation and its foreign policy that has 'gone wild', for their days will also be numbered when they step out of line; anyone heard from Noriega for example, lately? Who's next?
What does God have to say about America? Well does anyone recall when God permitted the Chaldeans to be the world's dominate power, and after using them to accomplish his purposes, he destroyed them? And again, if we were to consider the eschatological implications of the United States occupation of near-Babylon, there is some symmetry here.
The Spirit of ancient Babylon and of the ancient Chaldeans, has evidently thrived in America for just over two centuries now. Will we receive the same damnation for American misbehavior? This entire matter truly gives one pause and something to be concerned about!
And who will help America when its political and religious leaders are apparently on the same heading, and joined arm in arm, leading America apparently towards its own destruction? We all need to do some introspection, particularly those who have truly been born again! We are citizens of the United States, but our true citizenship is in the Kingdom of God. We are fellow-citizens with the saints...! When the wheels came off, as they have apparently done in our country, there is only one thing left for God's remnant in America to do.
First, we must remember who's we are, and just as the Apostles many times were required to do in their day, we must choose the word of God over patriotism. We must also speak truth to power, instead of believing in, conceding to and being led about by just any spirit (even at the church).
Jesus died, standing up for righteousness, and like him, we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, even when it means shining the light on our nation's (including our churches) wrongdoings!
Peace & Grace
The Rev
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