July 10, 2006

What the hell?

Just arrived home to retrieve my mail, and was surprised to find something from the American Bible Society. It was addressed to me and included a "free gift inside."

Any guesses on what the gift was?

Anyone?

An American flag. From the American Bible Society. Asking for money to help them give bibles to service men and women.

I have no problem with the Bible. Well, maybe some issues, but I have no problem with handing them out to whoever wants to read it.

But I have a big problem with conflating the Bible with the American Flag as if they are paired. Especially when it is so clear that American Christians can't seem to tell the difference between the two.

5 comments:

JMG said...

At a church where I attended bible study there was a display of the bible and the American flag side by side with the caption behind them "I pledge allegiance." I had to wonder what message that would send to visitors from other countries who may happen to attend that church.

Anonymous said...

That's because it's an American Bible. Check the Gospels and I am sure you will find "Jesus Christ, born of Virginia."

Monk-in-Training said...

What I am starting to worry about is do Evangelicals so conflate the Church with the State that, will they ever be able to seperate them in their minds?

Anonymous said...

Evangelicals haven't been able to separate church from state since the days of the Salem Witch Trials. Back then they were called Puritans. After a few hundred years, I don't think they are ready, or ever will be ready, to separate church in state in their minds. That is evident by their strengthening push to keep the two together in practice, regardless of what ther religions others in this country may follow.

Karma Girl said...

I've got no problem with these people pairing a bible with a flag as long as the intended message is, "We're Christians and Americans and proud of it," and not, "We're Christians and Americans and you should be too!" There's a difference.