I am almost sure that I will irritate a few people with this post, but so be it.  Wrecked.org posted an article a few days ago about the Pledge of Allegiance.  It is an article with which I wholeheartedly agree.  You can read the whole thing here.

To sum it up, the author writes that pledging our allegiance to anything other than God while in church is equivalent to idolatry.  That it IS idolatry.  He does not call for Christians to stop saying the plege all together, just in church where our focus and allegiance should to God and God alone.  

However, I do take it to that next step.  My allegiance needs to be to God, and no other, all the time.  Not just while at church.  I choose to exercise my freedoms as an American and refrain from saying the pledge of allegiance in most cases.  Certainly not in all cases, though I must admit that I have yet to find a case where I have chosen to say it since making the decision, but I might someday.  *Shrug*

Now, before you get all crazy: No, I do not hate America.  No, I do not hate soldiers.  No, I do not hate freedom.  Yes, I realize that those freedoms came at a price.  In past generations, several members of my family have served in the military.  I was about 15 minutes from enlisting after high school, myself.  I appreciate their sacrifice.

But we have to remember that, while patriotism is fine, America is not our kingdom.  As Christians we belong to one kingdom: the kingdom of God.

And yes, I realize that it might seem hypocritical to refrain from pledging my allegiance to the flag for this reason while my everyday actions show that I am obviously placing my allegiances elsewhere.  Yes, I sin.  Yes, I put things before God all the time.  But this particular action is an obvious, and I think blatant, one that can be remedied quickly and relatively painlessly.

Now, please do not think that I am telling you to quit saying the pledge of allegiance.  I am merely asking that, if you do, remember to whom you belong and where your allegiance really lies.  May God bless America now and until His Son returns.

So, we all made it through another election! I have not heard any news reports of mass rioting and looting across the nation, so all seems well for the time being. Seriously, though, I think everyone is fully aware of the gravity of yesterday’s election. These United States are stepping into a new era, an era that will (hopefully) enter the history books as a time of change for the betterment of its people.

A congratulations is in order for President-elect Obama. He ran a very good campaign, one that was well-planned and and implemented in a way that managed to have voters turn out in record numbers. He ran a relatively-clean campaign and managed to focus most of his advertisements on the positive aspects of his own campaign rather than the negative portions of the McCain-Palin ticket. That grace was certainly not reciprocated, and I tip my hat to Obama’s campaign manager for not stooping to his opponent’s level.

I am anxious to see what policies will be enacted during his administration. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be some large changes to the way our society operates, both good and bad. Mr. Obama has never shied away from voicing his pro-choice beliefs, so hopes that Roe v. Wade will be overturned can most likely be shelved until the election of 2016. On the other hand, I believe that the poor and underprivileged in this country have been marginalized and financially raped by greedy heads of large corporate entities, and I truly hope that a Democratic White House will do its best to keep these vultures at bay. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will happen, but it has a historically better chance than if a Republican president was elected.

Well then, regardless of your opinions about his policies of qualifications for the office, there can be no argument that Mr. Obama has claimed a hands-down victory for the White House. So, what does the Bible tell us, as Christians, about our responsibility to a figure of authority? How are we to support future President Obama? By praying for him (I Timothy 2:1-8), submitting (yep, it says that) to him (Titus 3:1-2, Romans 13:1-7), honoring him (I Peter 2:13-18), and by seeking righteousness for the entire nation (Proverbs 14:34).

Another overarching theme found in nearly all of the aforementioned verses is the command to us that we are to refrain from slanderous speech and arguing amongst one another. The call for bipartisanship has become such a political cliché, but the Bible commands just that. And so does common sense. The election is over and Barak Obama is going to be our new president in two months. Short of tragedy, nothing is going to change that. So it is in our best interest, as both Christians and citizens of the greatest nation of the world, to come together with those who voted differently than us and pray that Mr. Obama, his cabinet, and his advisors are sympathetic to the direction of our God. Submit to their authority unless it directly contradicts the commands of the Lord. And use the next eight years to show that Christianity is a religion of peace and love, not hate, bigotry, and ignorance.

God has placed in the position of power the man that He wants in power. Nothing happens in this universe that God did not directly cause to happen. We have no reason to fear the coming administration. We know that God’s plan is not always obvious to our finite and simple minds. But we can have faith. We can have faith to know that He is in control and that, whatever happens, it will all culminate in in Christ’s return to this earth to bring His faithful back to worship the Father for all of eternity. And that, my friends, is a pretty happy ending.

OK, is anybody else sick of the political junk that the two parties have been spewing forth in an effort to earn our pen-stroke on a tiny piece of paper? If you are like me, you just jumped up and yelled “Yes!” at the top of your lungs. The red and blue propaganda has somehow fused together into an unintelligible pile of purple crap. If that sounds like you then pay attention; I’m about to break this down better than a pre-1991 rapper.

I hate to break this to everyone, but I don’t think that Jesus is a Republican or a Democrat. I’m not even sure he’s registered to vote in the United States, but I’ll check and get back with you later. “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” was not an endorsement…in fact, when I read that passage I hear a twinge of sarcasm in his voice. I seriously doubt that God is worried about who is going to be in the White House for the next 4 to 8 years. It’s not like we are going to throw God a curve ball and He will have to change His swing to make His plan happen. No, God will put into power whomever God wants in power.

Now, that is not to say that Christians do not have a responsibility in the election process, because we do. Our votes need to align with the teachings of Christ so that his kingdom may come to earth as it is in heaven. I know, I know, that’s a tough one. Vote Democrat and the Freedom of Choice Act gets signed. Vote Republican and the poor of the country have a good chance of getting marginalized and ignored. How are we supposed to make that kind of judgement call?!

We aren’t. God is. Just pray. I promise that if you truly seek the will of God during the next several weeks, He will direct your path to the polls.

This article is the first of several being written about a Christian’s responsibility during the election season. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about political matters.