Monday, July 04, 2005
A prayer for America
Dear Heavenly Father,
I am thankful to live in a country where every citizen has an equal stake, where everyone is invited, encouraged and even morally obligated to participate. I pray that every citizen may someday commit to this responsibility.
I am thankful to live in a country where everyone is encouraged to exercise his conscience be it politically or spiritually, where everyone is an equal partner regardless of his religion, where everyone can practice (or choose not to practice) without any fear that government institutions will take sides and declare this to be a nation by, of or for any particular faith. I am thankful that this religious equality is constitutionally protected and not merely a privilege given at the pleasure of the majority. I pray that we commit ourselves to Your principle and design of free will.
I am thankful to live in a country where a vast range of philosphies, creeds and political orientations fall within the realm of what one could reasonably call "Aemrican." I am thankful that I can speak out without fearing my words will be deemed un-American by any reasonable person. Moreover, I am thankful that my opinions can even be extreme (within certain limits) and unreasonable, and yet I am still an American. I give thanks that I need never apologize for my beliefs with the weak preface, "Well, I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but I believe..." I am an American, and I never need to justify my citizenship. I pray that we remain mindful that every American is entitled to his opinion, no matter how wrong they might be.
I am thankful to live in a country populated largely by reasonable, even-tempered people, slow to revolutionary destruction, quick to endorse pragmatic, peaceful governance. Sometimes, demagogues rise, but ultimately they fall, and the reasonable center continues its prevalance. I pray that we always remain a civil nation, united by moderation and temprance.
I am thankful to live in a country where I can peaceably discuss my views with fellow countrymen. Our arguments might be loud and sometimes angry, butI never fear violence or intimidation from those with whom I disagree. I pray that we rein in the often-uncivil discourse that has become all too frequent in our country and learn to speak more softly and listen more intently.
I am thankful to live in a country where upon earning citizenship, anyone from anywhere in the world becomes one of us and an equal partner in the American experience, where one can exercise the full set of rights and the same expectation of social inclusion that any native-born American enjoys. I am thankful that millions of people around the world hope and pray for this very opportunity. I pray that we always appreciate the value and richness added to our country by those who have come from other nations.
I am thankful to live in a country with a strong national conscience and resolve to do the right thing. At times in our history, we have inflicted gross and tragic injustices on others. I know that injustices continue today and will continue in the future. Still, our history has shown a consistent willingness to identify these wrongs, loudly and publicly debate them and then rectify them. I pray that we never lose this unrelenting self-criticism and commitment to justice.
Father, I pray that You find us in Your grace, not because of our hollow politicized words, but through our good actions and intentions, our commitment to justice, freedom, peace and life. I pray that we seek not to relegate You to our side, but to make ourselves worthy of standing on Your side.
In Your Son's name I pray,
Amen
I am thankful to live in a country where every citizen has an equal stake, where everyone is invited, encouraged and even morally obligated to participate. I pray that every citizen may someday commit to this responsibility.
I am thankful to live in a country where everyone is encouraged to exercise his conscience be it politically or spiritually, where everyone is an equal partner regardless of his religion, where everyone can practice (or choose not to practice) without any fear that government institutions will take sides and declare this to be a nation by, of or for any particular faith. I am thankful that this religious equality is constitutionally protected and not merely a privilege given at the pleasure of the majority. I pray that we commit ourselves to Your principle and design of free will.
I am thankful to live in a country where a vast range of philosphies, creeds and political orientations fall within the realm of what one could reasonably call "Aemrican." I am thankful that I can speak out without fearing my words will be deemed un-American by any reasonable person. Moreover, I am thankful that my opinions can even be extreme (within certain limits) and unreasonable, and yet I am still an American. I give thanks that I need never apologize for my beliefs with the weak preface, "Well, I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but I believe..." I am an American, and I never need to justify my citizenship. I pray that we remain mindful that every American is entitled to his opinion, no matter how wrong they might be.
I am thankful to live in a country populated largely by reasonable, even-tempered people, slow to revolutionary destruction, quick to endorse pragmatic, peaceful governance. Sometimes, demagogues rise, but ultimately they fall, and the reasonable center continues its prevalance. I pray that we always remain a civil nation, united by moderation and temprance.
I am thankful to live in a country where I can peaceably discuss my views with fellow countrymen. Our arguments might be loud and sometimes angry, butI never fear violence or intimidation from those with whom I disagree. I pray that we rein in the often-uncivil discourse that has become all too frequent in our country and learn to speak more softly and listen more intently.
I am thankful to live in a country where upon earning citizenship, anyone from anywhere in the world becomes one of us and an equal partner in the American experience, where one can exercise the full set of rights and the same expectation of social inclusion that any native-born American enjoys. I am thankful that millions of people around the world hope and pray for this very opportunity. I pray that we always appreciate the value and richness added to our country by those who have come from other nations.
I am thankful to live in a country with a strong national conscience and resolve to do the right thing. At times in our history, we have inflicted gross and tragic injustices on others. I know that injustices continue today and will continue in the future. Still, our history has shown a consistent willingness to identify these wrongs, loudly and publicly debate them and then rectify them. I pray that we never lose this unrelenting self-criticism and commitment to justice.
Father, I pray that You find us in Your grace, not because of our hollow politicized words, but through our good actions and intentions, our commitment to justice, freedom, peace and life. I pray that we seek not to relegate You to our side, but to make ourselves worthy of standing on Your side.
In Your Son's name I pray,
Amen
Comments:
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Excellent sumnation of our American Experiment. We are such a unique country with a unique history - we've changed the world in so many ways, mostly for the better. I hope we remember what our core values truly are...to practice what we claim to preach. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. The forum to exchange ideas and create an atmosphere to become you're most complete self.
# posted by 
: 9:23 AM PDT
: 9:23 AM PDT
Gosh, I'm actually pretty much with you, except for a few picadillos contained here, where my comments are in [brackets]:
"I am thankful to live in a country where everyone is encouraged to exercise his conscience be it politically or spiritually, where everyone is an equal partner regardless of his religion, where everyone can practice (or choose not to practice) without any fear [o.k.,we're in agreement up to here] that government institutions will take sides and declare this to be a nation by, of or for any particular faith.
[Here we have a common misnomer that the government CAN be neutral on religion. Factually, the determined abscence of religion, is in itself a religion, atheism, as defined by the Supreme Court of the U.S. Also, while I would agree that God doesn't desire a government that "forces" one to believe in Him, do you think God, assuming that you're refering to Jesus Christ, would rather our nation not "take sides?" And, if our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people, and the people, that is, 90+% of them, at least proclaim to be Christians (obviously a much smaller % of them actually are), then shouldn't our government reflect that in its laws, its representatives, and its actions?]
I am thankful that this religious equality is constitutionally protected and not merely a privilege given at the pleasure of the majority.
[How do you figure? The constitution does NOT institute religious equality, but rather, religious freedom. I AM thankful for that, but I fear that if the trend of Judicial legislating at the Supreme Court continues, that eventually that will cease.]
I pray that we commit ourselves to Your principle and design of free will."
"I am thankful to live in a country where everyone is encouraged to exercise his conscience be it politically or spiritually, where everyone is an equal partner regardless of his religion, where everyone can practice (or choose not to practice) without any fear [o.k.,we're in agreement up to here] that government institutions will take sides and declare this to be a nation by, of or for any particular faith.
[Here we have a common misnomer that the government CAN be neutral on religion. Factually, the determined abscence of religion, is in itself a religion, atheism, as defined by the Supreme Court of the U.S. Also, while I would agree that God doesn't desire a government that "forces" one to believe in Him, do you think God, assuming that you're refering to Jesus Christ, would rather our nation not "take sides?" And, if our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people, and the people, that is, 90+% of them, at least proclaim to be Christians (obviously a much smaller % of them actually are), then shouldn't our government reflect that in its laws, its representatives, and its actions?]
I am thankful that this religious equality is constitutionally protected and not merely a privilege given at the pleasure of the majority.
[How do you figure? The constitution does NOT institute religious equality, but rather, religious freedom. I AM thankful for that, but I fear that if the trend of Judicial legislating at the Supreme Court continues, that eventually that will cease.]
I pray that we commit ourselves to Your principle and design of free will."
# posted by : 6:09 AM PDT
: 6:09 AM PDT
My thoughts on the last comment from brian m, my comments in brackets also:
do you think God, assuming that you're refering to Jesus Christ, would rather our nation not "take sides? (Yes, I do believe that God doesn't want us to take sides, if that means how we treat other people. Should I treat you better or show you more respect just because you are Christian ?)
And, if our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people, and the people, that is, 90+% of them, at least proclaim to be Christians (obviously a much smaller % of them actually are), then shouldn't our government reflect that in its laws, its representatives, and its actions?]
If by laws or actions that one relgion gets a certain preference over another, then no. If by promoting justice or showing concern for the welbeing of our fellow man, then by all mean, yes !!!! [How do you figure? The constitution does NOT institute religious equality, but rather, religious freedom. I AM thankful for that, but I fear that if the trend of Judicial legislating at the Supreme Court continues, that eventually that will cease.] The Constitution mentions God, because the concept of atheism was not in their frame of reference, but it nowhere mentions Jesus Christ.
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do you think God, assuming that you're refering to Jesus Christ, would rather our nation not "take sides? (Yes, I do believe that God doesn't want us to take sides, if that means how we treat other people. Should I treat you better or show you more respect just because you are Christian ?)
And, if our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people, and the people, that is, 90+% of them, at least proclaim to be Christians (obviously a much smaller % of them actually are), then shouldn't our government reflect that in its laws, its representatives, and its actions?]
If by laws or actions that one relgion gets a certain preference over another, then no. If by promoting justice or showing concern for the welbeing of our fellow man, then by all mean, yes !!!! [How do you figure? The constitution does NOT institute religious equality, but rather, religious freedom. I AM thankful for that, but I fear that if the trend of Judicial legislating at the Supreme Court continues, that eventually that will cease.] The Constitution mentions God, because the concept of atheism was not in their frame of reference, but it nowhere mentions Jesus Christ.
# posted by : 10:48 AM PDT
: 10:48 AM PDT << Home
