The View From 1776

May God bless—Not Damn America
By Marie Jon’

God bless America. We live in a country steeped in a rich history. This country is the most scenically beautiful place by far. As a people we are the most giving and caring of others. It is amazing, with all the diversity of nationalities, races and religious beliefs, how we’ve all come together through the history of our nation for its betterment. We are one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. America keeps moving forward for the greater good.

I am proud to be an American. Historically, we have gone through some challenging times. However, because The Almighty provided us with strong leaders, we have always pulled through. America has learned many lessons well, and righted the wrongs she identified over the years.

During the era of the freedom marches, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. moved the hearts of all who heard him and, eventually, segregation became a part of history that our great country overcame. We continued to grow, haltingly at times; but we became a better nation.

Many heroic civil rights leaders stood firm before President John F. Kennedy. He eventually gave in to the pressures of both black and white Americans and got behind civil rights legislation. The civil rights marches shed light throughout the world upon the struggle for civil rights for people of color within the United Sates. “It [King’s teachings] made it clear that we did not have to use violence to achieve the goals which we were seeking.” - Ralph Abernathy.

Today, all Americans enjoy every liberty our country affords. We are free to come and go, free to speak our minds, and free to aspire to become anything we want to be. Our country offers free education to all of its citizens through high school. Our educational system provides enormous sums for loans and grants to help those who could not otherwise afford college. Our system also provides students opportunities to work their way through college, making their degrees even sweeter on graduation day.

Anyone can achieve his or her highest goal. There are no limits to the many things that personally can be attained. When mixed with hard work and perseverance, every American can prosper and succeed in life. We can all own the American dream.

When I think about how fortunate we are to have been born in this country, my heart is extremely thankful. The American flag and the words of the song “God Bless America” and the Pledge of Allegiance make me tear up whenever I am at an event where we honor our nation.

One evening when I was working in a hospital, a young nurse introduced herself to me. While chatting and exchanging our backgrounds she told me something quite astounding. She believed that God actually does work all things out for the good. She related it to the fact that slavery brought her ancestors unwillingly to this country. With all of the hardships they endured, God became central. She then expressed how thankful she was that this strange and terrible time in our history afforded her the opportunity to be born in a country where she is free to worship a loving Savior. Jennie’s words stayed with me. I saw the wisdom that she possessed. Later on in our lives, I was privileged to sing at her wedding. Jennie and her husband have a beautiful little girl. We are sisters in Christ Jesus. Our love for one another deepens with every passing year.

We all need to understand the great sacrifices that have been made by the wonderful people who call America their home and their ancestors, but it is perfectly fine to question the veracity of those who see America in a negative, distorted light and take umbrage with their point of view.

No, not GOD DAMN AMERICA, as declared by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but God bless America. It behooves all Americans to denounce the words of those who continually decry this country or their own lot in life, because each person is the master of his own destiny.

So, when Americans hear a woman who may become the First Lady of these United States sound so disparaging of her country, they wonder. Michelle Obama has worked very hard and she has attained so very much. Why is she not proud of her country? Hope comes from a heart of a loving God. “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

However, Black Liberation Theology is taught and preached from the pulpit at the church Barack Obama attends. We have seen the terrible outcome of such an unscriptural teaching. Rev. Jeremiah Wright is not a mere enigma. His strangely perverse views come from what he and other Black Liberation theologians have wrought. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

“What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of Black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love.” - James Cone, A Black Theology of Liberation

Excerpts from American Thinker: The Real Agenda of Black Liberation Theology

“Now, suddenly, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright is misunderstood. Suddenly, so-called black liberation theology is misunderstood.

“Wright’s successor at Trinity United Church of Christ, the Reverend Otis Moss III, won’t bow to the wishes of ‘they’ to shut up. It begs the question: ‘Who are they?’ The larger white cultural? Or liberals and Democrats who see all this unfavorable publicity hurting the election chances of Barack Obama?

“The sad truth is that neither the Reverend Wright nor black liberation theology is being misunderstood. Both, thanks to the candidacy of Barack Obama, are being exposed. God, in fact, works in mysterious ways. And unless it’s the aforementioned liberals and Democrats who are trying to hush up Wright, Moss and others of their ilk, sensible Americans want to hear more, for knowledge is power, the power to combat hate.

“And make no mistake, what Americans are hearing, they don’t like. In the Rasmussen poll, 73% of voters find Wright’s comments to be racially divisive. That’s a broad cross section of voters, including 58% of black voters.”

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) Black liberation theology rejects the Word of the God of the Bible. They have created a god who will have black people war against white people. These idolaters put another god before them to participate in the destruction of a perceived (white) enemy of their own making.

The Civil War was a nationally traumatic part of our history, but it has been over for a long time. Brave men died to give blacks their freedom. How dare these Black Liberationists continue with this same old canard of racial lies that the Democrat Party also feeds them to divide our country? The party includes unjust, malicious race-baiting organizations with pastors who willingly castigate the establishment. Too often, situations that involve crimes are capitalized on to perpetuate the notions that the country is still dealing with an inordinate amount of race injustice.

Whenever people of good will such as Bill Cosby, Juan Williams and, Larry Elder utter words of corrective criticism to the black community, the same race-baiters go on the attack by calling them sell-outs and Uncle Toms.

It is our duty to be informed and ask pointedt questions about what Senator Obama actually believes about his faith. We have enough to contend with pertaining to Islamic terrorists who are ready and willing to attack America without having to deal with the bigoted belief system of a president who clings to his own brand of racism while sitting in the Oval Office. That is not America’s ideal; it is not a president we want leading our country.

The Democrat Party and the “Drive-By-Media” would try to confuse the issues by making it a problem to question Obama’s relationships with questionable people such as Wright, Rezko and Ayers. They would contend it is unfair, claiming guilt by association. However, it is true that we are judged by the company we keep.

“If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” (1 John 1:6)

Obama whole heartedly embraces Black Liberation Theology. He remains in a church that is controversial but was helpful to his political ambitions. He is a true believer of Rev. Wright. Imagine what will happen to our country if this cult theology spreads from city to city, all across our land within black communities? It would eventually erode everything that was accomplished by Dr. Martin Luther King. Our nation would begin to crumble from within.

Unfortunately the Democratic National Committee and the media did not do their vetting. It is too late for Democrats to offer up another candidate for the presidency. Barack Obama is politically damaged goods. He is not going to appeal to those who will be voting in the general election. His personal beliefs have been exposed and they are not commendable or compatible with mainstream American values.

America has proven herself over and over. We keep moving in a positive direction, not backwards. And we are not about to allow those who wish to live in the past impede our progress. “And unlike the Reverend Moss and his kindred, I’ll specify the “else.” Civil unrest. Disruptions in cities. Riot in the streets.” ? Jeffrey Schmidt

A man of integrity leads by example. Obama has shown America that he is a mere duplicitous politician, whose words amount to contrived and sorry, misleading rhetoric.

Marie Jon’ is a political/religious-based writer and founder of http://www.DrawingClose.org , a sister website to RenewAmerica. Marie extends her hand of welcome; visit DrawingClose and receive your free gift of salvation by taking an online Bible study. Join Christians from all over the world by becoming a free member of GO Fellowship. The website is a nondenominational gathering of believers.