"In God we trust" is printed on our currency. "One Nation Under God . . ." was added to the National Pledge of Allegiance back in the 1950's after substantial lobbying by the Catholic Men's Group the Knights of Columbus.
But WHO exactly is the "American" God?
Is the American God the "god of nature" (sic) of whom the Declaration of Independence replete with Enlightenment philosophical (deist-unitarian) thought is filled?
Is the American God the "god of war" akin to the roman god "mars" as Ethicist (Time Magazine's "Best Theologian in America") and mentor Stanley Hauerwas opines?
Is the American God "Allah" as the Islamic world would prefer?
Is the American God "jehovah" as the Jehovah's Witnesses heretical Christian sect would want the Jewish name YHWH mistranslated as being?
OR is the American God Father, Son and Holy Spirit as Christianity believes?
Well, to be frank, I think that most Americans have a view of God that is essentially "unitarian" as if "god" were some old man in the sky whom Homer Simpson encounters on the TV cartoon The Simpsons. Nope, not the "Blessed Trinity" of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but instead a caricatured old man living in the sky somewhere "up there" is probably what most Americans think when they use the word "God."
Well, contrary to any view of God that is not Christian, I would like to quote Theologian and Doctor of the Catholic Church, Thomas Aquinas.
Regarding the Divine Relations, Thomas writes, "The Father is denominated only from paternity, and the Son only from filiation." In other words, God is "One" and God the Father is distinct from God the Son (Jesus) only through their relationality as Father and Son . . .
Then regarding the number of Divine Persons in the God-head, Thomas writes, "Therefore only three persons exist in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
So . . . do we agree on this Christian view of God as Americans?
Well, of course not!
Christians believe in the Trinity. Jews believe that God is ONE. Muslems believe that God is ONE also and that Mohammed is the final prophet.
Can the Christian understanding of God be fully expressed in public, say through praying at military funerals to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Currently, the answer is no.
As a result, it is necessary to speak out against such abuses of religious freedom whereby Christian religious speech is censored. To this end, I delivered a paper entitled "One Nation under YHWH" at the American Experiment Religious Freedom Conference (Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was the keynote speaker even . . . maybe he overheard the argument? :-)
Practice your faith openly and boldly.
To not have freedom of religion as Christians is simply un-American.
Blessings in Jesus,
Rob J King, Trinitarian candidate
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1 comment:
Not one. I don't believe in a Caucasian male figure in a white beard on a throne.
Not three. I see separating the power of G-d into three just as limiting as one.
Not none. I do believe in a higher power.
ALL. G-d is the Universe, seen and unseen, known and unknown, conscious and unconscious.
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