There she stands. Really?

He can do it with the Swedish flag too...



So, I'm so in to this election thing right now... I can't help it. It is entertaining. It is scary. It raises sooo many questions.

Most of us over here try to understand and grasp how so many Christians in America can be such hard core patriots... I mean, sure, if that is what you want then... go ahead. But, I just don't get it.

The author, and really cool person, Shane Claiborne says in his book Jesus for president that, even though it might surprise a lot of Americans, The US of A is never once mentioned in the Bible. Ha. In fact... Most countries aren't. And that is ok by most of us. Christian people around the world separate the Kingdom of God from the geographical kingdom they are living in. Why not so in America? Please, sweet US citizens explain this to me. Why is the flag so important? You treat it like it's way more than a symbol of the place you live in. You even join in with Mr Smitty in almost singing worship songs to the thing. A while back the head pastor of the Crystal Cathedral (a very strange place in itself if you wanna deal with modesty and stuff...) held a sermon pretending he WAS the flag. And a gigantic striped banner thing was lowered from the ceiling IN FRONT of the cross... Hm, don't get it. It's a piece of cloth to me. As is the Swedish flag.
And the national hymn thing. We have one too. We sing it at sports event sometimes. And at graduations. It's a pretty sweet little song, with weird lyrics. It makes me think of summer. I have no idea if our prime minister likes it or not. I couldn't care less.

Hey, what I'm saying is.... I know there are things I don't understand and I'm acting more stupid than I am here... And I know that I haven't been sending my husband or brother out in a war and I can't imagine what that must feel like. But sometimes I wish my American friends could take a little tour around the world and see how Christians in other countries deal with flag and patriotism. Cause I sincerely can't see why getting in a war for my earthly country would give me extra points in any way on my way to heaven. And I can't see why that would make me a better president. The same way I can't see why it is even a subject if the leader of my country sings a certain songs on a regular basis or not.

I might be stupid. Feel very free to explain it to me. And all of my friends stating other opinions regardless of church statements, record sales and radio plays (and possibly lifelong condemnation... :). Thank you!