it's that time of year again...
My family and I were having this discussion this morning when we drove past a billboard in the a "rough" (not any more or less rough than the entire city) part of town that featured the Pledge. My mother idyly commented: "I'm glad they kept the 'under God' in."
This is a big deal with my mother. She believes that Christians all across America are being persecuted because we are not longer getting as much preferential treatment when it comes to the government. For me, this is a sore spot. Yes, I am profoundly Christian and my faith is very, very important to me. However, it is also important to me to see people live freely, without the over arching influence of a religion they may or may not ascribe to. If there is one thing we've learned from the past it is that shoving religion down people's throat doesn't get you (or, more importantly, them!) anywhere.
I rebutted her comment with: "We don't live in a Christian nation, mom. People have every right to not include the 'under God'."
Of course, my mother has to snap back immeadiately: "Yes we do!!! Our founding fathers were Christian!!!" (ahem not really; Jefferson and Franklin were Deists and many people believe George Washington was agnostic or atheist)
My answer: "America is not a Christian nation. America is a Capitalist nation."
And how true. I spirit of the upcoming holiday season, where we all go out and spend thousands and thousands of dollars in the name of "love" and "charity", here is my wish list so far. Oh, ho, ho. Just because I'm critical of my country doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy the traditional consumer whoring. And besides, this year I actually have money to spend on nice gifts for friends. This is a new development and I plan on having fun shopping for them with my own Capitalist "In God we trust" cash.
-netflicks
-best american essays 2007 (book)
-the maytrees by annie dillard (book)
-mornings like this: found poems by annie dillard (book)
-two by ryan adams (cd)
-release the stars by rufus wainwright (cd)
-bastards of the beat by the damnwells (cd)
-cassadaga by bright eyes (cd)
-eklavya: the royal guard (dvd)
-angels in america box set (dvd)
-the motorcycle diaries (dvd)
-ugly betty season 1
-heroes season 1
-ralph by ralph lauren perfume
-sephora gift certificate
-old navy gift certificate
Am I old school by calling them gift certificates? Does anyone still sell those anymore? It must be the West Virginia rubbing off on me. In total, I'll spent over 20 hours out of 72 hours of this weekend in West Virginia.
This is a big deal with my mother. She believes that Christians all across America are being persecuted because we are not longer getting as much preferential treatment when it comes to the government. For me, this is a sore spot. Yes, I am profoundly Christian and my faith is very, very important to me. However, it is also important to me to see people live freely, without the over arching influence of a religion they may or may not ascribe to. If there is one thing we've learned from the past it is that shoving religion down people's throat doesn't get you (or, more importantly, them!) anywhere.
I rebutted her comment with: "We don't live in a Christian nation, mom. People have every right to not include the 'under God'."
Of course, my mother has to snap back immeadiately: "Yes we do!!! Our founding fathers were Christian!!!" (ahem not really; Jefferson and Franklin were Deists and many people believe George Washington was agnostic or atheist)
My answer: "America is not a Christian nation. America is a Capitalist nation."
And how true. I spirit of the upcoming holiday season, where we all go out and spend thousands and thousands of dollars in the name of "love" and "charity", here is my wish list so far. Oh, ho, ho. Just because I'm critical of my country doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy the traditional consumer whoring. And besides, this year I actually have money to spend on nice gifts for friends. This is a new development and I plan on having fun shopping for them with my own Capitalist "In God we trust" cash.
-netflicks
-best american essays 2007 (book)
-the maytrees by annie dillard (book)
-mornings like this: found poems by annie dillard (book)
-two by ryan adams (cd)
-release the stars by rufus wainwright (cd)
-bastards of the beat by the damnwells (cd)
-cassadaga by bright eyes (cd)
-eklavya: the royal guard (dvd)
-angels in america box set (dvd)
-the motorcycle diaries (dvd)
-ugly betty season 1
-heroes season 1
-ralph by ralph lauren perfume
-sephora gift certificate
-old navy gift certificate
Am I old school by calling them gift certificates? Does anyone still sell those anymore? It must be the West Virginia rubbing off on me. In total, I'll spent over 20 hours out of 72 hours of this weekend in West Virginia.