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I'm gonna take this update and address some of the comments that The Preacherman left regarding my Pledge rant. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope that I don't wind up making an ass of myself...

I happen to fully believe each of these rulers serves (served) God's purpose -- though it be not entirely known or discernible by mere mortals.
While that might be the case, I'm not entirely sure how cannibalism, genocide and the wanton slaughter of millions of people can possibly serve God's purpose. I understand that God can do whatever He wants, and is not subject to the whims of humanity or any other creation. I understand that sometimes God just feels like being a jackass, and feels compelled to 'test' the faith of his creation like He did with Job (which I have yet to understand), but, as it says in Romans 13, there is no government in power that God has not placed there. It just seems to me that that tactic is ruling with fear rather than with the love professed in the New Testament.

it's been part of the American Creed that Americans --by virtue of their national identity-- are more or less the 'chosen people' on God's green earth; that it is the United States which is the 'new Zion' and alone resides under God's blessing and in His service.
I agree. That's the reason I was upset by most of the reaction to the Court's ruling. Saying that we are "One Nation, Under God" seems a bit exclusionary, since EVERYTHING is under God. The phrasing lends itself to attitudes that place Americans above all the other nations of the world in the Eyes of God. (Obviously we are better than other nations in every other respect! USA! USA!! USA!!! ;) )

...it's precisely because we refuse to acknowledge that other governments are just as legitimately established BEFORE GOD HIMSELF that we get ourselves into the vast majority of our foreign policy messes.
OK -- So, if all governments are in place because God wants them to be in place, than America should not have gone to Afghanistan to unseat the Taliban? We should not have fought World War II? Aren't we, by going to war with nations that we see as 'evil' or 'corrupt', calling God's bluff; saying that "Ya know, maybe all of those Jews shouldn't be put into ovens, God. We're gonna just go ahead and put a stop to that. Oh, we know that Hitler was put into power, not only by being an incredibly charismatic leader who told the people what they wanted to hear, but by Your Hand to suit Your Purpose, but, gee... it seems a little bit strange that You want those Jews dead."? It's for this reason that I want God to play no part in politics or foreign policy. My policy is this: Killing People is Wrong. If your government is killing people because of their race or religion, or because your religion says that you should, you get nothing from RawkStahania. Diplomatic ties cut off. Foreign aid cut off. Military protection cut off. Imports and exports stopped. If you have something that we need really, really bad, we'll unseat you, but not by killing you. We'll just take over, because we can. Besides, which interpretation of God's Word do we use? Which denomination has the deciding vote when these questions arise? Even in domestic policy -- does God hate fags, or should we love our neighbor?

I'm sure that Preacherman is right -- he knows WAY more about this stuff than I do. I just have lots of questions that don't come up as sermon topics.

---

And, regarding my "Dead Rock Stars" post:

Quoth Perkusi (btw: thanks for coming by. I don't think we've been acquainted, but I hope you'll stick around.) What's so cool about dying after years and years of drug abuse, legal or illegal?
By 'cool', I didn't mean 'admirable' or 'lauditory' or 'something to emulate'. I meant 'bigger than life' or 'something that probably won't happen to me'. While there's nothing glamorous about death, anyone can die from a heart attack. Not everyone can die like a drummer for Spinal Tap. I wouldn't say that I'm enamored with fame -- I just miss the days when we actually had rock stars who lived the lifestyle. It's almost like part of the job description. Now, is it 'cool' that these people are abusing themselves in such a way? No, it's not. But, it does add to the mistique.

Also, welcome to JustMary. Stay as long as you wish.

Oh, and the Jen who's posted some comments? That'd be my girlfriend, who lives far away from me. :(

posted by Grant Bennett at 11:15 PM