I think those two words are an oxymoron. It would have been like David writing songs about God's creation of an ant when the fantastic world was all around him.
Let me back up. Sunday we worshipped as we always do... but since it was the 4th of July, an unusual attempt was made to incorporate 4th of July activities in with worship. A good portion of the Declaration of Independance was read. We ended the service with the singing of patriotic songs. First that Declaration......
We hold these truths to be self evident, that ALL men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Is that statement how we believe? If it had said that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable TRUTHS.. I could buy it. RIGHTS? I think not. I do not believe that I was created to pursue my own happiness. That disregards the rights of so many in this world who just want to eat, or those here in this country who struggle with what we consider basics. I think my right to happiness can only exist as I run over the rights of my neighbors.
Then we sang America the Beautiful.... the song ignores the existance of other North American lands, Central American lands, and South American lands. WE are not the only Americans. And when we sing "God grant His grace on thee" we should be singing this with great humbleness and not as a demanding prayer! I listened to words that did not fit with worshipping the God of the universe and listened well.
I am not unpatriotic. I just am a child of the most Holy God first. Why would I claim something less?
1 comment:
Evidently I took that PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS out of context. It meant something way different to our forefathers than it does to this generation. Somehow our forefathers meant the pursuit of the common good, a concept mostly lost today. That may be unfair. But it appears that the pursuit of "happyness" has to do with our own fulfillment, our own feelings, or as Eugene Peterson puts it.. MY holy wants, MY holy needs, MY holy feelings (Eat This Book). That is the meaning of the pursuit of happiness for this generation.
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