I thank God

Don't you think that's kind of silly? Should the 6 billion people living in other countries then curse God for placing them there?

Frankly, I find the rapid pro-Americanism of some here rather silly indeed. Then again, I'm one who thinks that patriotism in general is pointless and divisive.

 

Is there really any good reason for this blatantly rude response? Is your response driven by rabid anti-Americanism?

I for one am proud to be a citizen of the United States, and thank God for His generous provision here.

Brett, it saddens me to hear that you find yourself unable to take pride in your homeland. BTW, what is "rapid" pro-Americanism?

 

I agree with USN2Pulpit. We are blessed by God to live in what is still (I truly believe) the greatest country in the world.
As far a patriotism.....Lexington, Concorde,the Ardennes, Iwo Jima, Bastogne, Hue, Kabul (need I go on?) Lots of blood spilled by patriots securing our freedom. Guess I'm a patriot. and I love Jesus also.

 

Amen, Mickey-G!

I love the good, ole U S of A! I am proud of my nation. I may not like all that goes on here, but I still love it.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

I too thank God every single day that I am an American, even if I feel he is removing his hand of providence from us.

I also find it bothersome that we Americans are no longer allowed to be thankful for being American by other countries, (thankfulness is being confused with pridefulness) yet it is okay for them to have pride in their countries.

I know dozens of people from other countries living here in Hawaii, (many from Canada) and if you want to see the definition of pride, just listen to these people. You would think there is no other country worthy of existance except where they originated from.....but if I say ANYTHING positive about America, or showing pride in being American, I receive the third degree and get scorned as being an "arrogant American".

If we are so bad, why do they flock to our shores?

 

Brett

I really couldn't blame any one of those 6 billion who were proud of 'their' nation and thanked God for blessing them by placing them there. That would have no relevance on my thanking God for his placing me in the USA. I didn't really have much control over the matter - I was VERY young when I was born!

I'm so proud of my nation that I am willing to rebuke her when she is wrong and defend her when she is right. Hey, my wife isn't perfect (like me ) but I still love her anyway!

I love Jesus, my wife and my country, in that order.

Michael

 

I will chime in with the majority here.
There is a lot wrong with this country and I am greatly concerned about many things.
It is, still the best place to be (here on earth that is!).

 

The fact is that most of those 6 billion people are proud of the country that God has placed them in. Most people don't miss the things that they never have in the first place. Having been in third world countries half way around this world, and having met a wide variety of people, I can assure you that most people are proud of their homeland. I am proud of mine.
By the tone of your post it seems that you don't have much patriotism even for your own nation, which is typical Canadianism--apathy. But then we get what we deserve. We got a Communist for a leader in Trudeau, unashamed to call his friend Castro--comrade. We got a dictator for the past how many years in Chretien. The head of the liberal party has been able to do whatever they want with no accountability to anyone, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of some of the corruption now. But apathetic, laxadasical, lethargic Canadians don't care about their nation. Sitting back and taking pot shots at America is much easier than getting out and doing something about the problems in your own back yard.

It is precisely that kind of attitude and that kind of statement that not only displays an unChristian attitude, but for a Canadian gets our nation into a lot of trouble. We could write a book about all the bone-head statements that our leaders have said publickly about the U.S. and its leaders, and what the cost has been in public relations, if not even in trade relations.

I am proud to be a Canadian, but I am not always proud of my Canadian brethren who shame me as a Canadian. We have been voted by the U.N. on five occasions the best country in the world to live in. That's something to be proud of. I love my country. I know people in India that love theirs, perhaps better than you love yours.
And if God ever calls you to be a missionary, you had better learn to fall in love with the country that God calls you to be a missionary to.
DHK

 

Just the responses that I expected.
DHK

Just out of curiosity, how is this an unChristian statement?

Let's be clear: I love living in Canada, but I just think it's silly to love a country. People are the ones we should be loving.

In fact, God has called me to be a missionary (to Mexico), and God helped me to learn to love the people there and to share His word. But I couldn't have cared less about the "country" of Mexico.

JeffM

Once again, I need to clarify, as some have construed my condemnation of patriotism in general with anti-Americanism. I am not anti-American. I believe that America's commitment to human rights is impressive, and I do think that America is a great country.

Nonetheless, patriotism leads to statements like "America is the greatest country in the world" - a nice feel-good notion, I suppose, but absurd when you stop to think about it. (Think about making a list of the world's countries, from best to worst, and you'll see the absurdity of that statement - as if you could really rank countries on how "good" they are).

And patriotism also leads to other attitudes I believe are abhorrent, such as the greater valuation of American life over the lives of Iraqi or Afghan zitizens. Members of this board have said outright that they think American lives are more valuable than Iraqi lives.

Before I was saved, I used to listen to the band Bad Religion. While I now detest most of their attitudes, one passage from one of their songs still has a strong ring of truth to it:

I don't need to be a global citizen
'Cuz I'm blessed by nationality

I want to be a global citizen, and my (and everyone's) concern should be solely with humanity, and our commitment to God.

 

Brett

When people say, "I love my country", of course they are talking about the people, NOT geography!

I agree. Just because some say they value one human life over another does not make it right. Obviously, God doesn't choose if, "he is no respector of persons." On the other hand, if you are in a dispute with someone or a group and a neighbor (friend, relative, etc) comes to your aid. Whose side will you be on? Your enemy's or your neighbor's? Unfortunately, this is a human 'dilema' where it is not clear where God would have us be.

In Christ
Michael

 

Agreed, but then, wouldn't, "I love this Earth" be more appropriate?

 

Patriotism is not the same as jingoism. Having a love for one's country doesn't necessarily lead to a mistrust for (or a devaluing of) those in other nations. Any strong belief can lead to extremism, but it doesn't necessarily have to, and in most cases it doesn't. Being patriotic doesn't mean I believe that the U.S.A. is perfect (far from it), only that I prefer to live here than anywhere else. That doesn't stop me from loving people in other countries, or from reaching out to them. I in no way feel superior to them, only fortunate to live in a place where I can practice my beliefs freely.

 

Hmm...Maybe?

The problem is that I must 'get along' with my most immediate neighbors, countrymen, etc. These are the people that I have the best opportunity to love and support. If I don't do my share to help and 'build them up', why should they feel compelled to help me in return. Of course, to these, I also feel the greatest responsibility to rebuke them when they really need it (gently and lovingly, of course). If one can't 'get along' with the people he is with, where should he expect to go that it would be different? Its like a family.

Where I live, we get many tourists from all parts of North America and even the world. While they're here, they are certainly more intimately my neighbor. I have met some Canadians and they are as nice and friendly as anyone from any other place. If I ever get the opportunity to visit Canada, I'm sure I would find the same to be true (I'd make sure I was on my best behavoir).

Michael

 

"Frankly, I find the rapid pro-Americanism of some here rather silly indeed. Then again, I'm one who thinks that patriotism in general is pointless and divisive." This is a quote of an earlier post.

My bet is that if you ever get arrested in a foreign country, you'll suddenly become more patriotic than George Washington.

 

When your battle-ships are canoes borrowed from the Aboriginals, and your fighter-jets are media 'copters borrowed from the CBC, because your Liberal government can't afford to put any more money into their defence, (They squandered it all on a gun registry), then you know why we are "peace-keepers" and not too active in combat.

I have great respect for my southern neighbors. I have travelled from coast to coast, and have visited about half of the states.
DHK

 

Zogby has a new "Red states vs Blue states" analysis out that I find interesting. It discusses the polarization that is occurring in the US. About half (including 4christ and myself), things like values, historical constitutional rights, etc. are paramount. We hold a paradigm concerning the founding principles of the USA that cause us to "Thank God for letting us be born here."

The other half would probably be more offended at our rabid pro-Americanism than Brett is.

I love my nation but hate the unConstitutional monster our government has become. I love the liberties and rights our forefathers idealized and died for but hate the judicial and legislative distortions of them perpetrated by socialistic statists.

I appreciate and love my freedom to worship and freedom of conscience but dread the day when things like "homosexual rights", the institution of secular humanism as the state religion, and "hate speech legislation" will strip those rights from me or my posterity.

I love and thank God for the American Ideal. I curse and resent the willful enemies of it.

 

I've lived in a country (not Canada) that receives aid on a regular basis from the U.S., and yet at the same time consider America the big bully of the world, and blames America for every thing that goes wrong in the world, whether or not the U.S. was even involved. Yet in a time of crisis these same countries will look to the U.S. for help. Go figure.
You live in a great country. No need to curse anyone.

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
DHK

 

Thanks DHK.

Just to clarify- I curse the enemies of the American ideal, not enemies of me. The American ideal is founded on individual liberty and sovereignty. Man can and should be self-governing- accountable only to his Creator unless he violates the rights of others.

It of course precludes the idea of the welfare state and massive, controlling bureaucracy that the US now has.