Reformed Grits

I hope you all are having a wonderful 4th.  I just wanted to post something for discussion.  Let me preface this by saying I’d really love to hear your views on this.  This isn’t a flame session and I reserve the right to turn comments off if kind and intelligent discussion gets, well, unkind and or unintelligent.  That’s right.  If I don’t like your exercise of free speech on my blog I’ll cut you off.  This blog is not a democracy– it’s a dictatorship. 
Ok, now I’m just trying to be funny. 
But seriously, I’d love your thoughts on this…

My understanding of our Constitution is that there is no place that mentions the phrase “separation of church and state” but that the actual line to which this phrase is attributed is “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”  In actuality, there are lots and lots of instances where federal documents, buildings, etc. reference “God.”  If you were to read the views of our founding fathers you’d know this is the “Christian” God– not the “Moh*****” one or the “Bud***” one or any other.  Granted, many were deists, we’ve all heard this, and I’d be a fool to tell you that they were all indeed Christians. 
My point is, that the first amendment in my understanding was more written to keep the state out of the church; not the “church”–or God– out of the state (if I were going to adopt that phrase, which I don’t think is really accurate.)

Ok, now thinking forward to current day.  At any given church across this fine country, the Sunday before July 4th you will see meeting halls and sanctuarys decked out in red, white, and blue– flags of our country.  Sunday morning we’ll sing “God Bless America” and “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.”  We’ll shed a tear and get chillbumps as we sing these songs, talk about our country and those who sacrificed to give us the freedom to worship as we please.  We’ll say the pledge of allegiance and walk away talking about how great church was that day. 

Am I the only one who this bothers?  What is church?  Aren’t we there to worship God?  Some will argue that these songs invoke His blessing on our country or that they speak of God’s goodness to us.  Well, ok, but consider:

America, America
God shed His grace on thee!
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

To whom is this song written?  Sounds to me as if it’s talking to America.  It mentions the name of God, and in truth He has shed His grace on us despite the fact that our country has turned it’s back on Him.  But honestly, I’m unconvinced this song has any place in a worship service. 
A patriotic service not conducted in a place of worship?  Sure!  I’ll sing just as loud as you, but keep your “state” out of my church. 
This is my personal feeling and conviction; I’m not throwing down my church bulletin in favor of seeking out a Quaker church somewhere but to me seeing an American flag in the front of a church sanctuary makes me wonder if it’s been completely thought out or if there is something I’m missing.  If there is, I’d love to know! 

I’ve had some tell me that we have flags in the sanctuary to show that we are under authority.  Hm.  I’m wondering if the new testament time churches had Roman flags in their meeting rooms?  Just a thought.  Like I said, this is not some fit I’m throwing in anger and frustration.   I really just mean it to be food for thought.   I’m so screwed up in so many ways; I make bad decisions every day and am not intentional in every area of my life as I should be.  But if we are to be intentional in anything, shouldn’t it be in our worship of a holy and jealous God? 

I really do seek your thoughts.  I’d love it if someone would give me some thoughts and change my mind about this.  It’d be very liberating!